Digital place atmospheres: architecture, digital visualisation practices and the experience economy
| Dates: | 12 March 2014 |
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| Times: | 14:00 - 17:00 |
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| What is it: | Workshop |
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| Organiser: | Manchester Urban Institute |
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| Who is it for: | Current University students, University staff |
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| Speaker: | Professor Monica Degen |
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Cities@Manchester and the department of Sociology present these events as part of the 50 years of Sociology at Manchester initiative 2014.
TALK: "Sensory Cities", 2-3pm
WORKSHOP: Visualisation, 3.15-5pm
Computer generated images have become the common means for architects and developers to visualise and market future urban developments. This talk examines within the context of the experience economy how these digital images aim to evoke and manipulate specific place atmospheres to emphasize the experiential qualities of new buildings and urban environments. In particular, we argue, that CGIs are far from ‘just’ glossy representations but a new form of visualising the urban that allows us to capture and market in photorealistic terms particular embodied sensations. Drawing on a two year qualitative study of architects’ practices we argue that digital technology allows for the elusive notion of place atmospheres to become a commercially manufactured product. Such development has two key implications. Firstly, we demonstrate the importance of digital technologies in framing the ‘expressive infrastructure’ (Thrift 2012) of the experience economy. Secondly, we show that these atmospheres are “based on a Westnocentric literary and sensory palette” (Tolia-Kelly 2006) that highlights the continuing influence of colonial sensibilities in supposedly postcolonial, urban processes.
Speaker
Professor Monica Degen
Organisation: Brunel University
Travel and Contact Information
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G107
Alan Turing Building
Manchester
