Book Article Review: Defending and Creating Place Identities

Ar Sayed Ahmed

doi:10.5296/ijch.v7i2.17721

Abstract

The authors selected four neighborhoods in Melbourne. Two older suburbs, Camberwell and Fitzroy; were in threat from the new development challenges. Characters are something pre-existed. Here dominant architectural styles with heritage value also regarded as important factor. On the other hand, two new housings like Beaconcove and Caroline Springs were modeled after imposed character. They tried to find place identities in residential developments. For that, front gardens of suburbs had been identical marketing agenda which created instinct character of space. To find out the real character of space, authors asked several questions to the inhabitants: how they react about mixed ethnicity, building code’s impact over planning decisions and at which limit they might tolerate change for the sense of place? This review will try to find the place making extracts from the book ‘Becoming spaces'.

Highlights

To create and preserve urban character is a global trend in capitalist world and have some local immergence
Two new housings like Beaconcove and Caroline Springs were modeled after imposed character
To find out the real character of space, authors asked several questions to the inhabitants: how they react about mixed ethnicity, building code’s impact over planning decisions and at which limit they might tolerate change for the sense of place? This review will try to find the place making extracts from the book ‘Becoming spaces'

Summary

Introduction

To create and preserve urban character is a global trend in capitalist world and have some local immergence. Authors believe Melbourne got a streetscape based character. Such base is founded by the academy during the 1980’s and it was introduced to planning practice during the 1990’s. In this context, local councils took lead for characterization while market oriented developers and law offices gave the meaning of spaces where actual resident experiences were ignored. The authors’ derived an effective methodology which included politics, marketing, legislation and economic agreement; to judge three specific facts. Those are: residents’ experiences, social discourses and urban morphology.

Results

Discussion

Conclusion