Le monde entier
est un cactus
il est impossible
de s’asseoir-oir-oir-oir!
The American experience of urban space: one leaves the house, drives somewhere, buys something, drives home.
All of the space between the purchase / the destination may as well not exist. It has been muted, dumbed down and streamlined. The urban fabric has nothing to it. Look at any street: about 70% of your view will be the four lanes - two parking, two driving - for vehicles, contained by the walls of facades. Some are lucky enough to have shade trees and landscaping. But it is simply this: a line, to be traversed back and forth, hither and thither, one transaction to the next, stopping for rest with the family, but everyone else? Unknowable, near inconveniences along the way.
Versus…
Angles. Benches. Focal points: of views, of movement. Ledges. Choices: of orientation, of engagement.
Textures. Usage. Care for detail. Cohesion.
Visual cohesion. Spatial cohesion. Social cohesion.
These things are essential.
The American story lacks them, or chose to bulldoze what of it we had. Now the authorities have no eye or feel for such nuance. Therefore our participation is all that can make those aspects for ourselves.
I’ve been trying to begin addressing this humbly in my neighborhood.
Replacing old benches, rotting and ambiguous in responsibility, due for replacement a decade ago.
Finding new homes for throw away outdoor furniture.
Creating a sense of permissibility and ownership of the spaces we share.
We’re the ones who use it, who know how it could function better: we’re the authorities on the issue. So let’s take on the responsibility as well, because our Authorities lack the care and wherewithal to give us the world we desire to inhabit.
