Tomasz Bradecki
Transformation of public spaces in times of globalization
Introduction to model of space valuation

Tomasz Bradecki is Architect; Poland;

Introduction
Architecture in the time of consumption, and mass culture.

Since many years modern style of living has changed radically turning into many directions - one of them is the urban style of living.

The development of digital technologies (internet, virtual interaction), transport development changed life habits and life style in urban regions. The social profile of society is being transformed as well as urban life style. Mass culture with its huge amount of products, techniques has dominated life in many aspects. One of them is the leisure product. The development of exhibition and quasi art spaces (more commercially than art oriented) in recent years shows that urban leisure becomes more and more important.

Globalization results in producing commercial spaces - larger than ever : multifunctional wrappings,. Global products : shopping centers, commercial malls, 'multi' centers create contemporary mass culture landscape.

Need for individual spaces, new objects, new places, new spots on the urban map grows and welcomes new manifestos of architecture as new signs in urban landscape. Mass media greets every manifesto loud enough to warrant it's commercial success. Mass culture landscape gets its iconic landmarks.
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' In today's world, anyone who isn't prepared to build the tower of Babel has no right to be an architect' Wolf Prix - CoopHimelb(l)au statement
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New realizations with traditional program meet rather cold enthusiasm than euforia. Good architecture which inscribes itself in urban context is well seen in the architecture environment, but does not attract media attention. The most known and important modern realizations are becoming more unique than ever. Very often they negate urban context and their form and expression are sources of many controversies. Very often those buildings made by modern 'stars of architecture' become, because of their unique, medial and spectacular popularity and so called manifestos of architecture.
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Today individuals have a plural nature: they belong to various places and move in various real and virtual spaces. Old dichotomies - private-public, individual-collective, interior-exterior - no longer apply. Given that citizens are immersed in these constant and multiple flows, an architecture of mobility should be developed. Such an architecture would play an essential role in responding to this plurality. FRANÇOIS BARRÉ Dialogue : Collective public space : New perspectives synthesis article - Forum Universal de Les Culture - Barcelona 2004
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Topic description
'Transformation of public spaces in times of globalization' is an idea for research in field of architecture, urbanism and sociology. Commercialization and global products exert influence on urban space,. Architecture interpreted as an interface of urban lifestyle deserves thinking about its new dimensions : it's role, it's architectural sociology.

Definitions
Globalization.
Manifestos of architecture.
Spectacular architecture.
Urban life style.
Mass culture landscape.
Architectural sociology*

Manifesto of architecture is a definition for public objects which have been realized in recent 50 years, which have influenced the existing public space and which are presumed to be a landmark in an urban landscape. Manifestos of architecture are the most spectacular examples of exhibition space buildings, which its form, color, and spectacular features have 'worked out' their success in commercial sense and influenced or transformed the space around.

Spectacular architecture is a term describing architecture which does not inscribes itself in context.
Mass culture landscape is a definition set for suburbian areas, where high density of shopping malls and leisure centers create 'noplace' landscape lacked of identity.
Architectural sociology* - the study of how 'sociolcultural phenomena both influence and are influenced by designed physical structures and places'. popularity and so called manifestos of architecture.
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*Definition by Ron Smith and Valerie Bugni - http://strata.unlv.edu/smith_bugni
Definitions has been set for the purposes of this work by myself, They might have been published earlier
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Problematic
Transformation of public spaces.
Artificial - public space in malls
'Gehrism' and questions of identity
Public space - collective space

Examples
The following examples show described occurrences
Task of manifesto :
1. Guggenheim Museum 1956- 1959- New York - by Frank Lloyd Wright
2. Tate Modern ; May 2000 by Herzog & de Meuron
3. Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao ; 1997 by Frank O.Gehry
4. Kunsthaus Graz; Graz, Austria by Peter Cook and Colin Fournier
5. ... to be continued

Task of scale : 1. Euralille project
2. Parc La Villette March 1987 - Paris - by Bernard Tschumi
3. ... to be continued

Task of function
1. Hakata center in Fukuoka, Japan
2. Bankside of Thames, London
3. Z_ote Tarasy in Warsaw, Poland
... to be continued

Recapitulation
Mass culture and modern urban lifestyle requires changes of thinking about urban space and urban landscape. In time of globalization spatial problems can no longer be considered as problems of space. The role of architecture and urbanism for the next centuries differs and one of it's effect will be urban-lifestyle motivating dimensions.

Modern ways of urban planning in times of globalization in alliance with modern architecture give many new possibilities of generating 'event' space. In 2004 François Barre' referred to urban development projects for the Olympic Games as an 'architecture of pretext'. I believe that 'architecture of pretext' is one of the ideas for contemporary urban space.

Marketing strategies tell how to sell more products, and that allows for various architectural wrappings. Shiny packages are bought with glorification , traditional wrappings are welcomed with calm enthusiasm. The point where wrapping and architecture meet fades, but the real judge of this point is commercial success. The occurrence of 'gehrism' - social, psychical, local need for spectacular, manifesting architecture in a region - becomes more and more aggressive.

Conclusions
'Multifunctionality' and bigness are contemporary most important features of urban globalization. 'Mobile society' becomes more tourists - buying their life-products in 'noplace'-malls, than citizens living in a city. Mass culture landscape gets its consumers, and public space is either commercialized or void. Spectacular manifestos of architecture might be a recipe for icons of identity, but in fact they may be considered as products of new segment in global market.

Tasks and questions
1. Interpretation of architecture as an 'art' product and as a public interface*.
2. Role of manifestos of architecture in urban context and urban lifestyle.
3. Are manifestos of architecture a necessity of today and tomorrow ?
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*the term of public interface has been mentioned by François Barre'; Dialogue : Collective public space : New perspectives synthesis article - Forum Universal de Les Culture - Barcelona 2004
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Research and study characteristics

The topic would touch the problems of architecture, urbanism, architectural sociology on the background of social-urban transformation of society. The target of study and research would be to characterize modern architecture which results in transformation of urban space.

Research related aspect and tool

Contemporary analysis of architecture's value are profit oriented and spatial interpreted. The characteristic of space valuation regarding all aspects such as contextual, sociological, urban seems to be important. If we interpret transformations of urban space as a game (city game), and we assume that players' welfares would affect each other, we can use game theory to value some of the occurrences in urban space.

Game theory is a branch of applied mathematics that uses models to study interactions with formalized incentive structures ("games") ; game theory encompasses decisions that are made in an environment where various players interact strategically. (...) Game theory studies choice of optimal behavior when costs and benefits of each option are not fixed, but depend upon the future choices of other individuals. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_theory)

Model of space valuation is a research project which combines the knowledge of architecture design, urban planning, sociology and real estate valuation. The target of the research is to set a formula of theoretical, interdisciplinary model of urban space valuation. Most of the research will base on economic and 'property-like' analysis and will be related to property prices, cash flows, spatial transformation, architectural aspects etc.. . The space valuation model might be probably used for development feasibility studies, development strategies and analysis.

Game theories will be helpful in setting players' , players' welfares and possible optimal players' strategies. The book written by Czes_aw Bielecki 'City game' describes possible 'game movements' within a city respecting mostly spatial aspects. Globalization reflects to review and refresh 'city game' using game theory regarding all spatial, economical and social factors.

Thesis
To describe commercializing processes of public space in urban areas.
To specify the most important values of architecture in contemporary urban-social context.
To prove the different role of architecture for the next century.
To create an interdisciplinary theoretical model of space valuation.

Research concept

The research would focus on describing the influence of big commercial(global) investments and manifesting architecture on urban structure. Research would base on analysis of data (objects' characteristics) gathered from statistics, publications, observation and real estate market analysis.

Research instruments :
Sociology - knowledge and analysis methods
Real Estate Valuation - knowledge and analysis methods
Marketing and finance - knowledge and analysis methods
Game theory

Note for research :
Finished paper : Influence of urban factors on real estate market.
The text is a diploma finishing real estate studies on Silesian University in Katowice.

Tomasz Bradecki
[] 05-12-27 , Poland
[] tomaszbradecki@op.pl
[] www.tomaszbradecki.republika.pl

Commentaries

' I keep on repeating , that the esthetics of architecture is not only the question of scale (...) is, first of all, the will to take part in positive processes.'
Massimiliano Fuksas - Architektura-murator' 02_2003 ñFor the new century'

'.. the 'innovative' architecture of today follows the 'Babel metaphor', which means that a single architect must be capable, in one unique masterpiece, of endowing the epoch, the world, humanity with spiritually uplifting monument. ... But by a product of the 'Babel metaphor' is then the architecture of the minor masters, who try to attract media attention with their original craft. '
Dietmar Steiner (Architektura-murator 12/2003)

'Beyond certain scale, architecture acquires the properties of Bigness. The best reason to broach Bigness is the one given by climbers of Mount Everest :'because it is there.' Bigness is ultimate architecture.' .... ' Bigness is no longer part of any urban tissue. It exists; at most, it coexists. Its subtext is fuck context.'
O.M.A. Rem Koolhass, Bruce Mau 'S,M,L,XL'

' A good architecture is that one, which allows to say 100 years later : That's what has been built in older times, that are topics which where discussed'
' I keep on repeating , that the esthetics of architecture is not only the question of scale (...) is, first of all, the will to take part in positive processes.
Massimiliano Fuksas - Architektura-murator' 02_2003 For the new century'

'..So when You say the future, I like to look at it beyond the stylistic future.'
Steven Holl - Architektura-murator' 06_2003 For the new century' David Sokol

The relationship of architecture and place is something that has been considered by non-industrialized societies forever - how we respond to the environment around us.'
'... But the rest of the city is not going to be made up of iconic buildings. If it is, then they all lose their meaning. There is a whole question of ordinariness that is supreme and beautiful.'
Glenn Murcutt - Architektura-murator' 03_2003 For the new century' Brit Andersen

Bibliography (more important positions until today):
- 'For the new century' series of articles with famous architects - polish architecture magazine 'Architektura-murator'
- cycle of prelections/discussions 'Masters of architecture' organized by SARP during 2004 - polish architects association ( .. Dietmar Steiner, Hans Ibelings and others )
- 'S, M, L, XL' by OMA, Rem Koolhass and Bruce Mau
- Hans Ibelings 'Architecture in times of globalization'
- 'New perspectives' synthesis article , Conferrence Dialogue : Collective public space :- Forum Universal de Les Culture - Barcelona 2004
- 'Mutations' by Rem Koolhass and others...
- 'Delinquent Visionaries' by Ben van Berkel
- articles (thoughts on contemporary culture) by Frederic Jameson (author of 'Postmodernism', 'The cultural Turn: Selected writings on the Postmodern' )
- ...

Tomasz Bradecki
05-06-01 , Poland
tomaszbradecki@op.pl
www.tomaszbradecki.republika.pl