The Idea

With the explosion of blogs, wikis, social networking sites and other masterpieces of the wireless world, our social face to face interaction is quickly diminishing. As designers, this creates both a challenge and an opportunity. We need to both exploit this technological revolution and also ensure that physical interaction between humans is preserved and encouraged. Essentially we need to explore how technology and social interaction can fuse together to create a complementary marriage.

Cities will only reflect the values, commitment and resolve of the societies that live within them. The success of the cities therefore depends upon them. We need to develop an architectural typology where the use of urban space is fused with the access to, learning and showcase of technology. We need a building where media is made then screened, work is created and exhibited, people are inspired and expressive. A space where children are stimulated, youths are entertained, couples are strolling, families are ‘together’ and OAPs are socially included.

The city will connect and learn through these vibrant meeting places, and users will be drawn back to the rich and engaging experience. It will connect people of all backgrounds and generate a sense of belonging. It will teach us the tools to constantly think critically, exchange views, challenge, authenticate and verify. No longer will we, the citizens, be passive consumers of media but rather we will become innovators hungry for human interaction.7th August 2008

Whilst talking with a work colleague about this blog, he asks;

Will this building become a modern day Village Hall??

His question got me thinking; has the web taken the place of this once socially significant building?

The Village hall was once the hub of the community; an integral, centrally located space where people met and interacted, freely and often. But in recent years village halls have become somewhat divorced from the concept of ‘community’ that they once symbolised. For many, the concept of village halls today conjures up images of dilapidated and vandalised shells, symbolising social decline and a loss of community spirit. This image couldn’t be further removed from their intended purpose. Essentially the building has failed to evolve with society.

On a larger scale the cities of San Francisco, Seattle and Portland have integrated public participation in urban planning into their electoral systems. In local elections in these cities you don’t just choose a candidate, you have the opportunity to become an innovator and to shape the environment in which you live. This approach illustrates how societies can evolve to take the shape of their specific culture and needs.

With only two life spans between the invention of the first bike and placing a man on the moon, technology demonstrates just how fast human kind is developing.

What do we require as users of this building, and how can we help to future proof it??

Will this become a research and development experiment for the city??

“Twenty years from now we will look back at this period of the early twenty-first century as a critical turning point in economic and social history. We will understand that we entered a new age, one based on new principles, worldviews, and business models where the nature of the game has changed.” Wikinomics, Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams 14th August 2008

Being digital and the movement of technology will become part of the basic services provided by the city. In order to achieve local and innovative information we must take control from the telecommunications agents that are driven by the bottom line and harness the potential offered through the web 2.0 and the efforts human participation in mass collaboration.

Norman Foster States, as communications technology makes it easier to work in isolation, paradoxically the demand for new kinds of places for face to face discussions continues to grow.

The posted comments to date are a great insight to the reactions and thoughts of people regarding this matter. They will undoubtedly aid my research and ultimately contribute to a building design.

Whilst the overall building design and other intricate details will take time to evolve, I must first generate a brief for this building.

Should this become a building consisting of networked spaces that form new creative hubs? The hubs could house video media labs, exhibition spaces displaying physical and interactive medium from other connected hubs, educational rooms and schooling hubs, hands on spaces that connect to public spaces littered with cafes and restaurants, and performance arenas for people to dance, act, advocate, mime and otherwise be expressive?

In what other ways might we encourage the building to become an open network for public ideas and which generates interaction and participation?

“It is unarguably true that there are only two primary sources of wealth available to us: what we get from the earth itself and what we get from our own creative imaginations. Unless we start relying less on the former and much more on the latter, then it is unconceivable that we can sustain the growing population of the world with anything approaching decent, civilised and broadly comparable standards of living” David Puttnam, Cities for a small planet

28th September

Societal and Technological Change

I am a keen user and follower of technology but I also believe it is paramount we do not let technology rule us; it must be focused by the citizen/user for the benefit of the public/user.

A platform for open and creative thinking and interaction through the development of technology could have an impact on the city and urban life, equalling that of the industrial revolution in the nineteenth century. An open platform of participation and collaboration could begin to create a new type of urban engagement; it could impact through experiments, debates, exhibitions, improvements and adaptations.

On a smaller scale we have seen this interaction through technology with the revolutionary computer console, the Nintendo Wii. No longer do users lock themselves away for hours in dark rooms, protected by the safety of anonymity. People are engaging each other and developing relations through this advanced technology.

A statement published by Nintendo, “Wii sounds like 'we', emphasizes that the console is for everyone. Wii can be easily understood by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. No confusion. No need to abbreviate. Just Wii.

No longer is the gaming industry encouraging it’s users to isolate themselves from important social contact with other humans and basic skills such as communication, but it is bringing all genders, sexes, ages and together. The Wii has been developed in such a way that kids can play with their parents, friends, siblings and even grandparents can play together. The users are still enjoying the advances of technology whilst also benefiting from the coming together of people. Such is the brilliance of this innovation that throughout the country adults and children are hosting Wii parties. It serves as a powerful example of how, albeit on a small scale, the idea of collaboration and face to face interaction through technology has become a success. Making a Historic Concept Relevant to Today

Ancient Greece saw the development of ‘Agoras’. These spaces sprung up in the heart of every city and became hubs of busyness and interaction. They became a centre for debate, ideas, politics, commerce, and knowledge sharing, visited by a whole spectrum of societal classes from the local man to people of nobility.

Perhaps we can reinvent the ancient concept of the Agoras into a 21st Century ideal. It could be similar to the internet based customer-to-customer retail site Ebay, which over one hundred thousand people connect to everyday. They buy and sell items ranging from cars, holidays, artwork and pencils. Ideas are developed and innovation is created. The same could be said about the advertising giant YouTube. This internet site has become the heart of mass collaboration. It is an explosion of home cinema and media advertising, allowing people to unload, view and share video clips, users tag and post comments on videos of interest.

In 2008 it was estimated by the New York Times that 13 hours of video play is uploaded onto the Web every minute. In January of 2008 alone according to the The Wall Street Journal Online, Dow Jones & Company, states nearly 79 million users had made over 3 billion video views. This explosion of an easy to use interface has turned video sharing into one of the most important and relevant parts of Internet Culture today. The idea of creating, sharing and advertising has become an esential part of the Web 2.0. WWW and single dimension web sites of old have been replaced with Wikis, Blogs, chat rooms, search engines, advertising broadcasting and research and development centres.

Looking at the use and attraction of the ancient Agoras alongside the characteristics of the revolutionary Web2.0, I wonder: Has the Internet become the 21st century public square?

Exploring the idea of Mass Collaboration

The idea of mass collaboration has become a tool benfitting every user of the wireless world. The idea that everyone can input and develop a space, website, wiki or blog has changed the way in which the internet in being used, and has effectively paved the way for the new Web 2.0. The terminology “Web 2.0” is the birth of a new age. This new technology enables the user to participate, the web has now become a platform for mass collaboration, creating communities and peering. From sites such as Flickr which enables photo sharing and social photography, to Facebook and Myspace which are at the forefront of online social networking.

Wikipedia is a site developed with the free softwear “Wiki”. It is the fastest growing encylopedia in the world; with thousdands of volunteers publishing media and editing existing pages. It has developed into a world of collaborative knowledge, with contributions from field experts keen to share their knowledge, eager students posting their travelling experiences whilst a society looks on and reads, comments and edits. With only 5 full time employees working for Wikipedia, participation is the lifeblood of the website. It has enabled Wikipedia to grow, develop and ultimately, to exist.

When asked in a recent interview with a web expert why people engage in this form of interaction, they answered simply: ‘Why do people play football?’. In other words, a common interest is held and appreciated, and participation in these activities provides human gratification.

“On July 7, 2005, at 8:50am, the city of London came to a standstill as four synchronized bombs exploded in its transportation system. Eighteen minutes later, as media outlets scrambled to cover the story the first entry appeared on Wikipedia… Within several minutes other uses of this free online encylopedia had updated the site with additional information… By the end of the day, over twenty five hundred users had created a comprehensive fourteen – page account of the event”. Wikinomics, Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams, Page 65.

This account of events re-enforces the power of mass collaboration and the potential effects that it can have on the media and advertising businesses.

I wonder if this concept of collaboration can be developed into a building that would have the same potential. A building that fully embraces the multidimensionality, diversity and uncertainty that has become the connected world…?

Using Mass Collaboration as the Underlying Concept to a Building

A recent article in the economist highlighted the fact that much of what passes for regeneration and new design in the United Kingdom lacks creativity or imagination. With the current financial market volatility, the global credit crunch, the housing market crisis and other issues such as climate change it is becoming apparent that both the public and private sectors need to identify opportunities and adopt new creative environments for learning and developing. As Frank Lloyd Wright put it, "Maybe we can show government how to operate better as a result of better architecture".
The idea is to create and design a building based on the access to information and information exchange within a free and open public setting. A learning environment that will inspire and harness creative thought and capitalise on the wealth of collaboration. An open platform which facilitates and, more importantly, encourages discussion and participation. A building within the city that connects strangers through the creation and showcase of technology.

The use of urban space fused together with the access of technology.

A place that will belong to the people who use it. I believe a sense of ownership, belonging and pride are critical to a building of this type. An empty studio is not the place of discovery and an empty warehouse is not a place of production. Similarly, an empty plaza is not the place for interaction.

“We are no longer operating with only two spaces; physical space and mental space. But have added a third zone of exploration; digital space, cyberspace, virtual space, call it what you will”.
Peter Eisenman, The Charter of Zurich.
Consequently, I believe that for this building to be really relevant to today’s society and also effectively utilise successful concepts of old, such as the Grecian Agoras, the incorporation and exploitation of this technology is fundamental.