No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the author.
Wasting Away by Kevin Lynch and The Production of Space by Henri Lefebvre
... The small and medium scales started surfacing as important factors in the evolution of places awaiting redevelopment, landscapes of deindustrialisation and architecturally "neutral" areas or 'no-man's lands' (Rivlin, 2007). Urban voids for the first time are described as the result of problematic processes but their existence is usually portrayed in a positive way and as potentially beneficial for the urban setting (DeSilvey & Edensor, 2012;Doron, 2000;Foster, 2014;Jorgensen & Tylecote, 2007;Kamvasinou, 2011;Loukaitou-Sideris, 1996;Lynch, 1990;Neuman, 2012;Talocci, 2011). On a similar note, research in Urban Ecology points towards the potential alternative uses that these places could accommodate and the important benefits they could offer for the urban dweller and the urban ecosystem. ...
... Lynch (1990) recognised that conceptions of waste are linked to a specific time, place and culture. Hence, because waste is culturally constructed, modifying our views of it is difficult and argues that we must rethink who we are before we rethink waste (Neuman, 2012). Following the research done as part of this thesis and the conclusions that were reached, the same can be said for urban voids. ...
Post-industrial urban environments are often constituted of a patchwork of urbanisms that result in the creation of urban voids; large inactive and neglected areas where key spatial, social and environmental factors are ignored. Highlighting the importance of a relational and trans-scalar approach to planning, this thesis uses the ‘urban void’ known as Eleonas in Athens, Greece to investigate the idea that there is a transformative function proper to these spaces. This function, termed ‘voidness’ is defined as the capacity of urban voids to induce transformative urban change across scales and across urban form, activities and socio-economic contexts. Hence, throughout this thesis there is a gradual shift from the investigation of an epistemological object: the ‘urban void’, to the exploration of an ontological process: the ‘voidness’ and its implications in daily life and planning practice. Drawing from the disciplines of Urban Morphology, Urban Metabolism and Urban Political Ecology, I trace the transformation of Eleonas in space and time and track how the notion of the ‘void’ is conceptualised at the scales of the region, the municipality and the neighbourhood. Using mappings, observations and interviews with policy makers, residents, local workers and academics I examine under what conditions areas are perceived as ‘voids’ and how this affects the decision-making of the local planning administrations. Furthermore, I explore the derelict and decaying morphology of urban voids, the dwindling local economic activity, the conflicts between local reality and regional planning and critically addresses the dismissal of these spaces as ‘backyards for unwanted uses.’ It was found that the conceptualisation of spaces as ‘urban voids’ is subjective and changes depending on the scale of investigation. Whether they are considered in a positive or negative light, these differing perceptions skew decision-making towards specific actions and developments often with catastrophic spatial, social and economic consequences. Hence, a reconceptualisation of the urban void is suggested and more appropriate planning tools and policies are proposed towards a more context-oriented approach to spaces such as Eleonas.
... This "othering" is no longer viable as finite resources deplete as humanity's population and landfills continue to grow (Wonders & Danner, 2015;Newalkar & Wheelan, 2017;Xing et al., 2018). Our regard for materials as passive resources is leading to the extermination of "others", human and non-human, and will eventually be our own killing blow (Lefebvre, 1974;Neuman, 1992). Therefore, if we wish to combat the climate crisis, it is imperative we detach from the divisive perception of human and non-human. ...
Mycelium bio-composites’ temporality, and material-meaning, provide architecture a novel solution for both resource and well-being crises. New materialist, growing design practices offer an opportunity to realise mycelium bio-composites’ full holistic potential by acknowledging the evocation of meaning by materials’ senso-aesthetics and their ability to generate positive perceptions and favour.
This research employs a growing design framework in its endeavour to understand the role of perception, disgust, and other barriers to the uptake of mycelium bio-composites in architecture. Adaptive digital and analogue design methods were utilised to engage this biological organism’s agency and the uncertainties that co-creating with it entails. A tinkering process helped to understand the behaviours and ideal growth conditions of mycelium and produced a materials library of mycelium bio-composites; its reception defined the trajectory of this thesis. Disgust was identified as a potential barrier to mycelium bio-composites in an industry tethered to industrial standardisation and an expectation for permanence.
Existing mycelium bio-composite, and innovation diffusion, research is limited by their collective cognitive focus on production and technical performance. This research acknowledges the influence of emotions on decision-making, through its investigation into how multi-sensory, meaningful materials experiences affect consumer perceptions and decision-making. It conducts a material experience study using survey and video observation methods to understand early adopters’ subjective experiences of mycelium bio-composites.
The study confirmed disgust and mycelium bio-composites’ temporality as potential barriers to industry uptake. The key finding, however, was the reported influence of touching mycelium bio-composites on decision-making, as well as its psychophysiological benefits: to calm; and to stimulate. An opportunity to present these results to industry representatives at the NZIA Design Awards was hindered by covid restrictions that necessitated a virtual presentation. The inability to share the physicality of the material, and its emotive influence, confirmed the limitations of a fundamentally occularcentric industry, whose material representation is predominantly audio-visual and focused on mechanical functions. To optimise the holistic benefits of this material, further research is required to confirm and quantify this information for high-level architectural adoption. More broadly, however, it invites the architectural industry to adopt a new materialist paradigm that values and engages materials’ agency and multi-sensory, psychophysiological impacts.
... Lynch uses the term 'wasting' as a generic term to indicate decline or deterioration. He considers waste as both the 'dark side of change' and 'a necessary part of life' (Neuman 1992). One of the most important essays about the waste of land is entitled 'Stim & dross.' ...
Resource consumption mostly overcomes the embedded capacity of global ecosystems, which are self-regenerating until they reach the point of the planet's limits. Moreover, the consumption of virgin resources and raw materials is strictly related to a consequent production of waste, which is negatively affecting both human health and other various spatial conditions. In addition to this, the temperature of the globe is predicted to rise even more in the next century, which might lead to food shortages, water scarcity, and even conflicts. Studies show that if this model of growth goes on, there will be the need of almost an additional planet Earth (in terms of resources) for us to be able to continue to survive. This condition of scarcity also regards land itself, which is understood as a non-renewable resource. Issues regarding linear metabolism, unsustainable resource consumption, abandonment, vacancies, and also the depletion of fertile soil, are caused by various rapid urbanization processes that can generate wastescapes. These can be generated in the form of unused, abandoned, polluted, or (socially) problematic areas.
... Lynch uses the term 'wasting' as a generic term to indicate decline or deterioration. He considers waste as both the 'dark side of change' and 'a necessary part of life' (Neuman 1992). One of the most important essays about the waste of land is entitled 'Stim & dross.' ...
Resource consumption mostly overcomes the embedded capacity of global ecosystems, which are self-regenerating until they reach the point of the planet’s limits. Moreover, the consumption of virgin resources and raw materials is strictly related to a consequent production of waste, which is negatively affecting both human health and other various spatial conditions. In addition to this, the temperature of the globe is predicted to rise even more in the next century, which might lead to food shortages, water scarcity, and even conflicts. Studies show that if this model of growth goes on, there will be the need of almost an additional planet Earth (in terms of resources) for us to be able to continue to survive. This condition of scarcity also regards land itself, which is understood as a non-renewable resource. Issues regarding linear metabolism, unsustainable resource consumption, abandonment, vacancies, and also the depletion of fertile soil, are caused by various rapid urbanization processes that can generate wastescapes. These can be generated in the form of unused, abandoned, polluted, or (socially) problematic areas.
The unsustainability of this linear model of growth is self-evident, because it represents a significant threat for environmental sustainability, human health, and happiness. Many initiatives around the world are currently in the process of moving towards circularity. However, the recycling of wastescapes is still an important knowledge gap in the current definition of a circular economy, with the latter mostly only focusing on the recycling of material resources in contemporary cities.
What can be done to integrate the regeneration of wastescapes with the principles of a circular economy? Can we envision a spatial dimension of circularity by going beyond just recycling of material waste to improve citizens’ quality of life and wellbeing? Could this be achieved through the preservation of both the availability of natural resources and the ability of eco-systems to regenerate themselves, without exceeding the global ecological overshoot?
... For him, these spaces are a waste of time, of lands and waste of everything. Due to Lynch, the waste of spaces became phenomena [14,15], but they have potential for re-use and relief [16]. Lynch argued that the problem of waste spaces is caused of fixed functions spaces; the solution is by increasing flexibility of spaces to accommodate all time's needs [17]. ...
Huge numbers of leftover and ignored spaces emerged in cities after the fast growth and urban development in the last decades that negatively affect the overall cities environment and the quality of cities open spaces in developed and developing countries, yet they offer great opportunity to enhance the quality of the urban spaces. In Palestine, the problem of such spaces is evident in its cities in general and in the twin cities of Ramallah and Al-Bireh in particular. In their downtown the phenomenon of leftover and ignored spaces is clearly demonstrated, and they cover a large area of land that was forgotten during the last 6 decades and no concrete action was taken to improve them. This paper is to explore, analyze and discuss these forgotten spaces and to propose a proper improvement framework for their regeneration. To do so, four folds methodology was used based on historical and archival research, theoretical review, fieldwork and interviews with stakeholders.
Keywords
sustainable urban development, leftover spaces, ignored spaces, forgotten spaces, cities regeneration
The special issue "Public Space for Local Life" is the result of a call for paper launched following the international conference "PUBLIC SPACES FOR LOCAL LIFE. Shared values in diversified urban communities as a foundation for participatory provision of local public spaces" -- a joint event of the EU Human Cities partnership & AESOP Thematic Group Public Spaces and Urban Cultures, which was held in Ljubljana in May 2017. Through the blind peer review process, the guest editors together with the editor in chief have selected 7 contributions that address the issue of public space from different points of view.
According to the current European conditions, culture-led urban regeneration policies and practices are being enhanced by the introduction of interdisciplinary innovative approaches. These involve the development of methodologies and tools that are able to address material and immaterial networks of micro-communities in a systemic and circular manner of thinking among cultures, economies, and processes. When talking about overturning hierarchies and power relations and creating the conditions that are necessary to encourage a new collaborative cultural regeneration of urban public spaces and places, some open questions can be relevant: What kind of cultural resources do we have to optimize for achieving local sustainable development in response to global challenges? What kinds of new uses for public spaces and places must we improve in order to generate complex values and enhance the engagement of communities? How could communities activate themselves for building complex values networks? In order to understand how positive initiatives are activated as a "chain reaction" and facing unsolved conflicts and building new productive values systems tailor-made for a specific context are made possible, the present paper explores the components of new forms of local complex values networks in regeneration processes, based upon the ex-post evaluation of some selected Italian practices with the multi-criteria method PROMETHEE-GAIA.
The paper deals with the issue of non-core areas in Italy by investigating the role that publicness and socio-cultural values of landscape can play in triggering development process in these contexts. Local communities have historically been the main producers of the cultural landscape. Nowadays, the importance of involving communities and sharing responsibilities together with policy makers and stakeholders is increasingly recognized.
Their involvement is particularly valuable for processes that aim at safeguarding publicness and cultural values of places as well as for achieving social needs, carrying out economic activities, and promoting cultural assets. This research looks at Italian non-core areas in order to investigate the role of the “landscape community” in collaborative regeneration strategies. The aim is to highlight the power of landscape as a catalyst of civic activation and as the place in which to improve social practices for local development, competitiveness and attractiveness by using territorial capital and by strengthening territorial cohesion. For this purpose, Alta Irpinia, in Southern Italy,
has been selected for empirical research. Preliminary evidence indicates the presence of bottom-up initiatives for reusing the historical Avellino-Rocchetta Sant’Antonio railway to promote the cultural landscape of the area and contrasting its marginalization. The main output of the ongoing research activity is the definition of the “action arena” to rearrange fragmented and conflicting perspectives and to start a collaborative process for local
development in which the landscape could be recognized as driver.
The second of a series of annual reports designed to provide a global assessment of progress toward a sustainable society, this publication monitors changes in the global resource base (land, water, energy, and biological support systems), focusing particularly on how these changes affect the economy. Included in the report are news on innovative or particularly successful technical developments; a look at global economic conditions that policy makers often overlook; a review of national policies and programs, including progress toward specific national goals; and a survey of major financial commitments by governments and international development agencies. Following an overview, content is divided into 10 chapters: "A False Sense of Security" (Lester R. Brown), "Reducing Hunger" (Lester R. Brown), "Managing Freshwater Supplies" (Sandra Postel), "Maintaining World Fisheries" (Lester R. Brown), "Protecting Forests from Air Pollution and Acid Rain" (Sandra Postel), "Conserving Biological Diversity" (Edward C. Wolf), "Increasing Energy Efficiency" (William U. Chandler), "Harnessing Renewable Energy (Christopher Flavin and Cynthia Pollock), "Stopping Population Growth" (Lester R. Brown), and "Getting Back on the Track" (Lester R. Brown and Edward C. Wolf). A list of tables and figures, extensive endnotes, and an index are included. (LH)
The Elusive City: Five Omturies of Design, Ambition and Mis calculation
- Jonathan Barnett
Barnett, jonathan. 1986. The Elusive City: Five Omturies of Design, Ambition and Mis
calculation. New York: Harper and Row.
The Production of Space
- Henri Lefebvre
Lefebvre, Henri. 1991 (1974). The Production of Space. Translated by Donald
Nicholson-Smith. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
Was ting. Away. Edited, with contributions by Michael Southworth
- Kevin Lynch
Lynch, Kevin. 1990. Was ting. Away. Edited, with contributions by Michael Southworth.
San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.
Critique of Dialectical Reason
- Jean Sartre
- Paul
Sartre, jean Paul. 1976. Critique of Dialectical Reason. Atlantic Highlands, New jersey:
Humanities Press.