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Supermodernism as a Notion of Urbanism
The evolution of urbanism has changed how people live, creating a new means of adapting to the urban migration trend. There have been adjustments in housing structure and types to accommodate the continuously growing population. There is a need to create a suitable environment that is supportive of the different cultures and other aspects of the population that help urban areas grow to become productive. Network culture as a notion of urbanism connects to the concept of non-places where the different spaces create a melting pot for different political, social, and cultural contexts.
The concept of urbanism results in the creation of what Marc Auge and Hans Ibelings defined as non-places. The term is used in reference to places detracted from urban dwellings, and people spend most of their time. The non-places in urban centers include train stations, airports, and hypermarkets, where there is a promotion of circulation and communication extensively. The concept of places and non-places suggests that places are the spaces that an individual has a historical connection to and has memories, and is a space where they live. In contrast, non-places are escapes from home that are not relational and do not have a historical connection with the individual (de las Rivas Sanz 9). These spaces that include shopping malls and train stations are a part of the supermodern condition that is a key aspect of the globally connected culture.
Supermodernism is associated with the disappearance of meaning and place, arguing that the real measure of time is the collection of non-places that one has been in for temporal occupation. There is a seamless relationship between the real and virtual, considering the current developments identified in urban environments. The placelessness of urban landscapes is a leading characteristic in their definition, where there are shared spaces where individuals can create memories. Still, the spaces are left empty and meaningless when human interaction in the spaces ends. An additional aspect of supermodernism is that the spaces have been transformed into areas of high surveillance by third parties such as governments and security agencies (Guastamacchia 112). Numerous cameras are looking to observe people’s actions in the spaces, as a preventative measure against crime and to create accountability for people’s actions.
The placelessness of urban landscapes is a popular attraction for those living within urban spaces because of the escapism they offer. The spaces are found in shopping complexes and malls, eateries, and other places in the areas that offer a temporary stay or experience for the day (Harris 81). Across the world, competition among designers to make the spaces as unique as possible is ongoing. The competition has resulted in the creation of urban sites and marvels such as the Olympic Stadium in Sydney, the Heydar Aliyev Center, and the Milwaukee Museum of Art. The places are fulfilling to be in for the period that the visitors are in, but at the end of the day, they are left empty and only filled with memories of things as they transpired during the visit. The supermodernity of urban areas is driving towards the increased population in urban areas, and the need to create structures to accommodate the ever-growing population.
Speed is an aspect of supermodernism that can be expounded on using the situationist theory. The justification is that the presence of technology is resulting in various systematic changes being identified. The speedy development is resulting in speedy changes being observed, with the changes being reflected in architecture, transport, communication, and other aspects of personal life. Social life has also changed rapidly, where most people opt to interact more on social media than in-person communication. The benefit of the adjustment is that there is increased connectivity for people in distant geographic regions. Embracing technology supports the project’s goals and mission to help drive towards incorporating new approaches and methods to the ongoing changes. People in different locations can share their ideas, and the technologies allow for the simulation of models that create prototypes of the ideas. The prototypes are used in forecasting trends for the future so that plans for sustaining the populations are created.
The need for sustaining the population change has resulted in new techniques for construction being adopted. The new construction materials include high volume fly ash concrete, durable concrete, high-performance concrete, and self-compacting concrete, among other materials that drive a project from inception to completion in a relatively narrow time frame compared to traditional aspects. The urban dwellings created are characterized as places because they are the spaces where people living in the areas spend the rest of their time when they are out of work. The places offer a form of privacy since they are not supervised or watched through security feeds, but hallways and entrances are likely to be equipped with the cameras as a security measure. The residents give a perceived feeling of a home, also customizing the spaces (Zamyatin 148). Despite the security offered by the devices, some threats could arise if the information is misused for malicious purposes.
The navigation of the supermodernism concepts is explained through the situationist theory and movement. The justification given is that through the theory, people are forced to adapt to situations as times and other factors change (Léger 40). The new generation is focused on urban migration, speed, networks, and other aspects of modernity. There is a rise in the demand for adjustments to the new normal, which requires changes in the traditional models and methods applied. Concepts such as working from home require individuals to adapt to the new normal and set up office spaces within their living spaces. The changes in situations surrounding daily activities have resulted in people approaching urbanism with open minds about the expectations of the urban space. Hanging gardens are some of the approaches that have been adapted for individuals to create an environment that is self-sufficient within the areas. The cost of food and other necessities is constantly increasing, hence the need to find alternatives to lower costs of daily products and needs.
The concept of supermodernism is conflicted with the need for environmental preservation and how the concepts can be successfully applied. The urban areas are developing at fast rates, but with the development, they are creating various forms of pollution that need to be addressed. Instances are such as noise, air, and water pollution from industries, traffic, and other human activities. The environmental protection agency, among other institutions, is looking for alternative means of controlling the growth and effect of the activities. The current controls are not sufficient for ensuring that the intended preservation measures are implemented. Sound is difficult to control since soundproof material is expensive to install in industries, while the large size of the industries affects the ability to muffle the sound because echoes are likely to be encountered. Several states and countries in response to air and noise pollution from traffic jams are looking to implementing alternative means of traveling in between city spaces. Bicycles, including electric bicycles, are being hired out to individuals to help them keep fit as they navigate the different regions within an urban area. The use of these helps eliminate challenges such as congestion and noise pollution. The changes are being adopted speedily because of the need to adapt to modern situations.
The shift in the urban space and the competition to improve different regions to have better outcomes gives urban planners and developers a complex task while working with other professionals to create futuristic designs. The new approaches are focused on sustainability and self-sufficiency of buildings and structures, which is one of the approaches applied in the new construction standards that have been adopted. The integration of modern approaches has helped come up with new structural designs that are adaptable and easy to convert to suit the needs of the growing population. For instance, some of the buildings that were used as offices have been converted into living spaces while the companies have moved their operations online or to other locations. Alternatively, individuals are using their living spaces in apartments and converting them to offices, which is a situational approach to a problem to achieve a solution.
Urbanism has been changing over historical times, depending on the requirements for each period, the technologies introduced, and the population level in an area. The level of situationism relating to supermodernity in urban areas is different. It depends on factors such as the economy, the industries, and the promise of prosperity in the urban areas (Kohl 133). There is a constant perpetual evolution that can be observed in the house designs and how they have changed over time while comparing against new housing. The future of supermodernism is focused on creating megacities that are self-reliant and have all resources within the megacity. The population, such as the adoption of solar panels to supplement grid power, is continually harnessing the available resources. The approach makes use of renewable energy while attempting to preserve the non-reusable energy sources while reducing the bills incurred by users.
The situationist theory gives suitable explanations for various aspects and concepts of modern lifestyle, giving explanations for the various features associated with supermodernism and the need to adapt. The current lifestyle is changing with changes in trends, discoveries, and patterns. The various external factors driving towards change affect the economy, the people, and systems resulting in new approaches. The theory also explains the rise of new technologies and how they contribute to speedy development. The role of technology in supporting the changes in human life is critical and cannot be ignored. However, it cannot be the only area attributed to the success in developments since the approach used is multifaceted (Kohl 135). The evolution of the environment is resulting in disassociation with the traditional approaches to urbanism and various aspects of living to incorporate new approaches to building and living under the current conditions.
Works Cited
de las Rivas Sanz, Juan Luis. “8 Placemaking or making places?.” Making Prestigious Places: How Luxury Influences the Transformation of Cities (2017):9.
Guastamacchia, Nicola. “Keeping the rock rolling: Art activism and the avant-garde.” JAWS: Journal of Arts Writing by Students 3.1-2 (2017): 107-118.
Harris, Keith. “Ongoing Appropriation: Invisible Seattle and Red May.” Temporary Appropriation in Cities. Springer, Cham, 2020. 79-93.
Kohl, Stephan. “Creating situationist ambiences: Peter Ackroyd’s London: the biography.” Resistance and the City. Brill Rodopi, 2018. 127-142.
Léger, Marc James. “The Composition of Movements to Come: Aesthetics and Cultural Labor After the Avant-Garde, by Stevphen Shukaitis.” (2016): 40-41.
Zamyatin, D. N. “Post-city: space and ontological models of imagination.” Polis. Political Studies 3.3 (2018): 147-165.