Choreographing Urban Habitation: Strategies for Enhancing Public Space in the City

Abstract

The basis of this thesis is the perceived need for more spaces that generate human scale and facilitate opportunities for individual reflection and social interaction in the public realm of the city. It proposes the design of places that facilitate a change of pace, revitalization of personal energy and nurturing of embodied states of presence within urban settings. It proposes using the language of physical theater to view architectural installations as theatrical sets for the urban stage. This metaphor is beneficial since the built environment serves as the background for our behavior, plays a significant role in defining the range of our choices, and creates a context for self-consciousness about our perceptions and responses. The thesis further proposes using contemporary tools of choreographic analysis to analyze the spatial choices that pedestrians make while navigating social situations - with the intention of informing design interventions that positively transform urban public space.