Question No. 4

4. do you agree with Framptons assessment that there is 'an absence of true public realm in the modern motopia"? expla

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Yes, I completely agree with Frampton's assessment.

Later in the same paragraph as Frampton's assertion, he quotes Robert Venturi in his book Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture when he says "that Americans do not need piazzas, since they should be at home watching television."

Unfortunately, Venturi was right in his writing in 1966, and since then he has become even more so. The life of Americans has become very introverted and sedentary and thus architecture which encompasses an extended point of view towards the public realm has been left untouched a

nd wasted as people quickly drive in and out for convenience as they rush home to sit in their comfortable home "watching television."

It will take an entire effort on encompassing the public realm within a convenient application which can attempt to begin to re-train Americans and their habits of private personal space and seclusion. Only once Americans begin to use large open public spaces such as parks and plazas as the Europeans often do - with frequent gatherings and events whether planned or not - will we be able to take back over from the domination of the car upon the built environment.

EXAMPLES:

European Piazzas - Adjacent to the Plaza Mayor during the World Cup 2005

The Spanish Culture is to gather in huge groups in large open public spaces, spaces which rarely exist and are rarely used if they d

o exist in America. The Spaniards actually combine the public realm with Venturi's statement of American life in this example as Spanish National soccer fans are watching their team during one of the first round, round-robin games in the 2005 World Cup.

Retraining Americans - Chicago's Millennium Park

Here, Americans are being taught to enjoy public space which has previously been bare and lifeless, Americans need entertainment tied into their public spaces.