[Originally posted to polis] Do you have a favorite public work of art? Or least favorite? Whose work would you like to see more of? Or less?

Great public art doesn’t always share the qualities that are thrilling in galleries. I like Georg Baselitz statues, but I would feel uncomfortable viewing some of them in the presence of children and grandparents. At the same time, it can be uncomfortable when public art is boring or just not appealing. This is subjective, but it is also why thinking about public art is important — it enters the lives of many different people, few of whom have any say in the matter.

Not having a say can be good if it exposes us to delightful things we never knew existed. There is a hit-or-miss quality that keeps things interesting, as long as they don’t become static. To keep this from happening, maybe there should be some kind of periodic review for public works of art. This could be a chance for people who experience them to voice their opinions. If a piece turns out to be well loved, it could be preserved. If people are repelled or indifferent, maybe it could be moved to make way for something new. Allowing for a constant stream of work, and keeping the ones that fit, might improve upon the places we move through each day.

It’s nice to see interactive public art, with people stopping to look closer when they’re late for work, kids playing on sculptures, friends posing for funny pictures, couples hiding away, or skateboarders jumping on and off. Art doesn’t have to be social in this way, but it can be great for public spaces when it is.

Credits: I can’t remember where I found this picture of a skateboarder in Philadelphia’s Love Park, but I hope, since I’m not making any money, the photographer won’t mind that I post it. Please let me me know if you have any leads.

[Originally posted to Where] Having just returned from Russia, I’ve been thinking a lot about public and private space. The country has been experiencing rapid privatization since the early 1990s. Many aspects of urban life, from transportation to housing to recreation, are becoming less public.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Private space can encourage responsibility for quality maintenance. We’re usually more likely to repair and improve upon places we own than places we share with everyone.

According to the logic of privatization, public maintenance is best contracted to independent businesses or nonprofits. In a way this makes sense. It provides incentive for efficient work, and as long as high quality is a requirement, we should get intended results at lower costs.

So why do market efficiencies so often result in low-quality public space? Strip malls, for example, or over-commercialized waterfronts. I guess it has to do with our priorities, and how much we’re willing or able to pay. If public space isn’t valued, it will be difficult for businesses and nonprofits to cover the price of basic maintenance.

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[Originally posted to Where] Aesthetics seem completely subjective. Although some people have similar tastes (based partially on shared experience?), variation is more the rule. So when it comes to the look of common spaces, attempting to please everyone may not be the best approach.

Quality might be a better standard. By quality I’m thinking of things like healthy environments, strong materials, ease of use, sound construction, and responsiveness to changing needs. Maybe quality can be attended to by governing bodies, but the direction must come from those who live in an area.

Shared space reveals distinct and often conflicting values. There are many who aren’t concerned with the quality of urban settings. They may be more interested in maximizing profits, or just surviving from day to day. At the same time, they may have a high degree of influence over the way cities take shape. This combination often leads to inhospitable environments.

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[Originally posted to Where] Does it matter how a city or neighborhood looks? Many would say it does, though much less than, say, health or safety. So if it matters to some extent, what makes a place visually attractive? Are there any common characteristics, or is it only in the eye of the beholder?

Maybe “looks” is the wrong word. How about the way a place feels? This would include all the senses — the different variables that make an area appealing. Of course, people have unique tastes and I don’t know if there are any qualities loved by everyone. However, there are places generally considered attractive. They are usually in wealthier districts, but should extend to poorer communities as well. If we work towards achieving this throughout our cities, without displacing low-income groups, we might look back some day and wonder how we ever lived in some of the neglected areas we know today.

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[Originally posted to Where]  A note accompanies this photo in Le Corbusier’s The Radiant City (1933):

“outside our apartments in the Radiant City: we come home from work and change; our friends are there waiting. High spirits, physical activity. And then we can go on to think about the ‘serious’ things afterwards.”

I can see myself now, coming home after a long day’s work and running the steeplechase with my neighbors. :) Le Corbusier’s plans, while at times charmingly unrealistic, are also blamed for inspiring the spread of giant housing projects in cities around the world. But is there enduring value in his thinking?

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The St. Petersburg Guide provides an unpretentious and informative overview of the city’s history through its distinctive architecture. Maintaining so many historical buildings beside a river prone to flooding must be a great challenge. The conversion of the Winter Palace into a museum is also very interesting. Apparently there are other former palaces and estates in the city that might be reused as well.

Quoted from the St. Petersburg Guide: It’s called The Winter Canal, and this is one of the most poetic corners of the “old St. Petersburg”. It was described in Alexander Pushkin’s famous “Queen of Spades”, and until now is the place for romantic dates of people who are in love. This place is especially lovely when seen from the water – when you sail either along the Moyka or along the Neva river in a boat and cast a look on the beautiful arch that frames the Winter Canal…

In Civic Realism, Peter Rowe discusses the character of “civic places,” which he distinguishes from other public spaces by pointing out the ways in which they “represent, constitute, and enhance the daily lives of citizens” (6). He also explores how civic places come into existence, emphasizing the interplay between the state and civil society.

Interesting examples from Sienna, Barcelona, Paris, Rome, New York, and Ljubljana appear throughout the book. I found the section on the transformation of “space” into “place” especially interesting, as well as the case study of Jože Plečnik’s work in Ljubljana as an example of ways in which the public domain comes to constitute and represent civic life.

ArchNet contains a wealth of photos, publications, and other resources on architecture and planning. It is produced by the MIT School of Architecture and funded by the Aga Khan Trust. My favorite section is the Digital Library, where you can browse through historical buildings by name, country, style, type, use, and century.

Photo by Joseph Brakhya

Quoted: ArchNet is an international online community for architects, planners, urban designers, landscape architects, conservationists, and scholars, with a focus on Muslim cultures and civilisations.

Hmmm … this could be LEED Gold and nice for bad weather, but it also seems a bit exclusive. I wonder what kind of effect it will have on street life. With the Olympic Stadium and CCTV building, Beijing has become the place to look for daring international architecture. Local architects are also making their mark, as seen in the “New Architects of China” article in Architecture Week.

Photo by Iwan Baan

Quoted from the article “Beijing’s Skywalk-Linked Megacomplex a City Within a City” in Wired Magazine: Steven Holl and Li Hu designed Linked Hybrid, a city within the city that will minimize forays outside by providing for nearly all of its residents’ needs. Upon completion this summer, Linked will offer 650 luxury apartments to the same go-go Chinese capitalists dropping crisp yuan on Mercedes and Fendi … And, since this is a 21st-century Eden, elaborate water-recycling and geothermal-power systems may rack up enough eco-points for a Gold LEED certification.

Landscape architect Robert Royston has designed some of the most successful parks in the United States. The site postwar portfolio – robert royston provides background information, links, and photos of his work from 1947 to 1964. I’m particularly inspired by his rooftop gardens (see photo at left). Landscape design can play an important role in creating attractive public spaces, and Royston’s work is a striking example.

An article on Royston in Dwell Magazine:
Avant Gardens

A book on Royston’s work:
Modern Public Gardens: Robert Royston and the Suburban Park

A discussion (and book) on urban parks at the Architectural League NY:
Large Parks: A panel discussion with James Corner, Julia Czerniak, George Hargreaves, Linda Pollak, and Ken Smith