01C WRITING
Reading Response Journal of Urbanism
- Salvador Rueda used various forms of measurements for social interaction and cohesion within a society. Social interaction in a common ground was not really studied for scientific purposes. The way that this was measured had to be very precise in order for the information to make a difference. In the development of the superilles, the idea was to create a space for pedestrians to interact without the need of cars. A place where, as Speranza would say, “you wouldn’t die”. Infrastructure and demographics of the place where highly important to determine the variability in the superilles, (what is the percentage of kids in the area compared to elders, are there schools around, are there restaurants). All of this information is part of what Salvador Rueda talks about, “For Rueda, social cohesion is one of eight ways to understand urban sustainability”.
- The first is “uses” which in the circle chart is measured by Jobs, Housing, Services, and Space. One way that Jobs are measured is by Job type and how accessible it is. For Housing it is cost per meter or feet squared. The second is Demographics which is split into Income, Age, and Culture. Income is measured with the cost of goods, and Culture by birthplace and parents’ birthplace. An associated ecological phenomena would be measuring the comfort in oxygen levels around the city, (maybe even Carbon Dioxide emissions).
- One pattern that emerged in the superilles and in Gracia is the increase of social interaction. The idea of being in a place for “human pleasure” was reflected in both. The need for these types of spaces increases with the density of the city. As it becomes more populated, cars become less resourceful and pedestrian infrastructure more desirable.