In Algerian cities, the experience of female users in public spaces remains underexplored. While some public spaces lack the sense of safety or adequate amenities for women—particularly mothers—other spaces unexpectedly offer women-friendly environments. What are the socio-spatial characteristics that ensure women’s spatial conviviality? And how can public spaces be assessed in relation to women’s lived experience?
As part of a Ph.D. thesis (2024), the social project called (Madinatouha) was developed to create an assessment tool that combines an index with collaborative mapping. Sixteen indicators were identified after an extensive literature review, and grouped into four main axes (Safety, Dignity, Functionality, and Comfort), each considering both the cultural and functional dimensions of public spaces in the city of Blida. The index was translated into a mobile application that allows participatory, real-time data collection and visualization tool.
The app was co-designed by the researcher (an architect with experience in communication and graphic design) in collaboration with a phone developer. After trials and adjustments, the prototype was launched on Google Play. A team of trained young female architects led a five-month field data collection campaign across Blida. A follow-up focus group with the data collectors was conducted to reflect on field challenges, propose improvements to the assessment tool, and identify distinctive patterns in women’s urban experiences.
The challenges acknowledged, not as weaknesses, but as valuable feedback to refine the collaborative mapping tool. The presentation will outline the development process of the Madinatouha app, share insights from the collected data—analyzed using Microsoft Excel and ArcGIS—and highlight key lessons from this collaborative approach to mapping women’s experience in public spaces.
One of the project’s strengths lies in its capacity to generate a wide range of maps and charts, showing the significant importance of participatory mapping and Geographic Information Systems in providing real-time and accurate data about public spaces from a user's view. This participatory method offers a practical pathway for urban planners and decision-makers to better reflect public spaces design.
The fieldwork revealed several challenges: unreliable internet connections disrupted real-time data entry; the time-consuming nature of assessments; cultural sensitivities around privacy; varying perceptions of safety; and occasional risks such as phone theft in crowded markets.
The focus group recommended involving urban planning institutions and architectural firms in future iterations of the tool. To improve data reliability, it also proposed combining expert evaluations with user input. The project continues to evolve, with the aim of developing a more sustainable and interactive model for mapping women’s experiences in public space.
The project is believed to foster greater community participation and influence urban policies to be more responsive to women's needs. By reflecting on both technical and social aspects of the initiative, the presentation aims to inspire mappers, developers, and planners to design participatory tools that genuinely reflect the diversity of public spaces in the city.