DESIGN, SUBTEXT AND IMAGESCAPE

 

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ IN PUBLIC SPACES

 

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Living in the area around the United States capital exposes everyone to a multitude of architectural projects intended to reinforce national unity or to represent the values of special interest groups or smaller local governments. To become sophisticated users and observers of these spaces, it is important to be aware of the influence of direct design, as well as more subtle subtexts, in creating an imagescape that continues to have meaning to its users over time.

 

GOALS

 

This experience will familiarize you with

·        The function of design in public architecture

·        The contrast between foregrounding and subtext

·        The concept of imagescape

·        The public landscape of the Washington metropolitan area

 

PREPARATION

 

Exploring the space

 

  1. Select a public space in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area designed for public access and about which information is available
  2. Walk around and observe all aspects of the space from all entry points, official and unofficial.  Include such items as statues, furniture, walls, streets, paths, plantings, trees, etc.
  3. Spend time in the space, watching people, animals, vehicles and other users in their interactions with the space
  4. Draw or obtain a map of the space with entry points and any writing (inscriptions, for example) contained there
  5. Obtain pictures of the site or take digital photos to include with your paper to illustrate key features that you want to discuss

 

Learning the theory

 

  1. Read the articles referenced in the syllabus
  2. Clarify the key concepts of design, the role of landscape designers, imagescape and subtext in your own mind

 

Researching the space

 

Collect any information you can find:

  1. the history of the area and the space itself
  2. brochures, commercial maps
  3. online information
  4. sponsor(s) and/or builder(s) of the space
  5. design specifications if available
  6. overt purpose (foregrounding) for which the space was designed

 

CONTENT

 

The paper should include the following elements in whichever order is most effective:

  • A concrete description of the space
  • Background information on its history, reason for being, etc.
  • Its original design, indicating the role of the parts in supporting the purpose of the whole
  • Its context and access points, official and unofficial
  • A comparison of its foregrounded purpose and the subtext(s) it also presents
  • How users interact with the site, and whether their interactions are shaped by or in contradiction to the design
  • The imagescape created by the site today
    • Has the purpose of the site altered?
    • What physical changes has it undergone since it was built?
    • How do the parts of the space contribute to the effect of the whole?
  • Finally, evaluate the space itself for its effectiveness and aesthetics

 

GRADING

Grades will be based on the following criteria:

  1. Format: paper is word processed, double spaced, in 12 point type, using standard US spelling, sentence structure and punctuation. It is written in paragraph form, NOT a series of bulleted lists. At the upper left of the first page, it lists your name, date and class section.
  2. Inclusion of all content elements specified above
  3. Attachment of a site map and pictures or photos which illustrate key features of the site. (Note: if including digital photographs, a reasonably clear image will be sufficient; photographic talent is not being graded as part of this paper.)

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