Some Secondary Research…
Since my project’s theme is “hybrid city”, when we talk about “city”, it could be related to “space” , “location”, “culture” and “identity”.
Inspired by “The Poetics of Space” by Gaston Bachelard, spaces aren’t just physical constructs; they also serve as metaphors for psychological states. Bachelard introduces the concept of “space-time,” asserting that spaces become meaningful through the memories and experiences we associate with them and emphasizes the role of imagination in experiencing space. Spaces take on different meanings depending on the individual’s personal experiences and memories. Therefore, the same space can evoke different emotional responses in different people.
Besides, I have got the inspiration from “Place Attachment: Advances in Theory, Methods, and Applications” . The book indicates “Place attachments are powerful emotional bonds that form between people and their physical surroundings. They inform our sense of identity, create meaning in our lives, facilitate community, and influence action. ”
What’s more, the American urban planner Kevin Lynch’s “The Image of the City” indicates that “how people perceive the cities they live in and he found that people use the built environment- streets, walls, districts, monuments -to form a mental map of the place where we live.” And he also pointed out that when we talk about how we experience and make sense of a city, “people and their activities, are as important as the stationary physical parts”.
Furthermore, the book “Look Here“by Ana Kinsella, is about exploring the delight to be found in everyday interactions and chance observations in London City inspired me a lot. It illustrates an affecting map of London, navigating ideas of anonymity and identity, freedom, ownership and community.
Reference:
- “The Poetics of Space” by Gaston Bachelard
- “Place Attachment: Advances in Theory, Methods, and Applications” by Lynne C. Manzo and Patrick Devine-Wright
- “The Image of the City” by Kevin Lynch
- “Look Here” by Ana Kinsella
Redefining Research Question…
Above reading (secondary researches), case studies and coffee chats with people inspired me a lot! I redefine my Research Question as :
How can (Chinese) Individuals living in London navigate their cultural identity and sense of belongings under a globalisation context?
Then consulted with expert in Visual Communication, the visual artist Yu Chen, who graduated from RCA. I’m considering to try to utilize city observation and experiments with imagery and sound as research methods. On one hand, individuals create emotional attachments to objects, smells, and other sensory experiences in the places where they live. On the other hand, they also seek to form new emotional connections when they move to new environments.
Next Steps:
- Personal City Walk: First, I plan to take a city walk in London from my own perspective. During this walk, I’ll capture spaces or objects that I feel connect with my identity. I’ll then edit these into a video log, which I’ll refer to as my “Hybrid City Log.”
- Peers’ Perspectives: I’ll also invite my friends to do the same. Participants will be invited to take a city walk in London and capture elements that resonate with his identity, creating his/ her own “Hybrid City Log.”
- Community Involvement: For a broader perspective, I plan to host a community city walk in London. Participants will be selected based on their submitted identity research. I’ll pre-plan a route tailored to these identities. During the walk, participants will capture their own spaces and objects, creating their individual logs. These could be in the form of vlogs or plogs.
- Post-Walk Discussion: After the walk, I plan to hold a discussion to explore whether participants gained new insights into their own identities through this experience.