Readings of public space are dependent on performance. A pedestrian reads space differently from a skateboarder, or a person drinking a latte, or a child exploring, or a person walking a dog, or a dog.
This proposal for an extension to an urban park in Vancouver's Downtown South neighborhood explored the idea that within a heterogeneous urban context, readings of public space are linked to the everyday and occasional performances of the urban dweller.
A Taxonomy of Performance
Design research involved observing and documenting the activities of users at the park, and organizing findings in a taxonomy of user types. The proposed design for the park extension sought to create a park that was driven by (and open to) a multiplicity of readings at different scales. The park was many things: a recreation space, an open market, an urban backyard, a production / performance center, and a skate park.
