Sunday, 21 October 2007
Documenting London : Nico Hogg
Nico Hogg is a great amateur photographer on Flickr who has documented many housing estates and public spaces in London. There are some very moving and downright scary photos on there, which makes you question how and why seeing a photo of a place in the comfort of your own home can make you feel uneasy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicohogg/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicohogg/
Friday, 19 October 2007
Thursday, 18 October 2007
Wednesday, 17 October 2007
Emotional Cities
Charles Landry has written about we should plan our cities around emotions. This is effectively our argument, yet we dig down a bit deeper to aim to understand why our physical enviroment makes us feel a particular way. I found this quote by him earlier today:
‘We never look at cities through emotion and lived experience, and that’s important. When you go into the city is it saying yes or is it saying no? Ashphalt for example says no….’' My first impression of Perth is of the city saying ‘no’ - there are red lights everywhere,
Find more at: http://www.outinperth.com/index.php/reviews/art/creative-thinker-in-residence-charles-landry?date=2007-10-17
I think he may be an interesting person to get in touch with, whether that means inviting to the seminar, or simply sending him our paper and outline of our research.
‘We never look at cities through emotion and lived experience, and that’s important. When you go into the city is it saying yes or is it saying no? Ashphalt for example says no….’' My first impression of Perth is of the city saying ‘no’ - there are red lights everywhere,
Find more at: http://www.outinperth.com/index.php/reviews/art/creative-thinker-in-residence-charles-landry?date=2007-10-17
I think he may be an interesting person to get in touch with, whether that means inviting to the seminar, or simply sending him our paper and outline of our research.
Tuesday, 16 October 2007
Monday, 15 October 2007
First things first
Before our kick off meeting next Friday, there are a few things we should discuss.
Firstly, potential study locations.
Studying extremes of negative and positive spaces (and feelings) will most likely be easier to map and give us more conclusive results. It might also be interesting to consider newly developed public spaces, to see how recent designs have taken detail into account.
Working from personal experience, places which have made me feel at ease or on edge, and who's memory has stuck.
Here's a shortlist with accompanying photos.
Greenspaces
Mile End Park: newly developed, some really distinctive details, such as signage, use of colour and tiling. It went through a very thorough consultation process and had a strong vision behind it, co-ordinated by the environment trust. It's use changes quite dramatically throughout the park, some areas feeling very welcoming, and others more menacing. I think this is an 'open' park that isn't closed at night.
Clissold Park: very varied uses, mixed surroundings with derelict buildings. Very well-used park, but is locked and can feel unnerving to walk past at night.
Newington Green: small greenspace surrounded by traffic, but yet feels welcoming and is well used since recent redevelopment.
Edward Square: inner city green space redeveloped with poem by andrew motion as public art in consultation with the local community. Near Caledonian Road, not an area considered to be that pleasant.
There's quite a good link to London Parks on:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parks_and_open_spaces_in_London
Commercial Areas
Picadilly Circus: a tourist attraction yet not a space that encourages you to spend any time.
Tottenham Court Road, New Oxford Street Crossing: smells bad, looks bad, sounds bad.
A corner that has no heart.
Monmouth Street / Seven Dials /Neal's Yard: recently repaved to alter hierarchy of cars to pedestrians. People often pass the time there, including sitting in effectively the middle of a roundabout, often stood outside drinking. One of the few areas in London where benches are actively brought onto the pavements by shop owners.
Transport Interchanges
Barking Station: can feel unnerving spending time there even during the day. Heavily littered outside, ticket touts, drunks, addicts loitering, large groups hanging around at night, dark platforms, ferrets on string (this is true!), chicken bones and greasy pavements.
Stratford (bus and train station) : a new, spacious and well designed station. However, I know many people who don't like going to Stratford.
Firstly, potential study locations.
Studying extremes of negative and positive spaces (and feelings) will most likely be easier to map and give us more conclusive results. It might also be interesting to consider newly developed public spaces, to see how recent designs have taken detail into account.
Working from personal experience, places which have made me feel at ease or on edge, and who's memory has stuck.
Here's a shortlist with accompanying photos.
Greenspaces
Mile End Park: newly developed, some really distinctive details, such as signage, use of colour and tiling. It went through a very thorough consultation process and had a strong vision behind it, co-ordinated by the environment trust. It's use changes quite dramatically throughout the park, some areas feeling very welcoming, and others more menacing. I think this is an 'open' park that isn't closed at night.
Clissold Park: very varied uses, mixed surroundings with derelict buildings. Very well-used park, but is locked and can feel unnerving to walk past at night.
Newington Green: small greenspace surrounded by traffic, but yet feels welcoming and is well used since recent redevelopment.
Edward Square: inner city green space redeveloped with poem by andrew motion as public art in consultation with the local community. Near Caledonian Road, not an area considered to be that pleasant.
There's quite a good link to London Parks on:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parks_and_open_spaces_in_London
Commercial Areas
Picadilly Circus: a tourist attraction yet not a space that encourages you to spend any time.
Tottenham Court Road, New Oxford Street Crossing: smells bad, looks bad, sounds bad.
A corner that has no heart.
Monmouth Street / Seven Dials /Neal's Yard: recently repaved to alter hierarchy of cars to pedestrians. People often pass the time there, including sitting in effectively the middle of a roundabout, often stood outside drinking. One of the few areas in London where benches are actively brought onto the pavements by shop owners.
Transport Interchanges
Barking Station: can feel unnerving spending time there even during the day. Heavily littered outside, ticket touts, drunks, addicts loitering, large groups hanging around at night, dark platforms, ferrets on string (this is true!), chicken bones and greasy pavements.
Stratford (bus and train station) : a new, spacious and well designed station. However, I know many people who don't like going to Stratford.
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