Awakening the Public Realm: Instigating Democratic Space

Abstract

Public space represents more than just a nice place to sit down. It is the canvas for power dynamics and plays a critical role as the location for social representation and the catalyst for re-construction. As a lesson in applied hermeneutics, students were asked to propose and construct temporary art installations with the intention of confronting difficult social realities, transforming society, and contributing to a more empowered, interactive public realm. The projects were intended to reveal the potential power of art and landscape and to illustrate to the students their influence as designers in altering the way people perceive and experience the world. The reaction and engagement of the campus community was the key element in driving this lesson home. In general, the installation projects instigated dialogue and called attention to many critical issues, but did not provide a physical infrastructure which might begin to resolve these issues. The potential lies in where the students take this information next and how such an approach to interactive public space can be expanded to more permanent design solutions for the frayed edges of urban infrastructure.