Xing Song
When clouds begin to drizzle
Summary
An exploration of environmental elements as metaphors that create a sense of public intimacy within collective space.
Introduction
Abstract
We live in society as individuals with mobility, physically moving from space to space. And the influence of globalization makes this phenomenon of leaving one’s rooted place for other places more common. Take my group of international students as an example, we often have periods when we move to a new place as an outsider and the lack of a sense of belonging is always present. I hope to find my belonging in an unfamiliar space, expecting my sense of identity to stop wandering, which is my research motivation.
Therefore, this research aims to explore the specific combination of elements in spaces that can form resonance and establish the spatial quality of public intimacy. I materialized this sense of public intimacy as a cloud that accumulates over people’s heads. It is like a protective film that envelops us and makes us feel comfortable underneath it. I interpret the environmental elements in terms of four parts and analyze six representative public spaces as examples. I’d like to visualize my analysis, document all my narrative texts, and produce a set of elements collection. It is a kind of connector to tell people about my definition of ‘public intimacy’. Through the series of my stories, I hope that people who have similar experiences in the search for a sense of belonging could find resonance in my research, and gain a clearer understanding of space with such quality.
Key Words
Collective Space | Public Intimacy | Spatial elements | Belonging | Resonance
Research Assets
Photo taken in Kensington Gardens (Author)
When we build memories and resonance in space, the place attachment and belonging are gradually facilitated. Such space has a sense of public intimacy that enables us to regain control of our subjectivity and protect our ‘true self’ in public, which is a positive psychological need and attitude. In ‘Liquid modernity’, Zygmunt Bauman refers that there are two ideal types of public space where the true self can be protected.6 One is the shopping mall. It allows people to temporarily ignore the differences between people by making them all focus on the same task: consumption. The other is the public square where there is a ‘stage’ enabling people to watch together. This atmosphere allows visitors to be themselves even when alone, without feeling that their private intimacy is exposed in a collective space. If this sense of public intimacy is materialized, it is like a cloud that accumulates over people’s heads. When it begins to drizzle, burning anger turns to blue calm, trembling fear turns to golden hope.
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A SENSE OF BELONGING?
Definition of ‘public intimacy’ (Author)
I WANNA WEAVE MY ROOM AT THE SEASIDE.
LOOK! THE CLOUDS ARE ACCUMULATING ...
Spatial Analysis_Cinema
Spatial Analysis_Gallery
Spatial Analysis_Street
Spatial Analysis_Square
Spatial Analysis_Park
Spatial Analysis_Sea
Elements Archipelago
A FINE DRIZZLE ENVELOPS ME:
REGAIN CONTROL OF OUR SUBJECTIVITY AND PROTECT
OUR ‘TRUE SELF’ IN PUBLIC
After analyzing and comparing the six spaces mentioned above, I found that they have similar spatial language. They all have a center space, poignant cinematic work, evocative sculpture, spontaneous street music performance, children skipping and playing in the fountain, calm spring lake, and ebbing and flowing sea, all of which are poetic and resonate most directly with people. The emotion they convey to people is beauty beyond language and words. Through behavior observation, there are always a lot of people who come alone. They are not lonely but revel in the spiritual world of their construction. With the same emotion in mind, I can feel the clouds above my head and theirs slowly gathering together. An organ is triggered by the object we are gazing at together, then little raindrops fall one by one, and a drizzle of steam envelops us. I know, my true self is returning.
