"Inhabited space transcends geometric space"
(Gaston Barnard, Poetics of Space)
It is important to take into account design, not only as a mateial or commercial or geometric production of objects and space but also its relationships in the human environment. We cannot simply rationally analyse design, by the style, its geometry or structure and functions, without considering it in human inhabited environment. We know that we respond to different environments differently. It depends on several factors that have been pointed out by Victor Papanek in his article. His main argument is centered around psychology and our relatioship to things. Some things and places make us feel calm and relaxed, other - agressive and agitated. It is our human nature to be "dramatic", in a way, read space and things that surround us in relationship to us, and our feelings. We tend to give meanings to the surrounding us environment, we get attached to things in the process and they become close to us and valuable. Which means that if we know how we relate to things and space, as designers, we will be more conscious and responsible for what we design and how we design it. And I believe it is important to understand that no design stands on its own: all design has social, ecological and environmental consequences!! (quoting Victor Papanek)
This article runs very close to what I am aiming to discover in Tashkent. Its inner soul, inner working of the city and its maroj strategies in use. Design is a conscious discipline and tend to rationalise its methids and ways of functioning. But by being too serious and rational, structuring and building the city, as it was mentioned, they tend to forget about the community. The city is about people, more than its architecture and infrustruture. I do not have anything against change and discoveris, as long as the work does not become mere geometry and still maintains its soul and values. The ancient wisdoms of our ancestors who's values and morals become thrown away and forgotten in preference for the new, modern and 'soulless'. This is where tactics come in as well. When I spoke about them in the first seminar. People, by their use of tactics can always bring the place alive. People maintain value, they adapt to the newness and appropriate it to suit its own uses and give meaning to the place.