Representations of the urban public in image, time and and space: On social and cultural dimensions of design

When archi­tects design urban struc­tures, public spaces and buil­dings, they beco­me desi­gners of social spaces. Against this back­ground the semi­nar pur­sues the fol­lo­wing ques­ti­ons: How can social dimen­si­ons of design be ana­ly­zed? Which fac­tors effect the com­plex dimen­si­ons of coha­bi­ta­ti­on and the ever­y­day life in urban built spaces? How do medi­a­l­ly dif­fu­sed images of urba­ni­ty and vir­tu­al net­works affect our quo­ti­di­an real life? How can the­se dif­fe­rent aspects be inte­gra­ted in the design pro­cess? In the semi­nar we the­r­e­fo­re broach theo­ries, con­cepts and methods of social and cul­tu­ral stu­dies, that are inter­re­la­ted with the social dimen­si­on of the built envi­ron­ment. Fur­ther­mo­re we are inte­res­ted in the recipro­ci­ty bet­ween the spaces crea­ted during the design pro­cess and the social spaces expe­ri­en­ced in ever­y­day life. Con­cre­te public spaces in and around Zurich as well as cur­rent stu­dent design pro­jects are ana­ly­zed to this end, gran­ting the images and per­cep­ti­on of the urban in the minds of the desi­gner and the users a pro­mi­nent role.

Cont­act: Gabrie­la Muri, Caro­li­ne Ting