Place with (out) space: the tale of brussels and Colombo

Abstract

Architecture of the west is engaged in an extravagant spatial discourse, sweating to design the perfect buildings and cities; spaces where humans can thrive. The extensive attention given to production and utilization of space, however, has distanced architecture from the fundamentals of the practice; making problems – thus the solutions – single dimensional. This paper revisits the fundamentals of western architecture, questioning the significance of space in its education. The notion of ‘space’ is then critically discussed with regard to ‘place’, where space is metaphorically identified as a stage for the drama – the place – to unfold. The main actors of this drama are the events – further elaborated as a sequence of moments – which enchant the audience – the people – in a seamless suspense. Ultimately, two cities, Brussels and Colombo, where similarities are far apart, are compared with each other, using a thought experiment which provides insight into understanding the urban public space (place) as an intertwined and interrelated – though independent- combination of events.