Deriving Participation

Dérive (drift):

"A technique of transient passage through varied ambiences. The dérive entails playful constructive behavior and awareness of psycho-geographical effects from the derive point of view cities have a psycho-geographical relief, with constant currents, fixed points and vortexes which strongly discourage entry into or exit from certain zones."

In regards to participatory architecture, this is a participation that no one was asked to perform. In this way it is defiant and, I think, truly authentic. The issue we have in seeking participation in architectural design is that it is all too often placatory participation. Though, as architects, we "actively" seek participants from the community, what we really seek are community members to influence. As Carole Pateman states in Participation and Democratic Theory, "participation, as far as the majority is concerned, is participation in the choice of the decision makers. Thus the function of participation is solely a protective one." Jeremey Till follows this with "protecting, placating, participation is really no more than a placebo."

However, in contrast to these pessimistic outlooks, I think the idea of the dérive is a completely opposite type of participatory control. In fact, it is the top of the ladder: citizen control. It is fervor that cannot be derived by an architect consulting the local community, because there is a passion instilled in the people that drives them to act. 

This idea reminds me of a class I took during undergrad. It was called Urban CT Scan and primarily focused on the concept of the "living section." This would be slightly defined differently be each student and represented through a series of video presentations. Throughout the course of that semester, I was left with the notion that the living section is an active participation with the surrounding environment. It is how we move through space, interact with space, and respond to space. The idea of dérive is almost a new level of exploration of the living section. Instead of just examining the existing, it is a new lens in which to analyze the given environment. And this, I think, reflects the contrast in placatoray participation (analysis of the living section) and transformative participation (challenge of the existing living section).