Reading Socio-Spatial Interplay - Arkitektur- og designhøgskolen i ...

R E A D I N G S O C I O - S P A T I A L I N T E R P L A Y - I N T R O D U C T I O NLefebvre, De Certeau and Bourdieu will in different ways be used to provideinsights of important dimensions in processes of socio-spatial interplay, and,furthermore, to clarify the interpretative framework and strategies that willform the basis for empirical investigations.As mentioned earlier, Aldo Rossi has for a long time been quite central formy theoretical understanding of urban landscapes and their dynamics. Bydiscussing Rossi in relation to theoretical perspectives on complex anddynamic socio-spatial interplay the intention is to explore analytic limitationsand potentials in using aspects of Rossi’s approach in a more combinedanalysis of socio-architectural interplay.Some other of the texts are mainly used as inspiring ways of thinking interms of ideas and perspectives that can help me out in the ‘clearing upoperations’.This particularly goes for the analytic theories of Deleuze andGuattari, but partly also for De Certeau and Lefebvre: Their manner of poststructuralcriticism of theoretical foundations, for instance as the ones (i.e.structuralism and Marxism) one can find in Rossi’s (and in Østerberg’s)analytical approaches to urban landscapes, address ways of understandingcomplex dynamics related to interrelatedness and interplay between differentkinds of human spatial agency.Other theorists will be used to exemplify and clarify aspects of discussionsof analytic concepts and issues related to interpretative strategies orframework (for instance Mayol et al., Choay, Panerai et al.).I will also present theoretical perspectives that first of all will be used toclarify how analytical approaches that seek to merge social and architecturalissues of urban landscapes (for example Østerberg), to a little extent caninform investigations of socio-architectural interplay, although they provideother useful insights.In the empirical part 2 I will carry out case studies in three specific studyareas in Oslo. The overall focus will be on relational patterns in architecturaltransformation (structural elements, morphological systems, morphological,micro-morphological and iconographical transformation) as well as onpatterns in individual socio-spatial dispositions and practices. By combiningdifferent part-studies I intend to investigate how different observable sociospatialpatterns interrelate.With my academic and professional background, I found it natural to takearchitectural analyses as a starting point. Therefore the focus inmethodological discussions will be how to develop an architectural analysisthat can work as basis for carrying out part-studies of socio-architecturalinterplay. This of course also reflects that my theoretical training andpractical experience first of all is related to the traditions of architectural11