Urban Culture as Interface Culture

Urban Culture as Interface Culture.

From BLVD-Urbanism to MSN-Urbanism

Martijn de WaalUniversity of Groningen / University of Amsterdam

Research project: ‘New Media and Urban Culture’

www.martijndewaal.nl / www.themobilecity.nl

Overview

1. What is Urban Culture?

★People’s Park Complex, Chinatown Singapore★Towards a more general theory of urban culture: BLVD-Urbanism

2. New Media and Urban Culture:

★Towards MSN-Urbanism?Iphone Urbanism, Long Tail Urbanism, Google Earth Urbanism, Ebay Urbanism

"But we theorised, and you people are getting

it built!" (Maki)

Maki:

(1) Coexistence and conflict of amazingly hetereogeneous institutions

and individuals.

(2) Unprecedented rapid and extensive transformation in the physical structure

of society ...

...(3) Rapid communications methods

(4) Technological progress and its impact

upon regional cultures.' (1960s)

(quoted in Koolhaas 1995)

Maki:

[architects should be] 'creating organic public places centering on traffic focal

points throughout the city ...

… we must create city corridors, city rooms, and transportation exchanges at strategic points in the city. ...

And second we must realize that these new focal points become urban energy generators. ...

... The architect does not concern himself with the ways city corridors and rooms will be used.

(quoted in Koolhaas 1995)

Metabolists:

Not: Masterplan

But: Masterprogram

Situation

Linkage

BLVD-URBANISM:

notion of the city as an ‘organization of differences’

BLVD-URBANISM:

The City brings about cultural innovation,

is a stage for identity performance

produces new (subcultural) identities

BLVD-URBANISM:

The City forces differences to relate to each other, produces trust, a community of strangers.

BLVD-URBANISM:

That is: Ideally.

The reverse could happen as well: Hardening of social structures, mechanisms of exclusion.

BLVD-URBANISM:

Dwelling: Making or feeling oneself at home in the city

BLVD-URBANISM:

Public Sphere: Relating to the other

Situation

Linkage

Thank you!

Martijn de Waal

mw@dds.nl / www.martijndewaal.nl