Thoughts on 'Everyday Urbanism'
Urbanism. Margaret Crawford’s idea of ‘everyday
urbanism’ is in stark contrast with the ordered, controlled
version that modern architects invented in the 20th century.
Everyday urbanism is about design for daily life, lived experience, the messy,
undefined, unorganized, unregulated, and ambiguous.
The concept of urban planning is a very modern invention,
and so it is time that architects redefine it. I agree with Crawford:
architects must think of urbanism as “a human and social
discourse.” An architect is ignorant if they think design can
regulate an entire community as if it were a functional building. An architect
should instead find beauty in the informal lived experiences of everyday people
in everyday life, and let that beauty motivate design. After all, people, their lives, and experiences are what make cities feel lived in and unique.
I think this philosophy goes well with our studio project in Haiti, particularly the pedestrian paths that are developed organically by the residents in Cange. The images that we looked at are very engaging in the way the people inhabit the unplanned spaces and interact with their surroundings.
ReplyDeleteI like that Crawford encourages us architects to look outside our comfort zone, step in it and potentially do something about it though the observation of everyday life. I agree with the comments in class that she doesn't really give a formula on how to do this but I also think that it wouldn't be a good one if she did. We are all so different and every city is so different that studying the place and people in it should drive that particular design and not just a formula like it was done in the 20th century. I think that might work quite fine!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy Crawford's sense of humanity. I believe that urban planners, architects, engineers, etc. must allow for organic, spontaneous activity throughout the city. And I believe that through design we have the ability to enhance these idiosyncrasies. However, trying to dictate exactly how a space will be used and by whom would evolve into something communistic and dull, unlike many of the greatest cities this world has to offer.
ReplyDeleteTo think that architects can control an entire community through urban design is crazy! Every family is different, every street is different, every neighborhood is different, every... you get the point. In order to celebrate these differences, architects don't have to sit down and go through every possible outcome and scenario. Like you said, they have to try to understand the beauty that comes from the unexpected and unplanned and design not with all the possibilities in mind, but with the knowledge that there are seemingly endless possibilities.
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