The Traveling Scholar and Harbors of Urban Aesthetics
This study addresses the discovery of site-specific qualities in contemporary Venice and Marseille. Both Venice and Marseille are classic harbor cities, but their links to tourism are increasing in the age of cultural planning and consumption. Two series of results stand out. Venice proves to be sit...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Bologna
2024-12-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Creative Practices in Cities and Landscapes |
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| Online Access: | https://cpcl.unibo.it/article/view/20008 |
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| author | Henrik Reeh |
| author_facet | Henrik Reeh |
| author_sort | Henrik Reeh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study addresses the discovery of site-specific qualities in contemporary Venice and Marseille. Both Venice and Marseille are classic harbor cities, but their links to tourism are increasing in the age of cultural planning and consumption. Two series of results stand out. Venice proves to be site-specific at all levels of the frontstage city, as well as in the offstage of its industrious areas. Instead of rejecting the latter as alien to Venice, one should recognize the harbor zones as a reservoir of urban site-specificity. If these areas become truly public, they may in turn add a modern relief to the conventional staging of Venice. The observations of site-specificity in Marseille delve into a particular place in a critical situation: the collective bus shelter in the Vieux Port during a torrential shower. Here, sensory and reflective processes contribute to the researcher’s appreciation of site-specific qualities. Present on site, the researcher is affected by sensory impressions and socio-cultural exchanges. This reciprocity between human presence and the environment transforms urban space from cool objectivity into a matter of lived life. Critically reconsidered, such experiences may strengthen the urban-cultural reflections on site-specificity as a realm of ambiguous contributions to urban aesthetics. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4b8c09dd6923469e8883981f85b3618c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2612-0496 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | University of Bologna |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Creative Practices in Cities and Landscapes |
| spelling | doaj-art-4b8c09dd6923469e8883981f85b3618c2025-01-10T10:06:57ZengUniversity of BolognaEuropean Journal of Creative Practices in Cities and Landscapes2612-04962024-12-0162123810.6092/issn.2612-0496/2000818376The Traveling Scholar and Harbors of Urban AestheticsHenrik Reeh0University of Copenhagen, Department of Arts and Cultural StudiesThis study addresses the discovery of site-specific qualities in contemporary Venice and Marseille. Both Venice and Marseille are classic harbor cities, but their links to tourism are increasing in the age of cultural planning and consumption. Two series of results stand out. Venice proves to be site-specific at all levels of the frontstage city, as well as in the offstage of its industrious areas. Instead of rejecting the latter as alien to Venice, one should recognize the harbor zones as a reservoir of urban site-specificity. If these areas become truly public, they may in turn add a modern relief to the conventional staging of Venice. The observations of site-specificity in Marseille delve into a particular place in a critical situation: the collective bus shelter in the Vieux Port during a torrential shower. Here, sensory and reflective processes contribute to the researcher’s appreciation of site-specific qualities. Present on site, the researcher is affected by sensory impressions and socio-cultural exchanges. This reciprocity between human presence and the environment transforms urban space from cool objectivity into a matter of lived life. Critically reconsidered, such experiences may strengthen the urban-cultural reflections on site-specificity as a realm of ambiguous contributions to urban aesthetics.https://cpcl.unibo.it/article/view/20008site-specificityharbor citiesvenicemarseillesiegfried kracauer |
| spellingShingle | Henrik Reeh The Traveling Scholar and Harbors of Urban Aesthetics European Journal of Creative Practices in Cities and Landscapes site-specificity harbor cities venice marseille siegfried kracauer |
| title | The Traveling Scholar and Harbors of Urban Aesthetics |
| title_full | The Traveling Scholar and Harbors of Urban Aesthetics |
| title_fullStr | The Traveling Scholar and Harbors of Urban Aesthetics |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Traveling Scholar and Harbors of Urban Aesthetics |
| title_short | The Traveling Scholar and Harbors of Urban Aesthetics |
| title_sort | traveling scholar and harbors of urban aesthetics |
| topic | site-specificity harbor cities venice marseille siegfried kracauer |
| url | https://cpcl.unibo.it/article/view/20008 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT henrikreeh thetravelingscholarandharborsofurbanaesthetics AT henrikreeh travelingscholarandharborsofurbanaesthetics |