Why is it that we feel the need for such reformed organisation? It’s as if we believe, that by rearranging the places in which we live, we can rearrange and perfect our own imperfections. Many architects have attempted to design perfectly organised cities, such as le corbusier’s city for 3 million, would this actually work in a real life situation? Taking critique from Collage City, one might agree that “taking inspiration from working examples in existing cities; some scientific, others picturesque; some antique, others contemporary; some may be rational, whilst others disordered” (Koetter. F and Rowe. C. (1978). Collage City. MIT Press.) would make for a more organic, natural city; which would in a way organise itself.
#1. Urbanisation.
When can we say that the world has been completely urbanised? When we run out of space?
#2. Ecology Models, or systems thinking.
Does this idea of the system as a whole, rather than each individual object, come from the organic structure of the human body?
#3. Habitat - Lessons from ecosystems.
Why do we need to base our living spaces around things that already exist? Without this previous knowledge would our designs be completely unsuccessful, or would a fresh outlook be beneficial?
#4. The city is not a tree
Why should we compare the city as a tree, could we not say that each household is a tree, and the city is a forest?
#5. Uneven Development and Conflict.
If we were to even out development so that all areas grew at the same rate, would this reduce conflict and differences between communities?
#6. Urbanisation as a Manageable Model of Data
Who orchestrates the management of the city?
#7. Disurbanism - OSA (1925-30 USSR)
Where did this idea come from? Could this mean us going back on our development?
#8. Unitary Urbanism SI
Who would reorganise the ideas? If everyone had their own ideas how would we pick which ones are most fitting?
#9. Bigness - OMA
Can we ever say that buildings are too large? Can this be a good thing, as it brings more of the community together?
#10. Whatever Happened to Urbanism?
Is it the definition of urbanism that has changed, or just our understanding of it?
#1. Utopia - the city as a vector of the imagination.
Everyones idea of utopia is different, so how would this accumulate to one idea?
#2. City = House, House = City.
If the city and the house are equally important, why do we live in separate, isolated dwellings within the city?
#3. Polis - Greek space.
Greek communities base their lives around the family; in a selfish, failing country, how can we compare our British cities to the communal, family based Greek states?
#4. Figure - Ground conceptions of the city.
Rhythms of the city plan-do these affect the running of the city, into a more rhythmic motion?
#5. Grids - the logic of colonisation.
Does the layout of the city we live in change the way we navigate our lives and would this affect the way we conceive ideas, e.g. would a more angular, grid like City cause us to be more logical in the way we think?
#6. The modern City - City reformed.
Why do we have this idea of the generic city, how can we change this to be more efficient? Why do we strive for visual perfection & organisation?
#7. The Town as a Country magnet.
Why is there such a huge gap between the town and country? Would levelling the difference out and spreading the population make the different places in the country lose their attraction and significance?
#8. The City as a Collage of Historical Fragments.
Should the history of the city be preserved or should we add to the collage of the future with our own creations?
#9. The Gruen Transfer - The City as an Economic Machine.
Has this modern day machine-like running of the city affected our opinions and the way we view our lives?
#10. Virtues of Self-Organisation
Why do we have an obsession with organisation, surely an organic approach is more natural?
Public Site #3 - Bluewater Shopping Centre, Greenhythe.
A shopping centre is a place used for socialising, eating, shopping, leisure and communication. It is a place which is somewhat chaotic, but with an exciting buzz; one of the biggest shopping centres in the country.
Fig. 3. tabun38, (2008). Bluewater Shopping centre.
Public Site #2 - Leicester Square, London.
Leicester square comes alive at night; it’s one of the most central nightclub areas in the capital, and is almost un-navigatable on a Friday night. The space is used for socialising on a night out, street music, and has a general air of jolliness and community (mainly because everyone’s drunk).
Fig. 2, (20th century), Postcard of Leicester Square. At http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/Archive/May2004/LeicesterSquareCard.jpg
Public Site #1 - Waldegraves campsite, Colchester.
A campsite is a place in which families can spend time together, away from work and daily responsibilities, although due to modern day technologies, we are no longer able to escape our responsibilities, as we are available at the touch of a button. Although this site is privately owned, the public are free to use the site for leisure and play, and (providing a pitch has been paid for) a kind of temporary community forms amongst the ‘guests’.
Fig. 1. Wright, Katie (2011). Boys playing football.
Frank Lloyd Wright
