A more perfect union: Plea for free speech and public expression
A More Perfect in a commercialUnion landscape
Plea for free speech and public expression in a commercial landscape
A more perfect union: Plea for free speech and public expression
A More Perfect in a commercialUnion landscape
Plea for free speech and public expression in a commercial landscape
Premise
Table of Contents Disjointed Reality
Truly public space needs the presence of public life. If it is accepted that daily public life occurs within a commercial landscape--privately owned and controlled space--then it follows that a publicly owned space must be inserted within the commercial in order to have a place which allows for free speech and expression, a place controlled by the laws governing all citizens.
Democracy and Protest Separation Public Life (?) Civic Architecture Site: Kiener Plaza Spatial Concept
Disjointed Reality
car street
Real
Disjointed Reality
Imaginary
pedestrian street
Disjointed Reality
empty park
Real
Disjointed Reality
Imaginary
active park
Disjointed Reality
empty plaza
Disjointed Reality
Real Real
Imaginary
active plaza
Disjointed Reality
empty street
Disjointed Reality
Real
Imaginary
active street
Disjointed Reality
suburban piaza
Real
Disjointed Reality
Imaginary
Italian piaza
Disjointed Reality
interior galleria
Real
Disjointed Reality
Imaginary
Italian galleria
Disjointed Reality
store with no context
Real
Disjointed Reality
Imaginary
store with context
Disjointed Reality
private security
Real
Disjointed Reality
Imaginary Real
constant surveillance
Disjointed Reality
no protest camp allowed
Real
Disjointed Reality
Imaginary Real
public expression
Democracy and Protest
Democracy and Protest occupy wall street
Occupy Wall Street was the most significant demonstration of public expression in America since the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War Protest. Where citizens chose to Site their protests and the Effects and Consequences of those spatial decisions reveal a lot about the State of Public Space in America.
Democracy and Protest occupy wall street
Democracy and Protest free speech in practice Though the Civil Rights Movement was met with violent backlash from law enforcement, citizens were able to appeal to the court of law and make illegal such oppression to free speech.
Civil Rights Movement While the Vietnam War Protest faced discrimination and oppression from both the militart and law enforcement, most public expression and free speech occured in publicly owned spaces, thereby allowing citizens to amend laws and establish what is legally allowed in public spaces. Vietnam War Protest Unlike both the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War Protests, Occupy Wall Street was conducted on Privately Owned Public Space. While occupiers were allowed to practice free speech by Zuccotti Park’s owners, they had no legal options to appeal or overturn the will of the private owners of the land. Occupy Wall Street
Democracy and Protest occupy movement sites Protest was met with violent opposition from police. Revealed racial and economic unrest still present in California.
Oakland, CA Protest had a low turnout. It was conducted on public space but was separated and screened with trees from public life.
Miami, FL Though conducted on a publicly owned college campus, the protest was noted for the brutality displayed by the law enforcement called to help maintain peace.
Davis, CA
Protest had a low turnout. It was conducted on public space but could not find an effective location in proximity to public life to broadcast its message.
Las Vegas, NV Protest had a low turnout. It was conducted on public space but was separated and more importantly hidden from public life through the design of the sunken plaza in the public space.
St. Louis, MO Protest had a high turnout and reflect the general openness to civic and public activities in Seattle.
Seattle, WA
Democracy and Protest OWS vs OSTL
Democracy and Protest OWS vs OSTL
Population distribution of New York City
Population distribution of St. Louis
Occupy Wall Street was located in one of the MOST dense areas of the city.
Occupy St. Louis was located in one of the LEAST dense areas of the city.
Population Density per square mile
Population Density per square mile
Less than 50 per square mile
Less than 50 per square mile
50-249
50-249
250-999
250-999
1,000-4,999
1,000-4,999
5,000 and higher
5,000 and higher
Location
Zuccotti Park
CAMP TOWN
A desire for PUBLIC EXPRESSION needs the presence of a truly PUBLIC SPACE.
Kiener Plaza
Location
EMPTY TOWN
A desire for PUBLIC EXPRESSION needs the presence of a PUBLIC LIFE.
Democracy and protest spatial context of OWS 4'-21 4"
4'-21 4"
4'-21 4"
4'-21 4"
15 commercial venues in an area 4x smaller than Kiener Plaza
4'-21 4"
privately owned
Retail Stores: 15
4'-21 4"
50’ 100’ 200’
Owned by : Brookfield Prop
Spatial context of Zuccotti Park
Scale: 4'-21 4"
Scale:
4'-21 4"
Spatial context of Zuccotti Park
Democracy and Protest spatial context of OSTL 50’ 100’ 200’
Owned by : City of STL
publicly owned
Retail Stores: 12
12 commercial venues in an area 4x larger than Zuccotti Park
Separation
Separation
Separation
civic and commercial
How did we get here?
civic and commercial
A short discussion on the rupture between the civic and commercial
Urban 6th century BC
iic
ommercial
112 AD
1823
Posturban 1885
1956
1962
Separation Athens
agora
Separation
6th century BC
Athen’s Agora
Commercial
Athens, Greece 6th Century B.C. Population ~290,000
112 AD
The agora was the original place of public gatheringin ancient Greek city-states. While originally used only for athletic, artistic, spiritual and political life, it later became the site for market exchange as well.
6th century BC
civic space: defined
Civic
1823 1885
market space: event days
1956 1962
Separation Trajan’s Forum
Roman Capitol, Rome 106-112
Population ~1,000,000 200,000 in urban
Separation
112 AD Commercial
civic space: dominant Trajan’s Forum consists primarily of civic and religious buildings with commercial market space boardering its northeast edge.
Civic 6th century BC
Forum
forum
112 AD 1823 1885
market space: ancillary
1956 1962
Separation Arcade
Galerie Vivienne
Paris, France 1823
Population ~650,000
arcade
Separation
1823 Commercial
112 AD
Located between the stock exchange and civic buildings, Galerie Vivienne functioned as a clean, interior shopping experience set off from the dirty, exterior street.
6th century BC
civic space: proximity
Civic
1823 1885
market space: passage way
1956 1962
Separation Department Store
Marshall Field Store
Chicago, IL USA 1885
Population ~1,099,850
department store
Separation
1885 Commercial
112 AD
The department store is noted for its close ties to the dry good warehouse. Unlike previous forms of commercial shopping, the department store creates a total, multi leveled, themed, internal experience. Marshall Field Store is most noted for introducing the escalator and the personal shopper service experience.
6th century BC
civic space: absent
Civic
1823 1885
market space: total
1956 1962
Separation Suburban Shopping Mall
Southdale Center
Edina, MN USA 1956
Population ~30,482
shopping mall
Separation
1956 Commercial
urban space: absent
112 AD
While malls of various types have existed as a spatial condition for quite some time, the suburban shopping mall was constructed in the recently formed suburb of Edina. In a way similar to BigBox, the mall brought the notion of urban, public activity back into the insistently private, quite, enclosed suburban context.
6th century BC
civic space: absent
Civic
1823 1885
market space: total
1956 1962
Separation Big-Box Store
Meijer
Grand Rapids, MI, USA 1962
Population ~177,313
big-box store
Separation
1962 Commercial
urban space: absent
112 AD 1823
It is difficult to know when the Big-Box Store became a personal shopping experience since its architectural form so closely resembles a warehouse. Meijer’s store was constructed in the recently created suburban area of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Devoid of civic space, density, commercial references, crowds, filth, smell, the site was made. Brutally ripping the department store from its context and smashing it into the expansive suburban neighborhoods, Big-Box had arrived.
6th century BC
civic space: absent
Civic
1885
market space: total
1956 1962
Public Life (?)
Public Life (?)
public
Public Life (?)
private
Conflicted interests
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. -Preamble to the Constitution
Shopping is arguable the last remaining form of public activity. Through a battery of increasinlgy predatory forms, shopping has infiltrated, colonized, and even replaced almost every aspect of urban life. Town centers, suburbs, streets, and now airports, train stations, museums, hospitals, schools, the Internet, and the military are shaped by the mechanisms and spaces of shopping...[making] it one of the principal--if only--modes by which we experience the city. -Rem Koolhaas
Public Life (?) Big Box Retail Store -Enclosed
daily public life
Public Life (?)
daily information Commercial Strip Action
walking
Information device
window display
-Destionation center -Single retailer Indoor Mall -Enclosed
Checkout Counter
Action
paying
Information device
news rack
-Destination center -Multiple retailers
Commercial Strip
Road
-Open air
Action
driving
Information device
billboard
-Walking path -Multiple retailers
Public Life (?)
big-box store
Public Life (?)
big-box store
Former context:
urban department store
controlled space: parking lot
commercial space: retail warehouse
Public Life (?)
mall
Public Life (?)
mall
Former context:
urban galleria
controlled space: mall corridor
commercial space: retail stores
Public Life (?)
commercial strip
Public Life (?)
commercial strip
Former context:
city street
controlled space: sidewalk
commercial space: retail stores
Civic Architecture Unlike commercial space, which can appear from and return to nowhere, civic space must remain stubbornly fixed in place due to its location within the cultural and historical fabric of its site. Though commercial architecture may change with the desires of a given moment, civic architecture carries the decisions made by its creator until the building’s form and space are considered absolutely unsalvagable.
Civic Architecture
Old Courthouse
Civic Architecture
Old Courthouse
St. Louis, MO 1821
St. Louis, MO 1950
Population ~4,500
Population ~880,000
Foundation of the court house
Dense urban context
St. Louis, MO 1846
St. Louis, MO 1965
Population ~35,390
Population ~622,236
Dread-Scott Case.
Leveled urban context
Civic Architecture
Old Courthouse
Civic Architecture
Old Courthouse
St. Louis, MO 2000
St. Louis, MO 2011
Population ~348,189
Population ~318,069
Kiener plaza created as foreground to courthouse
Occupy St. Louis sited at Kiener plaza in front of the old corthouse. Despite low density in the area, protest site considered appropriate due to its historically understood location as a place where major decisions are made.
St. Louis, MO 2009
St. Louis, MO 2011
Population ~319,294
Population ~318,069
HOK proposal for Kiener plaza
Michael van Valkenburgh Associates proposal for the CityArchRiver project
Civic Architecture
CityArchRiver
Real
Civic Architecture
CityArchRiver
Imaginary CityArchRiver 2015 will make the Arch easier and safer for everyone toexperience by connecting, invigorating and expanding the park’s grounds and museums.
Why no Shopping?
Designed by world-renowned landscape architecture firm Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, CityArchRiver 2015 connects the Gateway Arch grounds with the East and West riverfronts and the region. Through the creation of new spaces for events and public education, expanded museum space, additional park acreage and bicycle trails, children’s play areas, performance venues and a lively, invigorated riverfront, locals and tourists alike will find new opportunities to learn, linger and enjoy one of the world’s most recognized icons.
Civic Architecture
No shops? No density?
CityArchRiver
Civic Architecture
CityArchRiver Somewhere these people bought something...
No speech? Too green! Too quiet!
A small admittance of retails's need presence on the water front.
Civic Architecture
co-exist
Can the Civic, the Public and the Commercial co-exist?
Civic Architecture
co-exist
Civic Architecture
co-exist
Civic Architecture
co-exist
Site: Kiener Plaza
Site: Kiener Plaza
urban context
Site: Kiener Plaza
urban context
Site: Kiener Plaza
urban context
36’
18’
1
9’ 3’
36’
18’
2
9’ 3’
18’
3
9’ 3’
36’
18’
4
9’ 3’
Site: Kiener Plaza
urban context
Site: Kiener Plaza
urban context
Site: Kiener Plaza
proposed program
Spatial Concept
Spatial Concept
early exploration
Spatial Concept Public Space
Mediatheque
Broadcasting
interplay of program Shopping