Public Works - Public Space

Final Blog Task

Thu, 10 May 2012 14:37:26 -0400

Architecture is all around us, we don’t realize it, but it’s there. It takes form of buildings, interiors, objects, art and space. As people we become part of the architecture through how we live within these public and private spaces, how we interact with those around us and how we adapt to what’s in the spaces surrounding us.

Public life is how we perceive and move within spaces of public and private. There is the idea that City=House and House=City, which is the idea that the activities we perform I different public spaces in the city, is the same as being at home in private spaces. The idea that these spaces in the city is the same as the the spaces at home. They are places everywhere we go and each serves a different purpose. For example the cinema is a public pace of leisure. Everyone can go to this space and enjoy their own experience in private.

We have become obsessed with the concept of utopia-city vector of the imagination. Personally this concept intruiges me hugely and im interested in the various creations of a utopian city of the future. The way I see it, is that through the many variations of our future city, is that public space plays a huge part with less of the private and domestic domain. This manifests with the fact that todays technology is consistently growing with less privacy and more openness. With social networks, modern day technology and computer systems, we are able to see and share with other people’s thoughts and spaces. Forever creating and producing new ideas/concepts. All these become interwoven with eachother, building a structure of a utopian future city.

The idea of separating people socially comes from hundreds of years ago. An example is the term ‘Polis’ used in the Ancient Greek. The term meaning a self governed city. Even the citizens were separated, only those within the city walls were considered, but then the concept was developed and classes were created. i.e. slaves and foreigners were not allowed to be part of society. Nowadays we have better communications due to different types of public space. For example using my experiences of schooling brings up the concept of public space having and impact on how we interact with others around us. Being in private school before I cam here, I was surrounded by almost all people of one class within the space called Queen’s Gate School, but when moving to Canterbury in university the public space became bigger and encouraged interactions with all kinds of people of various classes ad backgrounds. On the whole public spaces such as the London underground bring people from different places together in one space, even though we don’t stop and converse with one another our paths are intertwined, bringing us together without thought.

This also links with the idea of how we adapt and respond to things that happen between us through the spaces we are in. as I’ve said before technology also plays a huge part in the idea. For example our modern cities such as New York and Hong Kong with their bright lights and media centered spaces, impact us and influence our thoughts, actions and how we perceive our personal thoughts on spaces around us. The private spaces then become almost public. Again referring back to the utopian concept, architects can’t get enough of the idea of creating a space, building, or city that would be out of the ordinary, something we would all fantasies, but in actual fact non of these utopian ideas would ever work in the real world. Instead of what architecture is meant to be, about creating suitable spaces for certain purposes, we build buildings that are of what we desire making us selfish. This also verges on the concept of Rem Koolhaas’ term ‘bigness’. We don’t care that the building does not make sense, but instead we build a skyscraper to be taller than the others as if in a competition to be better than the other skyscraper. This leads to our modern cities consistently growing bigger and what we see as better, creating larger public spaces that surround and heavily influence people about the idea of what we desire, rather than people per sieving these spaces interpretation and using the spaces in their own way.

As a conclusion I see it as spaces are all around us, with each serving a different purpose and influencing us to act, interact, play and move in certain ways, depending on the space we chose to be in. We have our ideas about an ideal world, society and city, but not all these ideas can work in our world today. Architecture is about creating a space for a purpose, but are we getting carried away with new ideas/creations and getting lost in the imagination of an ideal world or a world in which we would prefer to live in?

#1 Utopia - City as vector of the imagination For a long time...

Wed, 09 May 2012 20:21:00 -0400

#1 Utopia - City as vector of the imagination

For a long time artists, architects and creative types have tried to create and imagine what the world around us would be like in the far future. All of which consists of modern technology taken a step further, with robots, the concept of flying and the idea of everything being effortless, with public spaces becoming bigger and the use of artificial lights en-lighting the city mostly.

This concept would not work in the real world of today as we live in a society where human nature is inbuilt into everything. For instance in a western society, utopia could never work due to political systems such as capitalism where there is a set hierarchy. Architects have become drawn to the idea of utopia, for example the buildings of today are becoming taller and taller, and todays architecture has become more about being bigger and better rather than how architecture used to be, which was creating spaces for certain purposes.

We have become obsessed with the idea of utopia, as it shows in many films such as : Avatar- entering a virtual world that is depicted as a futuristic world.

Tron- the Utopian city, ‘Grid’

Matrix- using the mind to control everything in another world, again taking the shape of a futuristic use of technology.

http://scriptporwin.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/100-imaginative-cities-of-future.html

#9 Bigness OMA The term ‘Bigness’ is defined by Rem...

Mon, 07 May 2012 19:52:00 -0400

#9 Bigness OMA

The term ‘Bigness’ is defined by Rem Koolhaas, as it’s relation to architectural scale and the impact it has on cities. In his book S,M,L,XL there are presentations of his projects of ‘extra-large’ features at urban scale.The concept of the term ‘bigness’ is used to tell us that the building of our day seem to become taller and begins to forget about the of practical space, which then interlinks with the idea of ‘what ever happened to urbanisation.

#2 City = House, House = City Like the city the house can be a smaller version with the same...

Mon, 07 May 2012 18:46:00 -0400

#2 City = House, House = City

Like the city the house can be a smaller version with the same concept. The city is full of public spaces where one can converse with others and enjoy various activities. There is a sense of a large community of civilisation. Whereas in the house a similar pattern can be formed, where there are different spaces within the house where various activities can be performed just like in the city. There is also a sense of community but at a much smaller and closer scale. The concept of housing can be seen as a grid creating rationality within the city.

#3. Polis - Greek space The body of citizens came to the most...

Sun, 06 May 2012 18:13:00 -0400

#3. Polis - Greek space

The body of citizens came to the most important meaning in ancient Greece. A self governed and independent city, which emerged from the Dark Age. A polis consisted of once city that was surrounded by the country side, with people living in both the city and country, but the govern state was within the city and powered by the citizens.

Primrose Hill Primrose Hill is one of my favourite places, a...

Sat, 05 May 2012 15:01:00 -0400

Primrose Hill

Primrose Hill is one of my favourite places, a space where I can be alone with my thoughts, or enjoy the company of friends in a relaxed environment. My spot is the top of the hill. From the there you have the view of London City below. Gives the sense of being far away from the hustle and bustle of the city but in fact its nature within the city. The park is open and seems never ending, with different paths leading to different public spaces of different activities.

image- http://www.london-locks.co.uk/Locksmith%20in%20Primrose%20Hill.jpg

The Everyman Cinema - Maida Vale During the easter break, going...

Sat, 05 May 2012 13:57:00 -0400

The Everyman Cinema - Maida Vale

During the easter break, going back home with an Everyman cinema just down the road, between friends, was just perfect. Because of its 1920’s inspired style with the red sofas and the velvet curtains I always feel as if I’m going back in time. As it is small it adds to the experience of being lost in the film. Like visiting any cinema leisure time turns into entering the character’s world, with the public space designed to make you comfortable, in order to forget where you are.

image - http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7162/6807814569_bdf1ab283e_z.jpg

- http://www.maidavalemums.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/IMAG0890.jpg

St John’s Wood The London underground is like a maze....

Sat, 05 May 2012 12:58:00 -0400

St John’s Wood

The London underground is like a maze. Different tunnels leading to different platforms. it has become a huge factor in people’s lives who move around a lot in the city. We have become dependent on London transport, with the underground receiving thousands a day and not just people who live in the city. Without the system we would not have as many opportunities to move around freely when we need to.

Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino

Wed, 02 May 2012 17:14:00 -0400

As the reader we are led through a continuous driven plot, where Marco Polo an explorer through is imagination vividly describes the cities he has visited in a dialogue with another character, the Emperor Kublai Khan. The book consists of tales depicting 55 cities. The places in which Polo has visited show people acting, depicting and considering things of no sense or in fact impossible.When talking Polo and Kahn speak different languages. This therefore gives the idea that both characters understand what the other says through the use of their own imagination and leaves the reader to open interpretation. When describing each city Polo uses objects from the city he is talking about. The structure of the book is in the form of a framing device, the idea of a story within a story, with the concept that plays with the language and the complexity of the cities. On the whole the whole idea of the stories told and the way that they are told gives the reader, architects and artists to in-visit each city in a surreal manner, leaving it to the imagination where there are no limits visualising how cities could be. The way Calvino writes makes us consistently curious to the physical manner of public spaces and how they can relate with modern day society.

Project Utopia, Floating Island The concept of a floating island...

Wed, 02 May 2012 14:46:00 -0400

Project Utopia, Floating Island

The concept of a floating island goes back years. Although sounds relatively modern it was first mentioned in Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’, as the home of the four winds of King Aeolus. It was then used in various literature and films. The most recent idea of the concept is the ‘Yacht island designs’. Designed to create a public space of what would be on land, but on water making it portable. Based on the idea of Utopia, who’s theme resembled more of an oil rig rather than a yacht. It’s space can be used for anything you wanted it to, such as mix retail districts, theatres, restaurants and casinos.

http://inhabitat.com/project-utopia-a-floating-island-paradise-at-sea/proexr-file-descriptionattributeschannels-chlistcompression-compression-pizdatawindow-box2i-0-0-2999-1624displaywindow-box2i-0-0-2999-1624lineorder-lineorder-increasin/?extend=1

image - http://www.instash.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Project-Utopia-Floating-Island.jpg

- http://images.gizmag.com/inline/project-utopia-bmt-yacht-island-design-12.jpg

National World War II memorial - Washington DC Dedicated to the...

Tue, 01 May 2012 15:55:00 -0400

National World War II memorial - Washington DC

Dedicated to the Americans who served in the armed forces as civilians during world war II. The memorial consists of 56 pillars, a pair of arches surrounding a plaza and a fountain. A sculpture of Ray Kasy would be placed in the middle of the rainbow pool and two fountains would send water more than 30 feet into the air. The idea was for visitors to walk along one of the two walls, picturing scenes of war experiences. From the start through to the homecoming scene at the end.

image - http://www.iwar.org.uk/news-archive/2004/pics/040521-N-9909C-010.jpg

Holocaust Memorial - Berlin - Peter Eisenman Eisenman’s...

Tue, 01 May 2012 14:21:00 -0400

Holocaust Memorial - Berlin - Peter Eisenman

Eisenman’s unique design has drawn political differences, but has still stood as an influential design for a memorial. The idea of the design is so visitors can walk through, which ever way the please. The aim was for the memorial to become a natural part of the city, blending in, used for shortcuts on the way home from another place of piece and quiet on a chaotic day. The wave like pattern which can be seen from above becomes like the waves of the sea of souls of those remembered.

image - http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTIgueEb4kx0akV28_0o2_TXoqE0-facVnncXVlFYrROR1GTNYYTwA8oHSnMg

-http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/Berlin_-_Holocaust_Memorial_004.JPG

Junkspace The unsual juxtaposition of words make the junkspace...

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:23:00 -0400

Junkspace

The unsual juxtaposition of words make the junkspace an unusual piece of text, similar to Junk mail, hence the name. Except koolhaas writes with hidden purposes and meanings which is the structure bone of jukspace.

From what I understand koolhaas talks about spaces in general and how they are becoming ‘invisible’ to us and that how we interpret space as being the opposite to what it is. i.e substance and objects. Koolhaas gives the term junkspace , new creativity graphics and ‘sparkling infrastructures of light’ describing another world.

The fun Palace - London - Cedric Price The aim of this project...

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 14:07:00 -0400

The fun Palace - London - Cedric Price

The aim of this project was for Price to turn away from the traditional architecture and to base it on the discourses and theories of his own time. Using science of cybernetics, technology, game theory and theatre to create a new concept of the improvisational architecture, post war Britain. The Fun Palace has the power to be a socially interactive type of architecture with distorted concepts of technology and the social participation. Not a fantasy world, but three dimensional structure consisting of conventional and innovative design, verging onto the idea of the modern computer program.

image- http://www.fishtnk.com/fishtnk/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/fun_palace.jpg

Mong Kok Market - Hong Kong A vivid memory of being in Hong Kong...

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:16:00 -0400

Mong Kok Market - Hong Kong

A vivid memory of being in Hong Kong is visiting the market places. Not only is it a mission to find what you are looking for, but it is also a mission to find your way out. Surrounded by a barrier of people, the market is designed so that you end up in every stall, with small spaces to walk through making it hard to chose your path with only the choice to follow the crowd. Being small has its issue, I feel like a cow in a cattle market.

Urban Utopias in the Twentieth Century: Ebenezer Howard, Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier by Fishman

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:50:00 -0400

Robert Fishman writes about the three famous visionaries Ebenezer Howard,Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier and how they “hated the cities of their time” and how they only imagined of the ‘ideal city’ inviscid from the imagination of the three of them. The book is about how these three men dreamed of the perfect urban world consisting the ideal society.

“What is the ideal city for the twentieth century, the city that best expresses the power and beauty of modern technology and the most enlightened ideas of social justice?” - this was the question the three planners were trying to answer. Individually the three of them then came up with hundreds of models, drawings and plans in specific detail of each space within buildings such as offices, schools, transport systems and factories etc. within what they per sieved as the ‘new city’. Each then carried on writing and coming up with new creations towards their ideal city, as they were deeply unhappy with the old city.

“many people dream of a better world” - but this cannot be a definite concept, for example we can only dream of no more wars, but cannot stop it.

Hong Kong, Central and New York, Times Square The modern city is...

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:25:00 -0400

Hong Kong, Central and New York, Times Square

The modern city is forever changing/growing. Taller skyscrapers, heavily built environments, brighter lights and becoming more digitally dependant.

It seems that with our modern cities there is the idea that the taller the building the better the city, same goes for filling the physical space with media, relating to leisure and play. Like a moth is attracted to the light, the tourists are drawn to the bright lights and the concrete jungle of these modern cities, drawing us more into the media and the world of modern technology rather than the reality of the surrounding space.

An example of the successful immersive nature is NY’s Times Square. Times Square has become a major subject of digital and media elements, displaying bright lights of advertisement. The public space within is one of the busiest pedestrian walkways and a huge entertainment central.

Another example, which I can relate to personally is Hong Kong. Like New York, a modern city, consistently growing and ahead in the modern world of technology. Leisure, fun and play become more the experience when growing up and still is when visiting such a city. With bright colourful changing lights everywhere you go night time become more lively than the day.

Therefore it has become a trend to create these immersive spaces in modern cities. Feeling part of the fun and excitement when being in these public spaces, soaked up by the virtual world of media, but still very much in reality.

image - Hong Kong taken by Nicola MacArthur

- http://dachpian2b.saschina.wikispaces.net/1.7.3+%E2%80%93+Internal+Growth

The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:19:20 -0400

The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link

Jan Kaplicky’s National Library for Pargue. Although...

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 07:18:46 -0400

Jan Kaplicky’s National Library for Pargue.

Although personally not sure about the colour, I find Jan Kaplicky’s futuristic style inspiring and fun. Even though his design won it was not carried through. Famous for Lords cricket ground’s media centre and Selfridges pod in Birmingham.

Another significant place to me is of course Hong Kong, where I...

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 06:07:00 -0400

Another significant place to me is of course Hong Kong, where I was (basically) born, but definitely bred for the the first 8 years of my life. Proud and lucky to have parents, who contributed to it’s famous Skyline. This city is definitely fast going and full of life, like another world you get lost in its mix of traditional Chinese culture and it’s fast growing urbanisation.