Guide Exploring Public Spaces

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E XP L OR I N GP U B L I CS P A CE S GU I PUBLIC SPACES

EXPLORING


introduction This guide is developed for those who love their city, despite for their problems. And even more for those who are interest in being active, understand a bit more about the city’s life and urban conditions, and even propose change, even if it would be just punctual. We don’t expect anybody to change the world. Nor you have to be a urban enthusiast. This guide intends to share in simple 5 steps (and completely feasible) methods for developing a study about an urban area. The study here proposed concludes itself with a proposition for an urban intervention. This means a design or artistic project involving social, identity, environment and local aspects. The objective of this guide is mostly to promote the discussion about the importance of the life quality in a city. We defend that cities has to be designed for their inhabitants (and less for cars, for speed, for pollution, etc.). We believe in the lively city. Where people can enjoy and share their public spaces. Therefore it is important that the inhabitants are also active, a city depends a lot of its people. These are tasks defended by authors like Jane Jacobs, Jan Gehl, Kevin Lynch, and many others (in case you would go deeper in the discussion). This guide is an outcome from a study developed in the course Exploring Public Spaces in the Architecture and Urban Planning Faculty of the RWTH-Aachen University. We executed those methods for studying the public space, and notice that they are so effective and so simple, that they could be shared.

We hope you enjoy, and that it helps you being creative and improving your public space!


what would you change in your city?


STEP 1

INQUIRE This is the discovery fase. Choose the place you want to make your study about, and head to your fieldtrip!

1 . 1

b e f o r e

define the area you want to study about

gather informations that help you understand the area:

+

s i z e i n h a b i t a n t s h i s t o r y i m p o r t a n t p l a c e s e t c .


STEP 1

INQUIRE f i e l d w o r k

1 . 2

w a l k

o b s e r v e

f e e l

+

t a k e p i c t u r e s

m a k e n o t e s

m a k e s k e t c h e s

repeating the FIELDWORK is important in order to bring new points of view.


STEP 2

SYNTHETISE This is the fase to work with the collected informations. There are some technics to work them out:

2 . 1

m e n t a l

m a p

draw your own MENTAL MAP about the explored area.

Synthesis noun | syn·the·sis |ˈ\sin(t)-th -s s\ the act of organizing and documentating collected data e e


what is a MENTAL MAP? This mapping method reveals the personal perceptions of the area of interaction. By representing on a sheet of paper a specific area, the subjective qualities are pointed out, e.g. personal preferences, special characteristics of the place and practical uses of the geography. There is no right or wrong in drawing a mental map. Important it is to point on a sheet of paper any information that is wanted. The procedure can be explained by the following :

“make it just as if you were making a rapid description of the city to a stranger, covering all the main features. No accurate drawing is expected, just a rough sketch”. (Lynch, 1960)

wanna read more about it? Ziervogel, Daniela (2011): Mental-Map-Methoden in der Quartiersforschung. Wahrnehmung, kognitive Repräsentation und Verhalten im Raum. Lynch, Kevin (1960): The image of the city. Cambridge


STEP 2

SYNTHETISE 2 . 2

o r g a n i z e

w r i t e t e x t s

c r e a t e g r a p h i c s

v i s u a l b u l l e t s

. . .

What do people do in the place(s) you visited? How do they interact with the place and with each other? What are the most performed ways and tracks?

QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT HELP THE SYNTHESIS


STEP 3

CONTACTING

LOCALS In order to gain new points of view about the area and to be in touch with the inhabitants and visitors perspective, it is very important contacting these people. Here two methods are shared: 3 . 1

s o c i a l

r e p o r t a g e

find some few key person and enjoy a long and detailed talk! ?

3 . 2

!

m e n t a l

m a p

i n t e r v i e w s

it’s now the interviewed people’s turn to draw their own mental maps not necessarily only the key person should draw the MENTAL MAP. In order to have a broather result, ask other people.


what is a SOCIAL REPORT? Differently from an interview lead by an already planned questionnaire, the social reportage is a freely form of interviewing. Because there are no questions already given to the interviewed person, and no answering choices (like the multiple choices questionnaires) this type of report tends to be more genuine by not inducing the interviewed person to choose an already given answer. This type of interview consists in a talk with no timing limits, in which the moderator intercepts the less as possible in the given report. Guiding questions and key words are resources normally used by the interviewers in order to lead the conversation into the intended theme.

what is a KEY PERSON? Not all the interviews necessarily have to be long and so free. Normally some few people are chosen to give the social reportage. Those are named Key People. They normally represent as many different groups as possible. If there are minorities in the community be sure to interview them. The objective behind those people is to gather detailed and qualitative information about impressions, experiences and opinions.


STEP 4

DIAGNOSIS Finally all the collected informations will be evaluated oin this fase.

4 . 1

c r e a t e

m a p s

maps with diferent themes gives diversified overview of the area

f r i e n d l y x t r a c a d j e c t i m p o r t a n t e t c

u n f r i e n d l y k s i v e s p l a c e s .

MAPS SUGGESTIONS


STEP 4

DIAGNOSIS

4 . 2

d e f i n e

POTENTIALS & PROBLEMS


STEP 5

PROMPT

FOR AN DESIGN ACTION After exploring the public space, collecting informations, analysing and pointing to desired outcomes, what is left, is the the action.

Official and significantly changes in a city or in a neighbourhood involves many factors:

$ p o l i t i c a l

f i n a n c i a l

s o c i a l

and depends on many actors:

$ r e g i o n a l governement

s t a c k h o l d e r s

$ l o c a l b u s i n e s s

but many

CHANGES come from SMALL ACTS and INTERVENTIONS :


... and here are some examples you can be inspired to start your action! URBAN FURNITIRE Zuloark Barcelona

source: http://www.recyclart.beagenda/zuloark-2

This furniture built in simple materials became a highlight in the square where it was placed. It’s unlikely shape tempt people to discover how to use it. If is just about sitting, or also about climbing and walking on it, depends only about the user.

URBAN GARDENING Carlswerk Garden Köln

source: picture taken by the author

Located in front of the Schauspiel Köln Theater. It is responsible to offer a chilling atmosphere and to gather people together, specially when they’re gardening or harvesting.


CORTEJO DE MARACATU Coro de Carcarás São Paulo

source: http://noticias.uol.com.br

Not only objects can bring life to the cities, but also people’s action. This theater and instrumental group, often organizes interventions in the public spaces of São Paulo, with cultural and political connotations.

INSTRUMENTS ON PUBLIC SPACES Keys to the Streets Vancouver

source: http://publicinterestplay.com

An instrument in the middle of somewhere gather people together, either for playing or listening. Where people are hanging, other people feel attracted to join, or to be close.


this leaflet was created and designed by: Jiahong Li Marina Diez

“Designing a dream city is easy; rebuilding a living one takes imagination.� Jane Jacobs

this work is a product of a studied developed for the course Exploring Public Spaces. RWTH-Aachen University Plannungstheorie Lehrstuhl orientators: Prof. Dr. Ing. Klaus Selle, Friederike Fugmann and Dr. Daniela Karow-Kluge


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