The term non-place has become familiar among who, for different reasons, finds out the phenomena of transformation and growth of contemporary cities or metropolis. Formulated by French anthropologist Marc Augé, the definition is applied to buildings or urban areas for public use and with limited functions, mostly devoid of the genius loci, that is the peculiar specific character.
Non-places are typically shopping malls or airport waiting-halls: the sort of places indistinguishable among the thousands absolutely similar present in contemporary cities at any latitude. In fact, non-places are globalization specific products (originated by the architectural International Style in the '60s) that have gradually made ordinary the urban landscape world round.
The building of non-places rely upon market's intrusive rules; in this process, small or residual areas are also generated and urban planning can not avoid this.
Usually, these no-quality zones are considered by the planners unworthy of design care. Just because of it, these areas are able to resurrect some local unexpected peculiarities. Consider the corner shaped by two roads equipped with benches or a phone-booth: it is something globally widespread but locally experienced and lived.
This specific issue is what a project by Via Industriae aims to investigate.
The short series of photographs I shot in some minor harbour zones, attempts to capture their most intimate, mysterious and spooky character.
The building of non-places rely upon market's intrusive rules; in this process, small or residual areas are also generated and urban planning can not avoid this.
Usually, these no-quality zones are considered by the planners unworthy of design care. Just because of it, these areas are able to resurrect some local unexpected peculiarities. Consider the corner shaped by two roads equipped with benches or a phone-booth: it is something globally widespread but locally experienced and lived.
This specific issue is what a project by Via Industriae aims to investigate.
The short series of photographs I shot in some minor harbour zones, attempts to capture their most intimate, mysterious and spooky character.
