Presentation Essay

Trygghet eller toleranse - forestillinger om oppvekst i by og forstad

og

1st confrontationPresentation of social anthropology essay, site and concept

“Security and /or tolerance - images of childhood in the city and suburb”

Ragnhild Roald

Bergen School of Architecture_Diploma 2010_11/03

Comprehensive urbanisation

Over the last decade Norway has experienced a process of comprehensive urbanisation. 70% of children and young people now grow up in urban areas (01.2001). Central city growth is characterized by young people migrating to study and work - and counteracted by families with chil-dren moving out.

Ragnhild Roald


Central Sub-central Suburbs

Bergen is the second largest city in Norway, with 256 600 inhabitants. 34 000 live in central parts of the city (Bergenhus), while the southern suburban area is experienc-ing the greatest degree of growth.

ÅSANE

ARNA

FANA

LODDEFJORD

FYLLINGSDALEN

YTRE SANDVIKEN

MINDE/LANDÅS

INDRE LAKSEVÅG

BERGENHUS

CITY CENTRE

Ragnhild Roald


Thesis

I have looked at the modern home in a cultural and historical context, and what we concider good conditions for raising children within the city and suburban areas.

What

- impacts our decision on where to live when we establish ourselves with family?

- does the moving pattern look like, and can it be related to lifecycle and social roles?

- are our images of growing up in the city - or in the suburb?

- values do we look for in the environment we seek to establish in?

- are our expectations - and are they fulfilled?

Ragnhild Roald


The home - a carrier of meaning

- owning one’s own house; ecomonic and material security

- expression of social position/status

- model for the society we live in (gender, privacy/public, hierarchy)

- reflects changes in society

Anthropologist M. Gullestad: the threshold is at the same time a barrier and protection,representing the practical and symbolic border between the home and what is outside. She emphasizes the symbolic value of the home, as a carrier of important elements such as: cohesion and identity lifecycle social group of reference safety closeness independence The separation of the private and the public, the others and ourselves, becomes important in order to protect the family unit.

Ragnhild Roald


territoriality

“defended neighbourhoods”physically defined

space

two categories:those who belong and

those who do not belong

distancing

“community of limited liability”spatial signstime

building relations graded development“discrete points along a continuum”

Consepts of relations (Gerald D. Suttles, M. Gullestad: Symbolic fences)

Ragnhild Roald


A house with a garden

“Husbanken” was established 1946, as a measure to rebuild the country after the 2nd WW.

- self-reliance- equality- primarily single homes and other small houses

Mid `50’s >- progress and rationalization- build more, faster - for the masses- new technology and raised standards

From `70’s >- individual freedom and responsability- critical to planning and regulations- the flexible, self-regulating market

77% live in small houses 50% single home

50’s Husbankhus

Mesterhus

Blinkhus

Ragnhild Roald


Many changes - short dis-tances

Society of high mobility - economic growth and ability to adapt.

The relocating follow a fixed pattern, basedon economy and status. The (financial) opportunity obligates continue the process of “moving up”.

The process of moving : Rites de passage - moving between different social states (Betwixt and between, Turner)

The home represents the social state we are in, and reflects our position in the life-cycle. Expectations realted to how we facili-tate the physical conditions surrounding our children - and the family as a whole. The tendency to wait longer before establishing, and increased financial security may con-tribute to an accegerated focus on the fam-ily dwelling, preserving the traditional image of the family.

TIME

STAT

US

OPPORTUNITY

EXPE

CTA

TIONS

Ragnhild Roald


City exile

We all live with the memory of a place we have lived before, which we try to recreate. The lives of students and other young people “visiting” the city can be characterized as a condition of constant temporality.

Families with children represent a more stable and predictable condition. They often feel more ownership towards their surroundings, and invest more in the local community.

Ragnhild Roald


The interviews

As basis for the essay I have interviewed 8 young families. Most of them lived in the city before they had children - and most of them moved out.

WHY? lack of space lack of suitable outdoor area closer to nature “barnevennlig” social relations (friends and/or family) view - air - peace

- and a simple everyday life .... based on travelling by car

Ragnhild Roald


Ragnhild Roald


city

dangerunpredictability

tolerancecontrastpassive

trafficconfrontation

suburb

safetycontrolrecognitionequalityactivenatureprotection

Ragnhild Roald


A choice of values

How - and where - we raise our children has a direct influence on the development wich we prepare the basis for. By moving out to the suburbs - to “ones own” home - we prioritize the family. Even though many was forced to move for economic reasons, they rationalize their choices in order to find meaning in their current situation.The choice is made based on our own experiences of childhood, and often try to reestablish former networks.

HOW?

thoroughly developed infrastructure (by foot, bike and public transportation) good, and accessible outdoor areas social arenas for developing community private outdoor space - a simpler everyday and the possibilty to affect your own situation

Getting from A to B?A

B

Ragnhild Roald


Do we merely protect our children from the unpredictable dangers of the city, or rather expose them their surroundings, in order to prepare for the society they are going to live in?

Ragnhild Roald


Who is the modern family?

Changing constallations, new needs.

The lifecycle is no longer rigid. The average age for establishing is rising, and we ex-tend the city exhile. Many also break out of the family, and later establish a new one. This calls for a more flexible dwelling structure, with smaller units.

Many seek to the city, to escape the social control in more homogenous areas. They find the anonymous life in the city liberating, where deviations from the norm are less stigmatised.

We have been able to continue an expanding development because we have had the space and resources. To counteract a car based development, we need to give more people the opportunity to live a more local life.

Ragnhild Roald


Strategies for building in the city

1 Rehabilitation Upgrading Make accessible Join small flats

2 Infill Available plots Parkingareas Demolishing

3 New areas Regulation Former industrial areas Harbour areas

Ragnhild Roald


Site

As a part of the regional development there are plans for moving the container hoarbour to Flesland.

Conflicting interests - lack of business ar-eas

DensificationHistoryTemporality

Who are we building for? How does these new big develoment relate to the city? Bergen is cosely connected to the sea. The harbour is the very reason the city exists. How does it affect the city that the harbour is deprived of its function and meaning?

Ragnhild Roald


Program

I want to make the city more accessible for families. Dwellings adaptable for diffenring lifeconditions, and make an area inhabitable for peolple of different ages and situations.

new social structures - change, temporality, diviation, fragmentation

The whole city is the community - opportunitiesEvery stranger is an potential new acquaintance

Traditional ideas of community demand presence and commitment. Community in the city also involves confrontation and conflicting interests. Contribute on different premis-es. A community which sets the framework for, but not dependent on, an active local community. Room for the private in the public.

Neighbourhood

Network

Ragnhild Roald


Documents

Presentation Essay