{"title":"Designing for possibility in public space: affordance, assemblage, and ANT","authors":"Quentin Stevens, Jonathan Daly, Kim Dovey","doi":"10.1057/s41289-023-00235-y","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>The design of urban public space is inherently problematic because the range of its possible uses and meanings is broad and unpredictable. This paper engages this problematic through the lens of Gibson’s theory of ‘affordances’—the ways the material world affords for human desires. We first explore some conceptual and methodological problems of the theory of affordances and its application in understanding and designing public space. These dimensions of affordance theory are then reconceived using the relational thinking of assemblage and actor-network theory (ANT). A key contribution of the paper is an expanded typology of affordances which includes improvised and serendipitous affordances that extend beyond the intentions of designers and users. This opens new ways of thinking about the design of urban public space as a space of possibility where outcomes are open, multiple, and unpredictable. The paper suggests how urban spaces can be shaped to better support rich cultural diversity and social inclusion.</p>","PeriodicalId":46557,"journal":{"name":"Urban Design International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.8000,"publicationDate":"2024-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Urban Design International","FirstCategoryId":"96","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1057/s41289-023-00235-y","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"0","JCRName":"ARCHITECTURE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The design of urban public space is inherently problematic because the range of its possible uses and meanings is broad and unpredictable. This paper engages this problematic through the lens of Gibson’s theory of ‘affordances’—the ways the material world affords for human desires. We first explore some conceptual and methodological problems of the theory of affordances and its application in understanding and designing public space. These dimensions of affordance theory are then reconceived using the relational thinking of assemblage and actor-network theory (ANT). A key contribution of the paper is an expanded typology of affordances which includes improvised and serendipitous affordances that extend beyond the intentions of designers and users. This opens new ways of thinking about the design of urban public space as a space of possibility where outcomes are open, multiple, and unpredictable. The paper suggests how urban spaces can be shaped to better support rich cultural diversity and social inclusion.
期刊介绍:
URBAN DESIGN International is:
an essential forum for the exchange of information and debate concerning issues of urban design and management
a vital resource for urban designers, architects, planners, landscape architects and developers
an international peer-reviewed publication.
URBAN DESIGN International is the first truly international network for all of those involved in the multi-disciplinary tasks of urban design and management.
In providing a direct forum for the exchange of information and a vehicle for the debate which constantly redefines the scope of urban design, the journal places a primary emphasis on bringing together practice and research. It addresses current issues and aims to make a range of materials accessible to all: from in-depth papers and reviews of projects, to book reviews, comments on previous contributions and a diary of international events. Some issues are themed by topic or geographic region.
The international range of the journal is impressive as witnessed by contributions from all the major continents and an active and extensive editorial structure.
Amongst the issues the journal addresses are:
urban design theory and practice
urban development and management
urban ecology
heritage and local identity
diverse communities of interest