09. November 2010
Multiplicity and Visual Identities in Cities
What kind of design interventions and contributions are needed in contemporary European hybrid cities?
By Evert Ypma
Context of present-day cities
Over the past decennia neo-liberal governance models of spatial planning and city organization have dramatically shaped West-European cities in an unsustainable way. Many domains of city life, the public realm and urban planning have been privatized, deregulated, and marketed. That often lead to unequal distribution of power and collective interest has come under severe pressure. City planning has become play gardens for project developers and private companies are commissioned to provide (the feeling of) safety and security to citizens. Public transport, post and telecommunication changed from a public good into market competitive services, which – according economic logic – will be cut in case of low consumer demand. ...Read further
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Written in the framework of the CITY SETS conference 2010 at Aalto University School of Art and Design, Helsinki