Everyday spacemaking of diverse economies - Session 1
Abstract
Cities in the South have diverse economies that manifest in the creative occupation of urban spaces. Often they are ephemeral. With remarkable ingenuity - they suddenly appear and disappear within the urban landscape. Every Sunday, a kilometer-wide flea market pops up in Athens, occupying abandoned spaces and building in a former industrial area. In Palermo, hundreds of immigrants and Sicilian working-class people take over sidewalks and streets of the historical center to trade objects sourced in the city's waste streams. These are life-sustaining activities for many. While in Barcelona, a century-old nomadic street market was formalized, becoming an architectural landmark and tourist attraction within the city. In Buenos Aires, slums have become popular centralities that ensure a minimum financial ecosystem or service and object production. In Bologna, taxi drivers formed a cooperative to provide public transport and to enjoy sharing resources. People from all over Santiago de Chile pilgrimage to a popular market in former abattoirs every weekend.
We are urbanists and architects working between Europe and Latin America. This workshop will draw a threat between these life-sustaining everyday urban activities in southern cities. Who are the people engaged in these economic practices? How do they manifest in space? Where does the stuff come from and go to once they disappear? What methods can we, as researchers and activists apply to work in these contexts?
In this session, we will begin by introducing our exploratory interest in the practices of the Urban Souths. Following that, we'll present research on three distinct case studies and identify common aspects that warrant further exploration. We invite participants to bring their own examples of diverse economic practices in the Urban Souths, whether observed in their daily urban surroundings or studied in academic or professional context. The focus will be on discussing how these practices both shape and are influenced by the urban spaces in which they occur.
Join us for an interactive, exploratory session centered on the everyday spacemaking activities of the Urban Souths!
