Digital Image of the City: Public Space

Public Space

September 29, 2014 The Digital Image of the City

Digital& Computational Studies Initiative Bowdoin College

Jack Gieseking

Outline

1. The public sphere 2. The right to the city (Mitchell) 3. Qualities of public space (Low) 4. Privatization of public space 5. Technology & public spaces !6. Selecting our research sample

What is public space !

!

In a world defined by private property, then, public space…takes on exceptional importance.

- Don Mitchell (2003)

The public sphere

Overview of the Odeum on the East side of the ancient agora in Thessaloniki, seen from the North East. 2nd c. AD. Wikipedia.

François Joseph Heim - Charles V Distributing Awards to the Artists at the Close ofthe Salon of 1824. Wikipedia.

Central Park, New York City.

The right to the city

Hyde Park, London. WIkipedia.

Central Park, New York City.

NY Examiner 1989

NYTimes 2014

Central Park, New York City.

http://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,,-62724,00.html

[name intentionally left off] Wikipedia.

Henry Ray Abrams. 11/15/11. Zucotti Park.

Qualities of public space

Qualities of Public Space

(Low)

Uses “rights” model that focuses on both social and material space similar to Mitchell 1. Freedom of access 2. Freedom of action 3. Freedom to claim 4. Freedom of change 5. Freedom of ownership

Privatization of public spaces

Google Maps

Wikipedia

mappery.com

1900 bryantpark.org

NYC Parks Dept 1930s

Wikipedia

bryantpark.org

bryantpark.org

bryantpark.org

bryantpark.org

wichcraft.com

Privatization of public spaces (part II): Militarization of public spaces

Technology & public spaces

Implicit in much theorizing about the public sphere is the assumption that the provision of an adequate space

(or in some renderings, adequate technology) will perforce create a vibrant public sphere.

- Don Mitchell (2003)

<— How can we go beyond these?

Defining our research sample for mental mapping

!!

Length of residence Residence location

Age Occupation

Gender …?

!Assignment:

Blog Post #3 due Wednesday, Oct. 1st by 8 p.m. !!!

Reading for Wednesday, Oct. 1st: Housing: Smith, Fields & Uffer, Crowley

DIOTC 10/1