Arch 504 Urban Design Seminar University of Idaho

ken williams, architect
Kasama Polakit, Phd
5 Mar 2105

Module Two

Contemporary Urban Design Theories

Architecturally exploring  Place and Placelessness

In the previous publication, considerations about how to assess an urban setting were identified. How do we interpret what we are observing with newer tools and new filters, which account for non-traditional data sets? The currency of that question continues. Investing in historical study of urban design theories provides the basis. To prescribe a place, one must first must describe the place. This is Edward Relph’s import on current Urban Studies.

Relph is the rare thing, the scientist who redefines his field. Unlike most, his work impacts other fields. In his process he asked simple questions. In addressing those, his questions were broken into component parts. What most miss is his questioning and creation of a whole.

An anecdotal explanation – Years ago, Albert Einstein developed his Theory of an Expanding Universe. Pioneering, it absorbed a generation for scientists to appreciate his theory. By that time, Einstein had moved beyond. Like any physical phenomena, a Mass has to expand into something. While the rest of the world was appreciating,  he was more concerned in what the universe was expanding into. As Designers, we need to consider everything.

Relph works to define Place and conversely Placelessness. By breaking down Place/Placelessness into components, he acknowledges convergence. For a space to exist, it is simply not a definition of scale and form. There is feeling, an individual’s relationship to Place. Place is created by experience, by importance. Virginia’s McLean House is a singularly common residence,  which becomes a significant place, due to what occurred there.

To understand Place, the components Insideness and Outsideness are developed. These is of partiulcar interest as they are the recurring theme in the West – our sense of place. Everyone shares these feelings – of Insideness; of Outsideness.  For every physical action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. These actions & reactions may be broken down into quality and quantity of energies. Insideness & Outsideness assume surrealities :  Existential Insideness & Existential Outsideness. Determining our relationship to an Existential  Insideness demands degrees of Authenticity. Creating Existential Outsideness relies on synthetic elements, kitsch or the Neo-Marxian manifestation, technique.

These understandings lead to personal observations. In relationship to the rest of Flathead County, Whitefish is the Place. Those who live here, celebrate an Existential Insideness. Her appeal to visitors , retirees and transient younger populations is their desire to celebrate that Insideness. Businesses attempt to exploit this desire by appealing to both Insiders and Outsiders. To illustrate these comments, are the following:

The local MacDonald’s is a common MacDonald’s store, a rubber stamped building. ( Exhibits 1, 2 & 3 ) Once red roofed with glaring colors, MacDonald’s attempted to appeal to customers by subduing their exterior, then `localizing’ through technique their interior. The anonymous black and white skiing picture and scarcity of customers identify their achievement - Existential Outsideness.

MacDonald’s ( exhibit 1 )

Technique ( exhibit 2 )

Note contrast between the gas fireplace, twig furniture and contrasting safety sign.

Technique ( exhibit 3 ) 

The following are somewhat more successful. The Rocky Mountain Lodge is spartan. Safeway has built a new structure with interpretive traditional elements. This derivative style is `commercial Parkitecture.’ (exhibits 4, 5, 6, & 7 )

Rocky Mountain Lodge ( exhibit 4 )

Whitefish Safeway ( exhibit 5 )

The back of Safeway, undulating with different elements breaking up the facade

( exhibit 6 )

Safeway’s Gas facility (exhibit 7 )

This interpretation is also found in the Wave, the local health facility,  ( exhibit 8.) Curiously, the same firm which designed the Wave designed the  Parkside Credit Union, ( exhibit 9. )

The Wave ( exhibit 8 )

Parkside Credit Union ( exhibit 9 )  Methinks an MSU grad?

It is easy to criticize. It is also incumbent to celebrate those definitions of Place. The last exhibits are the interiors of Sally’s ( exhibit 10, ) and the Buffalo Café, frequented by Insiders and Outsiders ( exhibits 11, 12 & 14.) What give importance to our sense of Place is an individual’s experience within that space. There is a warm feeling of scale, ease, comfort found in the dining area. Notice the waitresses visiting with customers & friends at the counter. The last image is much better. Just before this was taken, the table was filled with older ladies talking about grand kids, harassing me about the trouble I get into. They left and the table was filled with Australian skiers enjoying the ambiance of being treated like `Insiders.’ 

Sally’s. Interior elements devoid of kitsch and/or technique ( exhibit 10 )

Interior, Buffalo Café. The wall decorations are authentic.  ( exhibit 11 )

Consider Appleby’s – with a collection of ersatz and real imported antiques, salted with local, historical  photographs.

Buffalo Interior ( exhibit 12 ) 

The one on the left is holding up my breakfast

Buffalo Interior ( exhibit 14 ) 

The local Grandmothers were just replaced by Australian visitors `going Insider.’

“Sorry, no Vegemite here, Mate!” That sentiment is exhibited in exhibit 15. There are those protective of their status to a place, as an Insider.

Insider flaunting Place. ( exhibit 15.)

Considerations

Better still are the considerations that Edward Relph has yet to address: time and journey. How do Urban Designers account for time? Places become Places due to relationships, be they spatial, personal, experiential. These Places can morph into Placelessness as those relationships change. Is a Place a Place when no one is there? Place needs to be understood as always being in flux, always changing. How we account for Time in our understanding is our next challenge. Journey may be a definition for this continual change.