Insights on the spatial configuration of collective spaces within forming dynamics: the relation between infrastructure and urban transformation in Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes

The research seeks to produce insights on the spatial configuration of collective spaces where large scale infrastructure propels urban transformation. Focusing on the meaning, character and programmatic qualities of urban spaces in transformation as outcomes of fluctuating processes, it deals with complex spatial forming dynamics of urban streetscapes: the non-traditional conjugations of spaces, boundaries and territories. These spaces foster unexpected notions of proximity, territoriality, permeability and critical boundaries, investigated by means of specific parameters manifesting and interacting in time. This can help upgrade the design of architecture and urban projects to innovative techno-cultural practices and improve their integration in the urban fabric; urgent matter within the hyper-complex conditions of contemporary urban realities. The case of Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes in Barcelona, where a car-oriented open-space based on a variety of spatial manifestations turns into a formalized urban centrality, is used to unveil the complex convergence of streetscapes and urban infrastructures in contemporary urban transformations

The Explorative Strategy of Engagement: Atelier Bow-Wow’s Rebière Street Project in Paris

The project of Rebière Street in Paris is the first housing project of Atelier Bow-Wow outside Japan. In the framework of the Porte Pouchet renovation project, a portion of the street along the cemetery was declassified to reduce its width and to build 180 apartments in the resulting free strip. The different plots were assigned to several local and foreign architecture offices. This project is symptomatic of an emerging practice in architecture that sees offices with discourses based on local anchorage taking advantage of globalisation to propose cutting-edge spatial quality in remote locations. The close reading of the project with tools provided by the sociology of engagement allows valuable insights in the production of form in remote practice. If human primary relation to the environment coincides with a regime of engagement based on familiarity, in remote practice the relation to the environment and the local anchorage are de facto mediated. This mediation implies a systemisation of the design process. The legitimacy of this systematisation is by nature questionable and can be a source of doubt or anxiety. Addressing the design process in relation to the ideas of scale of confidence, seizure, adherence and the explorative regime of engagement this article examines how the attempts of Atelier Bow-Wow to deal with the remoteness of the site influence the production of form

Depth Configurations. Proximity, permeability and territorial boundaries in urban projects

La tesi considera les configuracions de profunditat i control d'accés com els paràmetres principals de la recerca acadèmica. L'àmbit de la investigació es defineix per una escala intermitja i alternant, associada a la complexitat dels projectes urbans: desde l'escala domèstica, a l'escala de barri fins a la dimensió i la complexitat de les zones de desenvolupament urbà. La tesi pronuncia un discurs teòric i conceptual sobre la profunditat, verificat amb la re-lectura de projectes històrics i contemporanis que utilitzen diversos models de proximitat i accessibilitat. La investigació acadèmica inclou referències sobre la proximitat, la permeabilitat, les fronteres territorials i l'estudi de les configuracions de profunditat, juntament amb les seves condicions espaials, socials, culturals i ambientals. Diverses configuracions de profunditat que determinen els moviments lineals i múltiples entre els àmbits públics i privats, i entre els espais amb ús individual o col.lectiu, van ser estudiats i comparats. La idea d'espai col·lectiu i els seus sistemes relacionats de distàncies relatives és el file rouge de la investigació. La present tesi redefineix i enmarca el concepte de profunditat; explicant, classificant i comparant diferents models d'accessibilitat i el seu significat social o cultural. Diferents formes de definir els límits, juntament amb els nous conceptes d'espai públic, són estudiats i relacionats amb el discurs sobre la proximitat, profunditat i accessibilitat. Utilitzant la re-lectura dels dos models teòrics i els projectes construïts, la tesi descriuen diferents maneres d'aplicació i suggereix les possibles directrius per als projectes urbans.La profunditat es relaciona amb els models d'organització de l'espai en constant evolució de territoris agregats, inclosos o superposats: la definició i control d'accés proporciona un control territorial. Els mecanismes territorials es basen en la creació de relacions asimètriques: el control territorial tendeix a establir relacions verticals que eviten l'accés en igualtat o indiferència entre els usuaris de l'espai a totes les escales. La lectura jeràrquica de la profunditat, així com la no-jeràrquica, suggereix l'existència de sistemes de configuració, amb la determinació de diversos paràmetres urbanístics i agents operatius simultanis. Les dues teories coincideixen en la importància de la profunditat i la permeabilitat de les configuracions espaials. Després de diversos casos d'estudi, es conclou que la profunditat no només depèn de la quantitat de creuaments de fronteres territorials, o de la quantitat d'espais col.lectius dins d'una seqüència, sinò en la configuració d'espais compartits dins d'un projecte: és el valor de la integració de l'espai compartit el que defineix la qualitat de la configuració de la profunditat. Augmentar la quantitat d'espais col.lectius no implica necessàriament augmentar el valor de la profunditat: depèn de la configuració de la proximitat i la permeabilitat del projecte a diferents nivells, juntament amb la naturalesa de les tàctiques aplicades en la codificació de l'espai.En general, podem detectar una disminució del nivell de complexitat en molts projectes urbans, amb una codificació territorial menys subtil, que permet poca interpretació per part dels usuaris. Els projectes urbans recents no presenten configuracions de profunditat de menor o major longitud, però moltes vegades han obtingut una configuració més simple amb una definició més explícita dels territoris. La majoria dels projectes urbans recents mostren menys estratègies multiple-choice i són més funcionals. En molts projectes, el valor integrat depèn cada vegada més d'elements tipus corredor i de transicions territorials pre-planificades, evitant escenaris de solapament.Els espais col·lectius no són sinònims d'espais entre zones privades i públiques però són superfícies horitzontals extensibles depenent del temps, sovint incloent propietats privades o públiques. Les configuracions de profunditat no es basen en la distinció públic/privat tradicional sinò que depenen de la quantitat, naturalesa i característiques estructurals de l'espai col.lectiu, juntament amb diversos mecanismes de separació.El concepte de configuracions de profunditat no defineix un discurs morfològic simple sobre les seqüències quantitatives lineals de límits creuats: el disseny o la lectura de la profunditat es col·loca dins d'una configuració més complexa de proximitat, permeabilitat, valors d'integració i delimitació de les fronteres en un nivell físic, visual i territorial. La forma i la intensitat de compartir l'espai és determinant per el valor de profunditat.La tesis considera las configuraciones de profundidad y control de acceso como parámetros los principales de la investigación académica. El ámbito de la investigación se define por una escala intermedia y alternada, asociada a la complejidad de los proyectos urbanos: desde la escala doméstica, a la escala de barrio, hasta la dimensión y la complejidad de las zonas de desarrollo urbano. La tesis pronuncia un discurso teórico y conceptual sobre la profundidad, comprobado con la re-lectura de proyectos históricos y contemporáneos que utilizan varios modelos de proximidad y accesibilidad. La investigación académica incluye referencias acerca de la proximidad, la permeabilidad, los límites territoriales y el estudio de las configuraciones de profundidad, junto con sus condiciones sociales, culturales y ambientales. Varias configuraciones de profundidad que determinan los movimientos lineales y múltiples entre los ámbitos públicos y privados, y entre los espacios con un uso individual o colectivo, fueron estudiados y comparados. La idea de espacio colectivo y sus sistemas relacionados de distancias relativas es el file rouge de la investigación. La presente tesis re-define y encuadra el concepto de profundidad; explicando, clasificando y comparando los diferentes modelos de accesibilidad y su significado social o cultural. Diferentes formas de definir los límites, junto con los nuevos conceptos de espacio público, son estudiados y relacionados con el discurso sobre la proximidad, profundidad y accesibilidad. Basándose en varios modelos teóricos y los proyectos construidos, la tesis describe diferentes maneras de aplicación y sugiere unas posibles directrices para los proyectos urbanos.La profundidad se relaciona con los modelos de organización del espacio en constante evolución de territorios agregados, incluidos o superpuestos: la definición y control de acceso proporciona control territorial. Los mecanismos territoriales se basan en la creación de relaciones asimétricas: el control territorial tiende a establecer relaciones verticales que evitan la igualdad o indiferencia en el acceso entre los diferentes usuarios del espacio a todas las escalas. La lectura jerárquica de profundidad, así como la no-jerárquica, sugiere la existencia de sistemas de configuración, con la determinación de varios parámetros urbanos y agentes operativos simultáneos. Ambas teorías coinciden en la importancia de la profundidad y la permeabilidad de las configuraciones espaciales. Después de varios casos de estudio, se concluye que la profundidad no sólo depende de la cantidad de cruces de fronteras territoriales, o de la cantidad de espacios colectivos dentro de una secuencia, sino en la configuración misma de espacios compartidos dentro de un proyecto: el valor de la integración del espacio compartido define la calidad de la configuración de la profundidad. Aumentar la cantidad de espacios colectivos no implica necesariamente un aumento del valor de la profundidad: eso depende de la configuración de la proximidad y la permeabilidad del proyecto a diferentes niveles, junto con la naturaleza de las tácticas utilizadas en la codificación del espacio.En general, podemos detectar una disminución del nivel de complejidad en muchos proyectos urbanos, con una codificación territorial menos sutil, que permite una interpretación menos libre por parte de los usuarios. Los últimos proyectos urbanos no presentan configuraciones de profundidad de mayor o menor longitud, pero en muchas ocasiones han obtenido una configuración más simple, con una definición de los territorios más explícita. La mayoría de los proyectos urbanos recientes muestran menos estrategias de multiple-choice y son cada vez más funcionales. En muchos proyectos, el valor de integración depende cada vez más de elementos tipo corredor y transiciones territoriales pre-planificadas, evitando escenarios de solape.Los espacios colectivos no son sinónimos de los espacios entre ámbitos privados y públicos pero son superficies horizontales extensibles, dependiendo del tiempo, a menudo incluyendo las propiedades privadas o públicas. Las configuraciones de profundidad no se basan en la distinción público/privado tradicional sino que dependen de la cantidad, naturaleza y características estructurales del espacio colectivo, junto con varios mecanismos de separación.El concepto de configuraciones de profundidad no define un discurso morfológico simple, acerca de las secuencias cuantitativas y lineales de límites cruzados: el diseño o la lectura de la profundidad se coloca dentro de una configuración más compleja que contiene la proximidad, permeabilidad, valores de integración y delimitación de los límites en un nivel físico, visual y territorial. La forma y la intensidad de compartir el espacio es determinante para el valor de la profundidad.The thesis considers depth configurations and access control the main parameters of academic research. The investigation domain is defined by an intermediate and alternating scale, associated with the complexity of urban projects: from the domestic scale, to the scale of the neighborhood till the dimension and complexity of urban development areas. The thesis pronounces a theoretical and conceptual discourse about depth, tested by re-reading historical and contemporary projects that used various models of proximity and accessibility. The academic investigation includes references about proximity, permeability, territorial boundaries and the study of depth configurations, together with its spatial, social, cultural and environmental conditions. Various depth configurations that determine linear and multiple movements between public and private realms, between spaces with individual or collective use, were studied and compared. The idea of collective space and its related systems of relative distances is the file rouge of investigation. The present dissertation redefines and frames the concept of depth and explains, classifies and compares different models of accessibility and their very social or cultural meaning. Different ways of defining boundaries, together with new concepts of public space are studied and linked with the discourse about proximity, depth and accessibility. Using re-reading of both theoretical models and built projects, the thesis describes different ways of application and suggests possible guidelines for urban design projects. Depth is related to models of space organization in ever-changing aggregated, included or overlapped territories: defining and controlling access provides territorial control. Territorial mechanisms are based on creating asymmetrical relationships: territorial control tends to establish vertical relationships that avoid equal or indifferent accessibility between different space users at all scales. Hierarchical as well as non-hierarchical reading of depth suggests the existence of configurational systems, with several determining urban parameters and simultaneously operating agents. Both theories coincide in the importance of depth and the permeability within spatial configurations. After various case studies, we conclude that depth does not only depend on the amount of territorial boundaries crossed, or on the amount of collective spaces within a sequence, but on the way of configuring shared spaces within a project: it is the integration value of the shared space that defines the quality of the depth configuration. Increasing the amount of collective spaces does not necessarily increase the value of depth: this depends on the configuration of proximity and permeability of the project at different levels, together with the nature of applied tactics of space codification. In general, we can detect a decreasing level of complexity in many urban projects, with less subtle territorial codification, almost not allowing the user's interpretation. Last century's urban projects do not present longer or shorter depth configurations but in many occasions obtained a much more simple configuration, compensated by explicitly defined territories. Most recent urban projects show less multiple-choice strategies and are more functionally based. In many projects, the integrated value depends increasingly on corridor elements and pre-planned territorial transitions, avoiding overlap scenarios. Collective spaces are no synonyms for areas forced between clearly private and public spaces: they are time-dependent stretchable horizontal interfaces, often including private or public properties. Collective spaces rather depend on the way of sharing space. Depth configurations are not based on the traditional private/public distinction but depend on the amount, the nature and the structural qualities of collective space, together with several spacing mechanisms. The concept of depth configurations does not define a simple morphological discourse about linear quantitative sequences of crossing boundaries: the designing or reading of depth is placed within a more complex configuration of proximity, permeability, integration values and delimiting boundaries on a physical, visual and territorial level. The way and intensity of sharing space is determining for depth value

Depth Configurations and Privacy. Proximity, Permeability and Territorial Boundaries in Urban Projects

In this paper, depth is considered the main parameter to measure the quality of urban space: it refers to the gradual sequence between adjacent, overlapped or integrated private or public territories in urban projects. This paper pronounces a theoretical and conceptual discourse about the organisation and depth of collective spaces, tested by rereading historical and contemporary urban projects. Theories and models of proximity, permeability and territorial boundaries are linked with the idea of depth configurations in architecture (considering different depth sequences as simultaneous and multiple experiences and inherent organisations of space), together with their spatial, social, cultural and environmental conditions. Privacy (understood as the desire or need to avoid sharing space) is one of the main issues in this discourse, as it depends on the level of collectiveness within a depth configuration, more than the level of explicitness of defined territorial boundaries. This paper wants to prove that depth configurations (and levels of privacy) are not exclusively based on the traditional private/public property distinction but depend on the amount, the nature and the structural qualities of collective space, together with several spacing mechanisms. The urban project’s quality depends on the multiplicity of the depth configuration: multiple reading of the space’s permeability enriches the urban experience on an individual and a collective level. In other words, the concept of depth configurations does not define a simple morphological discourse about linear quantitative sequences of crossing boundaries: the designing or reading of depth is placed within a more complex configuration of proximity, permeability, integration values and delimiting boundaries on a physical, visual and territorial level.status: publishe

Implicit Distances

From Aldo Van Eyck’s attention to thresholds, Milos Bobic’s idea of urban interfaces, to Gordon Matta-Clark’s sliced territories or Peter Rowe’s Middle Landscape, in-between spaces have been an important topic in architectural or urban debates. In many cases, intermediate spaces are presented as de facto interesting spaces, as if they automatically guarantee urban qualities, without unveiling the reasons for it. In other discourses, they are approached as blurry intermittent spaces, defined as grey zones (the semi-public, semi-private approach), as unsharp areas, sandwiched in between more important or more easily definable spaces. Apart from the possible qualities in-between spaces may obtain, the main focus should be however on the way these spaces are defined, by seeing them as part of a bigger system of adjacent spaces and programs. The Streetscape Territories Research Project tries to explore this subject by analysing or designing a series of urban projects and by trying to explore the ways these projects, and their constituting in-between spaces, relate to the street as part of a depth configuration. This paper studies how these buildings, properties, streets or areas are organised territorially and how they define contemporary streetscapes in multiple ways.status: publishe

Privacy and Depth Configurations

Depth configurations are not exclusively based on the traditional private/public property distinction but depend on the amount, the nature and the structural qualities of collective space, together with several spacing mechanisms. The urban project’s quality rather depends on the multiplicity of the depth configuration: multiple reading of the space’s permeability enriches the urban experience on an individual and a collective level. The guarantee for privacy (understood as a desire to not always be part of an all-round collective space) does not depend on how explicit we define territorial boundaries but on the way we configure space, the way and where we define access to neighbourhoods, properties, buildings or rooms. The use of higher walls, building the entrance door at a higher distance from the street, define in a forcing and singular way how people should access or use their rooms, houses or neighbourhoods, does not guarantee a qualitative level of human comfort. The concept of depth configurations does not define a simple morphological discourse about linear quantitative sequences of crossing boundaries: the designing or reading of depth is placed within a more complex configuration of proximity, permeability, integration values and delimiting boundaries on a physical, visual and territorial level.status: publishe

Metaphoric Voids and Sliced landscapes

(Question:) What’s a metaphoric void? (Answer:) Metaphoric in the sense that their interest or value wasn’t in their possible use... (Question:) You mean you were interested in these spaces on some non-functional level. (Answer:) Or on a functional level that was so absurd as to ridicule the idea of function. For example, the places where you stop to tie your shoe-laces, places that are just interruptions in your own daily movements. These places are also perceptually significant because they make a reference to movement space. (...) When I bought those properties (...) the description of them that always excited me the most was “inaccessible” (...) What I basically wanted to do was to designate spaces that wouldn’t be seen and certainly not occupied. Buying them was my own take on the strangeness of existing property demarcation lines. Property is so all-pervasive. Everyone’s notion of ownership is determined by the use factor (...) (G. Matta-Clark, “Splitting the Humphrey Street Building”, interview by Liza Bear, May, 1974, published in Catalogue of Gordon Matta-Clark Exhibition, Museo Nacional, Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid, 2006, p165-180 (quote p. 166) First published in Avalanche, December 1974, p.34-37)status: publishe

Garden Streetscapes: Front Yards as Territorial Confi gurations

Too often, we assume great streets are defi ned by great buildings. Yet manystreetscapes distinguish themselves by the presence of fl ower or vegetable gardens, front yards or backyards, allotment gardens, community playing fi elds or parks.Gardens, as a substantial element of low-density (and even high-density)neighbourhoods, articulate a highly qualitative relationship between private andpublic properties, between shared spaces and those used individually and between domestic spaces that can be separated or joined. As a consequence, streetscapes need to be considered as spaces delimited not only by building façades but also by configurations of garden walls, fences, strips of grass, tree lines, muddy roads or concrete slabs for parking: these are the territorial borders that indicate how and to what extent collective spaces can be interpreted and appropriated by their users.This paper presents a theoretical framework that studies gardens as structuralelements of streetscapes and it discusses a case study in Williamsburg, New York, that is part of the international Streetscape Territories Research Project being conducted by the Department of Architecture of the University of Leuven on different cases of streetscapes in New York, Barcelona, Ghent, Brussels, Havana, Addis Ababa and so on (see also www.streetscapeterritories.wordpress.com). Additional international references to recent uses of space in diff erent sociocultural contexts are provided to broaden the perspective of the research. The paper deals with the following research question: Can we describe the structural role of gardens in the making and use of contemporary streetscapes

Garden Streetscapes: Front Yards as Territorial Confi gurations

Too often, we assume great streets are defi ned by great buildings. Yet manystreetscapes distinguish themselves by the presence of fl ower or vegetable gardens, front yards or backyards, allotment gardens, community playing fi elds or parks.Gardens, as a substantial element of low-density (and even high-density)neighbourhoods, articulate a highly qualitative relationship between private andpublic properties, between shared spaces and those used individually and between domestic spaces that can be separated or joined. As a consequence, streetscapes need to be considered as spaces delimited not only by building façades but also by configurations of garden walls, fences, strips of grass, tree lines, muddy roads or concrete slabs for parking: these are the territorial borders that indicate how and to what extent collective spaces can be interpreted and appropriated by their users.This paper presents a theoretical framework that studies gardens as structuralelements of streetscapes and it discusses a case study in Williamsburg, New York, that is part of the international Streetscape Territories Research Project being conducted by the Department of Architecture of the University of Leuven on different cases of streetscapes in New York, Barcelona, Ghent, Brussels, Havana, Addis Ababa and so on (see also www.streetscapeterritories.wordpress.com). Additional international references to recent uses of space in diff erent sociocultural contexts are provided to broaden the perspective of the research. The paper deals with the following research question: Can we describe the structural role of gardens in the making and use of contemporary streetscapes?</p