Concept City Concept City vs. Lived City vs. Lived City

Hausemann and le Corbusier vs. Hausemann and le Corbusier vs. Baudelaire and de CerteauBaudelaire and de Certeau

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Starting Questions Starting Questions Concept C (1): Concept C (1): BaronBaron Haussman Haussman Lived C (1): Lived C (1): BaudelaireBaudelaire and Benjamin and Benjamin Concept C (2): Concept C (2): Vienna’sVienna’s Ringstrass Ringstrass Lived C (2): Lived C (2): G.G. Simmel Simmel Concept C (3): Concept C (3): LeLe Corbusier Corbusier

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Starting Questions Starting Questions 1. What’s good and bad about the ideas of ‘concept 1. What’s good and bad about the ideas of ‘concept

city’ and ‘lived city’? city’ and ‘lived city’? 2. What have we known so far about urban planning? 2. What have we known so far about urban planning?

The metaphors some theorists used? The differences The metaphors some theorists used? The differences between Hausemann and le Corbusierbetween Hausemann and le Corbusier

3. How is ‘urbanism’ a way of life? How does Louis 3. How is ‘urbanism’ a way of life? How does Louis Wirth defines it? Do you agree with him? (e.g. Urban ‘Wirth defines it? Do you agree with him? (e.g. Urban ‘contacts’ – impersonal, transitory, segmental, and mcontacts’ – impersonal, transitory, segmental, and mostly utilitarian ostly utilitarian anomie) anomie)

4. Is Wirth’s view similar to that of George Simmel? 4. Is Wirth’s view similar to that of George Simmel? 5. What is a flâneur? (439) Can we be flâneur or flâneu5. What is a flâneur? (439) Can we be flâneur or flâneu

se? se?

Concept City vs. Lived City Concept City vs. Lived City Planned CityPlanned City Lived City Lived City

Kay-Shuttleworth Kay-Shuttleworth (Manc(Manchester 1804-1877)hester 1804-1877)

Charles Baudelaire Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867).(1821-1867).

Baron HaussmanBaron Haussman(Paris 1809-1891)(Paris 1809-1891)

Georg Simmel Georg Simmel (1858-1918)(1858-1918)

Vienna’s Ringstrass Vienna’s Ringstrass Sitte & WagnerSitte & Wagner

Louis Wirth Louis Wirth (1897 - 1952 )

Le Corbusier Le Corbusier (1887 – 1965) (1887 – 1965)

Michel de Certeau Michel de Certeau (1925-1986)

Christopher Alexander Christopher Alexander (1936 - )(1936 - )

Concept C (1): Baron HaussmaConcept C (1): Baron Haussmann P. 438P. 438 Clean, light and airy; Clean, light and airy; To support the logistics of state To support the logistics of state

power and economic calculation. power and economic calculation. Clip from “We Built this City.”Clip from “We Built this City.”

Lived City (1):Lived City (1): The Arcade in ParisThe Arcade in Paris

http://www.jellesen.dk/webcrea/places/paris/paris08.htm

p. 440 Arcade as a temple

Baudelaire: The FlâneurBaudelaire: The Flâneur

"There was the pedestrian who "There was the pedestrian who wedged wedged himself into thimself into the crowd, but there was also the he crowd, but there was also the flâneurflâneur who demand who demanded ed elbow roomelbow room and was unwilling to forego and was unwilling to forego the life of the life of the gentleman of leisure.the gentleman of leisure. His leisurely appearance as His leisurely appearance as a personality is his protest against the division of laboa personality is his protest against the division of labour which makes people into specialists. it was also his ur which makes people into specialists. it was also his protest against their industriousness. Around 1840 it protest against their industriousness. Around 1840 it was briefly fashionable was briefly fashionable to take turtles for a walkto take turtles for a walk in th in the arcades. the e arcades. the flâneursflâneurs liked to have the turtles set th liked to have the turtles set the pace for them."e pace for them."

FlnFlnââeur: Results of and Responses to eur: Results of and Responses to

ModernityModernity Fast development in industrialization, capitaliFast development in industrialization, capitali

sm and modernization of city spaces. sm and modernization of city spaces. increa increasing spectacles and human mobility. sing spectacles and human mobility.

Arcades Arcades Exhibition such as Crystal Palaces Exhibition such as Crystal Palaces fairs, gardens, statues, etc fairs, gardens, statues, etc

Turning indoor (department stores, shopping Turning indoor (department stores, shopping malls, Cinema city and internet). malls, Cinema city and internet).

‘‘phantasmagoria’ – phantasmagoria’ – 浮光幻影 浮光幻影 , or kaleidosc, or kaleidoscope ope 萬花筒 萬花筒

Is flIs flââneur an artist or a shopper? neur an artist or a shopper?

Responses to Modernity: BaudeResponses to Modernity: Baudelaire and Benjaminlaire and Benjamin1.1. BaudelaireBaudelaire: : the modern heroesthe modern heroes: the poet, the flaneur, : the poet, the flaneur,

the dandy, the collector, the gambler, the worker, the dthe dandy, the collector, the gambler, the worker, the dandy, the collector, the gambler, the worker,  the rag-piandy, the collector, the gambler, the worker,  the rag-picker and the prostitute; give voice to the  paradoxes ancker and the prostitute; give voice to the  paradoxes and illusions of modernity. d illusions of modernity.

2.2. BenjaminBenjamin: as a walking commodity; is no hero; : as a walking commodity; is no hero; he acts he acts heroesheroes empty commodity forms; empty commodity forms;

3.3. FlFlââneur can be a conceptual category or narrative devineur can be a conceptual category or narrative device. One which is apparently unorganized and thus de-ce. One which is apparently unorganized and thus de-centering.centering.

Can we be flCan we be flââneurs nowdays? And what kinds of flneurs nowdays? And what kinds of flâânneurs are we? eurs are we?

Concept C (2): Vienna's RingstrConcept C (2): Vienna's Ringstrasse asse

The Ringstrasse is a wide avenue which encircles the old city of Vienna, Austria.

Vienna's Ringstrasse: Vienna's Ringstrasse: Problems Problems

The Ringstrasse source.

Due to Due to the massive naturethe massive nature of the Ringstrasse, the b of the Ringstrasse, the buildings served to draw attention to the open spacuildings served to draw attention to the open space, an inversion of these Baroque ideas. e, an inversion of these Baroque ideas.

Roads leading inwards towards the inner city from Roads leading inwards towards the inner city from the suburbs, did not continue uninteruppted to ththe suburbs, did not continue uninteruppted to the city center, e city center, but were drawn into the circular flow but were drawn into the circular flow of the Ringstrasseof the Ringstrasse, causing a seperation of city and , causing a seperation of city and suburb, not physically, but by urban design.suburb, not physically, but by urban design.

Similar? The roundabouts in TaipeiSimilar? The roundabouts in Taipei

Vienna's Ringstrasse: Vienna's Ringstrasse: Problems Problems

Furthermore, the buildings constructed along tFurthermore, the buildings constructed along the Ringstrasse were not organized towards eache Ringstrasse were not organized towards each other, but h other, but towards the streettowards the street itself, further foc itself, further focusing the attention on the Ringstrasse. using the attention on the Ringstrasse.

Two critiques: Two critiques: • Sitte: returns to baroque-style, seeing the citSitte: returns to baroque-style, seeing the cit

y in organic terms, y in organic terms, • Otto Wagner, a modernist mechanistic terms.Otto Wagner, a modernist mechanistic terms.

What do we learn from this example? In what wWhat do we learn from this example? In what ways are our lives and personalities shaped by urays are our lives and personalities shaped by urban design?ban design?

London: an organic cityLondon: an organic city

Sir Christopher Wren (1Sir Christopher Wren (1632 --1723 632 --1723 London's GreaLondon's Great Fire of 1666 gave Wren a ct Fire of 1666 gave Wren a chance to present a scheme hance to present a scheme to rebuild the city. Utopian to rebuild the city. Utopian in concept, it was only partiin concept, it was only partially realized.ally realized. E.g. St. Paul E.g. St. Paul Cathedral Cathedral sourcesource) (clip)) (clip)

Georg Simmel (1858-1918)Georg Simmel (1858-1918)

Urban mentality: Urban mentality: The blasé attitude –The blasé attitude –DefinitionDefinition: dictionary: : dictionary: bored or not ebored or not excited, or wishing to seem so.xcited, or wishing to seem so.2. Simmel’s: A condition which resu2. Simmel’s: A condition which results from the "boundless pursuit of plelts from the "boundless pursuit of pleasure makes one blasé because it agiasure makes one blasé because it agitates the nerves to their strongest retates the nerves to their strongest reactivity for such a long time that they activity for such a long time that they finally cease to react at all."finally cease to react at all."

Blasé Blasé

PropositionProposition: The psyche of the Metropolis inhabitant is over sti: The psyche of the Metropolis inhabitant is over stimulated through the "intensification of nervous stimulation" mulated through the "intensification of nervous stimulation" resulting in resulting in an inability to react at all.an inability to react at all. It is felt that this is an It is felt that this is an ininverseverse relationship. As the stimulation increases so does the in relationship. As the stimulation increases so does the inability to react. Whereas, one could presume that if the stimulability to react. Whereas, one could presume that if the stimulation was intermittent, one could react intermittently. Furtheation was intermittent, one could react intermittently. Furthermore, if the stimulation ceased, one could react always. (rmore, if the stimulation ceased, one could react always. (sourcesource) p. 468 ) p. 468

• See our excerpt for See our excerpt for different types of impressiondifferent types of impression and their i and their influences-- p. 466nfluences-- p. 466

• E.g. moving through traffic, “E.g. moving through traffic, “a series of shocks and a series of shocks and collisioncollision”; in a large city – looking at but not talking to peopl”; in a large city – looking at but not talking to people. e.

Sources of indifference: Urban Sources of indifference: Urban EnvironmentEnvironment

Dominated by money economy + intellectualisDominated by money economy + intellectualism (466) + excessive stimuli m (466) + excessive stimuli

matter-of-fact attitude matter-of-fact attitude indifference to individuality. (also 469)indifference to individuality. (also 469) calculative mind.calculative mind. P. 470 loss of individuality and personal lifeP. 470 loss of individuality and personal life

Simmel: City vs. CountrySimmel: City vs. Country

In a rural or small town context we find a In a rural or small town context we find a personality born of the personality born of the “smoothly flowing “smoothly flowing rhythm of the sensory-mental phase”,rhythm of the sensory-mental phase”, it it “rests more on feelings and emotional “rests more on feelings and emotional relationships”; relationships”;

in the city, meanwhile we find an in the city, meanwhile we find an “intellectualistic” psyche which through an “intellectualistic” psyche which through an “intensification of consciousness”“intensification of consciousness” has has developed a “protective shield” with which developed a “protective shield” with which to survive rapid “fluctuations and to survive rapid “fluctuations and discontinuities in the external milieu.”discontinuities in the external milieu.”

the urban psyche:the urban psyche:summarysummary

Has mastered instrumental calculation, the Has mastered instrumental calculation, the quantification and assimilation of diverse quantification and assimilation of diverse datadata

Has become indifferent towards others Has become indifferent towards others (blasé) (blasé)

Has gradually suppressed feelings or Has gradually suppressed feelings or emotionsemotions

Do you agree? Are all of our responses Do you agree? Are all of our responses similar to nervous reflexivity?similar to nervous reflexivity?

Le CorbusierLe Corbusier

Total modernism Total modernism Clear the city of its cesspools (e.g. slums, Clear the city of its cesspools (e.g. slums,

etc. p. 447)etc. p. 447) Develop and separate a city’s four funcDevelop and separate a city’s four func

tions:housing (high rises), work, recreatitions:housing (high rises), work, recreation and traffic (from pedestrians)on and traffic (from pedestrians)

Re-design our lives. Re-design our lives.

Le CorbusierLe Corbusier

Villa Savoye, by Le Corbusier, at Poissy, France, 1928 to 1929.

Le CorbusierLe Corbusier

ReferencesReferences GreatBuildings.comGreatBuildings.com

http://www.greatbuildings.com/gbc.htmlhttp://www.greatbuildings.com/gbc.html Vienna's Ringstrasse Vienna's Ringstrasse

http://www.macalester.edu/courses/geog61/ahttp://www.macalester.edu/courses/geog61/aaron/aron/

Le Corbusier Le Corbusier 1. 1. http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Cenhttp://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Centre_Le_Corbusier.htmltre_Le_Corbusier.html

2. 2. http://wwwhttp://www.tu-harburg.tu-harburg.de/b.de/b/kuehn/lecorb/kuehn/lecorb.html.html