Abstract
This paper presents the results of the first case study implemented within the research project Visual Spaces of Change. It particularly focuses on the use of Image for rendering visible dynamics of urban change in contemporary cities, exploring the potential of photography for suggesting different readings of past, present, and future architectures and places. By discussing the main methodological aspects of implementation of this practical experiment, an innovative process of investigation is proposed for engaging researchers and authors in the fields of Architecture, Art, and Image on the creation of visual narratives in public spaces. The use of different representation methods and approaches to photography as a research instrument, and different techniques for communicating different issues related with architecture and public space are discussed. Potentialities and shortcomings of different representation methods and imagery for communicating the identity and transformation of architectures and public spaces are analysed, pinpointing the challenges for a more comprehensive use of visual research and visual data for (i) linking the appearance of the built environment with its identity, meaning, and history, (ii) positing interpretative, speculative, symbolic, and artistic visual discourses about the city and its architecture, as important elements for reflecting about societal values and understanding different layers of meaning embedded in the built space. The paper concludes by drawing a number of preliminary findings of the ongoing research that is being developed within the project Visual Spaces of Change.
Presenters
José BarbedoPedro Neto
Lecturer / Research coordinator, Centros de Estduso de Arquitectura e Urbanismo, Faculdade de Arquitectura da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2019 Special Focus - Techno-storytelling: Past, Present, Future
KEYWORDS
Visual narratives, Urban change, Public space, Architecture, Photography