Poor urban design seems to have a certain value in overdetermined landscapes, because they produce a certain ‘looseness’, and in the context of the ‘tight’ choreography of the spectacle they provide room for new forms of urban life to take place. Pockets of emptiness in a landscape full of predetermined meanings and behaviours contribute to the possibility of urban diversity. It is useful here to reflect upon the principles of urban diversity outlined by Jacobs (1961) four decades ago, particularly the need for the urban fabric to develop in a somewhat piecemeal manner at a relatively small grain size. This ensures a mix of building age and type, a mix of rental rates and hence the integration of new, economically marginal activities.
Appropriating the spectacle: Play and politics in a leisure landscape
Quentin Stevens & Kim Dovey
