Changing uses in public spaces: dehors’ supporting measures in Italy in COVID times

The text investigates the issue of public space management, focusing on what happened during the COVID-19 post-lockdown period in three Italian cities and regional capitals: Milan, Bologna, and Bari. These cities have adopted extraordinary measures to facilitate the occupation of public land to support the resumption of economic activities. Through the case study analysis, the text proposes some remarks about the conditions that allowed public administrations to react, the effects of these local emergency measures, the issues still unresolved about the relationship between public space and land occupation for commercial purposes.