This was one of the courses that i took during my student exchange term in Politecknika Gdanska (Poland).In this course, we discussed topics like distances in public and social space and how people react distances, architecture as a visual product ( how visual elements-images effects our understanding of architecture, the way we design etc.) also how our brain reacts visually in case of brain parts and scientific research about the topic.I'd like to publish our work about analyzing social life in public spaces.
TOPIC: SOCIAL LIFE IN PUBLIC SPACE
LOCATION: STARBUCK’S AT MANHATTAN SHOPPING MALL(GDANSK)
- Inspiration; Jan Gehl ,Read Life Between Buildings: Using Public Space
A street scene; An ordinary day on an oridinary street, Pedestrians pass on the sidewalks, children play near front doors, people sit on benches and steps, the postman makes his rounds with the mail , two passersby greet on the sidewalk, two mechanics repair a car , groups engage in conversation. This mix of –outdoor- activities is influenced by a number of conditions. Physical environment is one of the factors: a factor that influences the activities to a varying degree and in many diffrent ways. -Outdoor- activities, and a number of physical conditions that influence them.
Three types of -outdoor- public space activities
Greatly simplified , outdoor activities in public spaces can be divided into three categries, each of which places very diffrent demands on the physical environment: Necessary activities, optional activities ,social activities.
Necessery activities, İnclude those that are more or less compulsory.
İn general, everyday tasks and pastimes belong to this group.
“we are redefine this group like that;
In this case, people sitting inside and wasting time with reading book or studying alone or with group but with some certain reason. “
Optional Activities That is , those pursuits that are participated in if there is a wish to do so and if time and pace make it possible are quite another matter .
In this case, people sitting inside and wasting time with waiting for someone, just drinking coffe and refreshing , using cellphone but something just for wasting time.
Social activitiesPublic activities greetings and conversations, communal activities of various kind and finally as most widespread social activity- passive contacts, that is , simply seeing and hearing other people.
Social activities occur spontaneously , as a direct consequence of people moving about the being in the same spaces.
- Inspiration; Edward T.Hall, The hidden dimension
‘Early designers of the Japanese garden apparently understood
Something of the interrelationship between the kinesthetic experience
Of space and the visual experience.Lacking wide-open spaces,
And living close together as they do, the Japanese learned to make the most of
Small places.In the use of interior space, the Jaoanese keep the edges
Of their rooms clear because everything takes place in the middle.
Europeams tend to fill up the edges bu placing furniture near or against walls.As a consequence, Western rooms often look less
Cluttered to the Japanese .’
ANALYZE OF DETERMINED SPACE; STARBUCKS AT MANHATTAN SHOPPING MALL
- QUESTION:
PUBLIC SPACES LIKE CAFETERIAS LEAD PEOPLE WHICH ACTIONS AND HOW INTERIOR
ARCHITECTURE EFFECTS ACTIONS IN THESE PLACES?
In our example, Starbuck’s has different furnitures according to customer’s choice.
Different heights of the tables, different comfort of the chairs and location according to
vista allow different actions in social places. In this way, customers of starbucks can use
the space for socializing, relaxing, meeting with others ; on the other hand, they can
use it for working, studying or spending time alone (waiting for someone, using mobile
phone, resting).
