What is the daily use of SENSE?
I think the idea of lived experience has much merit in our everyday life. We as designers design spaces for people, we design spaces for activities, uses ect… but at what point do we design for an act or spontaneous human reaction? Almost never, simply because human nature can be quite unpredictable at times.
We often do not think of streets forgotten, mostly we think
of urban centers that instill a sense of geometry, order, and efficiency. However,
it is important to remember that many people do not have access to such
luxuries – even in the modern world.
I think the point that Crawford made “everyday life has never
been of much interest to experts,” is spot on. I’m not sure why this is not the
complete focus of designers and planners, but I believe it should be in order
to strive for greater connection with place.
When I think if different streetscapes around the world that
achieve the points discussed by Crawford, the first place I think of Chania,
Greece. The main street along the ocean front here is serving many purposes.
First it serves as a connection to nature, the natural element being the point
where the Aegean and Ionian Seas meet. The other serves as a vessel of commerce
and community. There are many restaurants with simple outdoor covered areas,
shops, and public spaces along this sea road that engage the user with many
colors, tastes, and emotions.
I think any spaces that can evoke feeling or emotion and can
let the user participate in this dialogue are effective in the “vitality” and “access”
of those places.
I love your point about how human nature can be so unpredictable and that's why architects tend to avoid designing for it. I've been thinking that, too: how poetic and fun it is to talk about designing for the everyday, but in actuality how difficult it really is. We as designers love to design for predictability: where someone will enter, where they will look, how they will feel. Designing with the the purpose of spontaneity is something entirely new and scary!
ReplyDeleteI would agree with Lindsey about how human nature can be unpredictable, which makes it difficult to design spaces. Maybe the solution is to design spaces that can serve multiple purposes and can change to fit a variety of needs. That way the space can serve more than just a few people.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your post and both comments. That is why I think it's important to create adaptable designs that can work for multiple purposes and change over time.
ReplyDeleteYour post reminds me of the book, Life Between Buildings by Jan Ghel. Observation is very important for trying to predict the unpredictive human nature. Also, in the modern data era, I believe we'll have the reliable tool one day.
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