an article by Alan Latham (University College London, UK) and Jack Layton (Affiliation unknown) published in International Journal of Urban and Regional Research Volume 43 Issue 6 (November 2019)
Abstract
Cities are full of disputes about organizing public life. These disputes are important for deciding how spaces get used, and they are integral to how publics form and develop. In all sorts of ways they define the potentialities of urban public life.
This article tells the story of the Southbank Centre's plans to redevelop their central London site, and Long Live Southbank's protest of these plans to save their skateable space.
Through this detailed case study the article develops a distinctive conceptual apparatus for making sense of public disputes.
Drawing links between Deweyan pragmatism and assemblage theory, the article explores how publics were drawn together as assemblages of humans and non‐humans with the capacity to act and argue. It follows the arguments that each side made – and the justifications underpinning them – to explore the different ideas of public‐ness that were at stake in the disagreement.
This also helps highlight the space for cooperation that existed.
The article emphasises the part affect played in shaping the dispute; recognising its role in public reasoning, and in how people get pulled into different publics. This is a story not only of disputation, but of how a corner of London expanded its public‐ness.
Showing posts with label public_space. Show all posts
Showing posts with label public_space. Show all posts
Wednesday, 27 November 2019
Friday, 13 September 2019
Spaces of visibility in the smart city: Flagship urban spaces and the smart urban imaginary
zn article by Federico Caprotti (University of Exeter, UK) published in Urban Studies Volume 56 Issue 12 (September 2019)
Abstract
Smart urbanism is a currently popular and widespread way of conceptualising the future city. At the same time, the smart city is critiqued by several scholars as difficult to define, and as being almost invisible to the naked eye.
The article explores two urban spaces through which the smart city is rendered visible, in two UK cities that are prominent sites for smart urban experimentation and development.
Bristol’s Data Dome and Glasgow’s Operations Centre are analysed in light of their iconic nature. The article develops a conceptual understanding of these flagship spaces of the actually existing smart cities through three interrelated conceptual lenses.
Firstly, they are understood as a videological type of Leibniz’s concept of the windowless monad.
Secondly, they are conceptualised as examples of banal and serialised architecture.
Thirdly, these spaces and their attendant buildings are understood as totemic assemblages that point to newly emergent forms of elite urban power.
Full text (PDF 15pp)
Abstract
Smart urbanism is a currently popular and widespread way of conceptualising the future city. At the same time, the smart city is critiqued by several scholars as difficult to define, and as being almost invisible to the naked eye.
The article explores two urban spaces through which the smart city is rendered visible, in two UK cities that are prominent sites for smart urban experimentation and development.
Bristol’s Data Dome and Glasgow’s Operations Centre are analysed in light of their iconic nature. The article develops a conceptual understanding of these flagship spaces of the actually existing smart cities through three interrelated conceptual lenses.
Firstly, they are understood as a videological type of Leibniz’s concept of the windowless monad.
Secondly, they are conceptualised as examples of banal and serialised architecture.
Thirdly, these spaces and their attendant buildings are understood as totemic assemblages that point to newly emergent forms of elite urban power.
Full text (PDF 15pp)
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