#ContentQuake: A minor speculative urbanism
For a sedentary person, I spend a lot of time thinking about public spaces. This isn't to say that it's particularly productive or profound thinking in nature -- but it borders on the prolific.
Whether it's weekend farmers markets, coffee shops, large institutions spanning indoor and outdoor spaces like the Woodland Park Zoo, public transit, or the de facto agora that is the Central Public Library, the ritualization of public life engendered by the combination of architectural and urban planning design (as well as the omission of any design intent) is of endless interest to me.
My commute unfortunately doesn't involve public transit at the moment, but I believe strongly in it and vote accordingly. Seattle's public transit funding and infrastructure is on the uptick, but it has a lot of ground to gain in what is an intrinsically west coast, car-besotted city in the midst of a population boom. Dedicated bus lanes and the recent expansion of light rail help, but we're not nearly where we need to be.
And then there's this dilapidated bus shelter (let's call it that for lack of a more apparent designation), situated on 5th Ave in front of the YWCA and comprising a cross-shaped structure on concrete blocks that supports a glass and steel roof. I don't think the bus actually stops in its immediate proximity, leading me to think that it has nothing to do with public transit and/or that, either way, it's just some line item on a municipal demolition plan awaiting funding.
Despite its state of disuse and neglect, it commands a certain spectral majesty, like somebody transplanted it from a "Haussmann: Visions of the Future" exhibit. Plus, it offers media. Or it did at one point. Likely ads and ad-laden local newspapers, but media all the same.
The default assumption is that something like this doesn't need to exist in 2018. But to me, a bus shelter with intimate enclosures that offers media is inherently compelling infrastructure that, like an endangered municipal species, has a potential for social utility.
What would it do? I don't know:
It's just a thought, neither productive nor profound.
Whether it's weekend farmers markets, coffee shops, large institutions spanning indoor and outdoor spaces like the Woodland Park Zoo, public transit, or the de facto agora that is the Central Public Library, the ritualization of public life engendered by the combination of architectural and urban planning design (as well as the omission of any design intent) is of endless interest to me.
My commute unfortunately doesn't involve public transit at the moment, but I believe strongly in it and vote accordingly. Seattle's public transit funding and infrastructure is on the uptick, but it has a lot of ground to gain in what is an intrinsically west coast, car-besotted city in the midst of a population boom. Dedicated bus lanes and the recent expansion of light rail help, but we're not nearly where we need to be.
And then there's this dilapidated bus shelter (let's call it that for lack of a more apparent designation), situated on 5th Ave in front of the YWCA and comprising a cross-shaped structure on concrete blocks that supports a glass and steel roof. I don't think the bus actually stops in its immediate proximity, leading me to think that it has nothing to do with public transit and/or that, either way, it's just some line item on a municipal demolition plan awaiting funding.
Despite its state of disuse and neglect, it commands a certain spectral majesty, like somebody transplanted it from a "Haussmann: Visions of the Future" exhibit. Plus, it offers media. Or it did at one point. Likely ads and ad-laden local newspapers, but media all the same.
The default assumption is that something like this doesn't need to exist in 2018. But to me, a bus shelter with intimate enclosures that offers media is inherently compelling infrastructure that, like an endangered municipal species, has a potential for social utility.
What would it do? I don't know:
- Provide high-quality free print media?
- Offer localized digital content?
- Display art of various media types/formats?
- Offer up AR content other than Pokémon (no, I didn't check)?
- What about a whole system of these in the downtown core or even across the city with an app that allows you to quest as you travel to different shelters?
It's just a thought, neither productive nor profound.
Comments
Post a Comment