Gay Men and Gay Spaces: A Space Syntax analysis on the Gay Mysteries of Soho (London)

Gay men and gay spaces a space syntax analysis on the gay mysteries of Soho

Project by Aditya Vinod MRes. Space Syntax Architecture and Cities, 2017-2018 Supervisor Sam Griffiths Professor of Spatial Cultures Space Syntax Lab The Bartlett School of Architecture University College London London United Kingdom

Why Soho An interview with a Gay man of Soho, Interviewer:

Why did you move to London?

Interviewee:

Girl, Brazil is too ‘closed’ for me, you know what I mean. I need something more free and open. I like Brazil but I like here better.

Interviewee:

Why Soho?

Interviewer:

Where else would I be? Its Soho!

Image Source: Kodachrome photograph by Chalmers Butterfield, https://en.wikipedia.org/, accessed on 11-03-2018

Background

Space Syntax

Researcher Aditya Vinod Master of Research: Space Syntax: Architecture and cities 2017-2018 student From India

Research Interests: •

‘Queer’ spaces

•

Spatial CulturesSegregation/clustering of cultures and sub-cultures in cities

‘The course provides a stimulating programme focused on the research and analysis of buildings and cities as patterns of space inhabited by individuals, communities and organisations.’

- Kayvan Karimi Course Director, MRes Space Syntax: Architecture and Cities

Psarra, Sophia (SophiaPsarra). “Models and networks @Kayvan_Karimi presents cities and buildings as spatial and social systems @bartlettSDAC.” accessed on 16th March 2018

Introduction

‘Soho, the Gay Village in Central London’ (Collins, 2004)

SOHO 2.6 square kilometre in area Bounded by Oxford St, Regent St, Shaftesbury Avenue and Charring Cross Throughout history the area has transformed its identity from an immigrant quarter to being referred as the Gay Village

Collins, A., 2004. Sexual dissidence, enterprise and assimilation: Bedfellows in urban regeneration. Urban Stud. 41, 1789–1806.

Terminology

Gay Space In this study, Gay space is the material/physical space appropriated by gay males referring to spaces where gay men are present, engage with their ‘community’ and/or socialise. These constitute gay bars, café’s, pubs, or even neighbourhoods, such as Gay Villages etc.

Gay Gay meaning ‘homosexual’ which became established in the 1960s as the term preferred by homosexual men to describe themselves

What is

‘Gay Space’ in this research.

Space Syntax Theory

This Research ‘The city has a large collection of buildings linked by physical

space, and a complex system of human activity linked by interaction- social space’ (Vaughan.L, 2007).

‘The patterning of physical space affects the patterning of

social space’ (Hillier. B, 1987).

‘Some areas cluster or segregate certain cultures and sub-cultures

making segregation a spatial urban phenomenon.’

(Vaughan.L, 2007).

This study investigates to what extend do ideas like gay villages represent the material (physical) embodiment of the gay (Queer) cultural identity.

Did identity emerge from the space or was it imposed on the space?

Research Questions

1

What can Soho, the famous Gay Village of London, tell us about Gay spaces? Do ‘Gay spaces’ have a distinct spatial morphology?

2

What, if anything, can configurational analysis tell us about the relationship between material world and gay practises?

3

Why does Old-Compton Street have large concentration of amenities for Gay Men? What is the role of Old Compton Street in changing identity of Soho to the Gay Village of London?

?

Literature : Gay Space as Cultural Space

Spatiality of Gay Spaces:

Comment:

‘The idea, though, that “space” can have a meaning in the sense we often use it is not helpful to effective spatial analysis.

We talk of gay space, male space, sacred space, and so on; but a space cannot possess the quality of being gay, male, or sacred.’

But aren’t gay practices* spatial in many senses?

Jerram (2013)

Gay practices such as

Cruising-

The practice of searching about a public place for partners to have a sexual encounter

Cottaging-

Sexual activity between men in places such as public toilets

PRIDE demonstrations

Jerram, L., 2013. Space: A useless category for historical analysis? History and Theory 52, 404

Literature: Gay spaces (physical space) and Queer Practises in Cities

As cited in (Amaury and Ramirez, 2016),

Queer Spaces are/were:

In Queer Space, Aaron Betsky writes: The first queer spaces of the modern era were the dark alleys, unlit corners, and hidden rooms that queers found in the city itself.[...]What makes this space of cruising so important is that you don’t have to make spaces to contain and encourage relations between people, because they will just appear exactly at the moment where they are least expected—or wanted.

The dark

In the case of physical, urban spaces for gay men to congregate, such as gay bars, their physical locations would sometimes be difficult to find unless the visitor knew exactly where to look.

Finding another man to have a sexual encounter with was often an act contained and limited to these—as Michel de Certeau would label them in The Practice of Everyday Life (1988)—-strategic spaces, through the sexual practice of ‘cottaging’—the British term for having casual gay sex in public toilets.

As opposed to cottaging— which is linked to toilets—‘cruising’ offers men the ability to engage in sporadic, intimate encounters with different men in the area, in multiple spaces in the city such as bars, alleys and parks. Both practices rely on the gaze and surveillance of other men located in the same strategic spaces.

Betsky, A., Queer Space: Architecture and Same-sex Desire. New York: William Morrow, 1997. 141

Amaury, R., Ramirez, R., 2016. Spatial Practices / Digital Traces : University College London, London.

alleys, unlit corners, and hidden rooms that queers found in the city were the queer spaces

These spaces were strategic locations to find men to have sexual encounter.

Their physical locations would sometimes

be difficult to find unless the visitor knew exactly where to look.

Bars, alleys and parks were possible Cruising spots Practices rely on location of other men in these spaces.

NOTE: Partial decriminalization of homosexuality in UK wasn’t until 1967 and may have influenced the way Gay practices were formed.

Methodology

Much has changed since 1967* THROUGH TIME PERIOD: 1890-1970-2018

AREAS OF INVESTIGATION

• • • • •

ALLEYS COURTS BROAD STREETS BARS, CLUBS, CAFÉ’S STREET NETWORK AND CONNECTIVITY

2 STEP PRINCIPLE OF HILLIER AND HANSON

STEP DEPTH ANALYSIS • FROM HIGH STREETS • FROM OLD COMPTON STREET • 1970, 2018

CONFIGURATIONAL ANALYSIS

CHOICE AND INTEGRATION HH for LOCAL AND GLOBAL MEASURE CONNECTIVITY 1970, 2018 AGENT BASED MODELLING 2018 VGA 2018

SPATIAL ANALYSIS

LANDUSE USE DISTRIBUTION 2018 DISTRIBUTION OF BARS FOR GAY MEN 2018 EVOLUTION OF OLD COMPTON STREET 1763, 2018

Landuse 2018

Landuse across the whole area is diverse but dominant uses are restaurants and retail spaces followed by offices.

Parking Undefined Education Community Under Construction Hotels Leisure Residential Services Office Retail Catering

Landuse – Gay Bars

Amenities for Gay community such as bars, café’s, pubs, clubs and retail are concentrated along Old Compton Street and extend partially onto Brewer street and noticeable exception of gym, sauna and members only club

22

Total no. of amenities for gay men on Old Compton Street

1890 Historical analysis of queer spaces that may have been probable cruising spots – alleys, courts, parks and broad streets Cruising spaces – Alleys, Courts, Broad Streets

1970 Historical analysis of queer spaces that may have been probable cruising spots – alleys, courts, parks and broad streets Cruising spaces – Alleys, Courts, Broad Streets

2018 Historical analysis of queer spaces that may have been probable cruising spots – alleys, courts, parks and broad streets Cruising spaces – Alleys, Courts, Broad Streets

Alley-Courts-Broad Streets

1890

2018

1970

4 5

5

COUNT

4

COUNT

COUNT

242

3

3

123

56

YEAR

•

1890

1970

ALLEY

Alleys reduced

2018

YEAR

•

1890

1970

2018

COURTS

Courts reduced and shifted

YEAR

•

1890

1970

2018

BROAD STREET

Broad streets reduced and shifted

Step Depth Analysis: Alley-Courts-Broad Streets

•

2018

From Old Compton Street

1970

Most Courts were accessible from High Streets by within 2 Angular Step depths but not from Old Compton Street Old Compton Street was connected to High Street within 1 Angular Step Depth.

STEP DEPTH

From High Streets

•

1970

ASA NACH R800

•

From 1970 – 2018, Old Compton Street has been unlinked from New Compton by construction of a building

2018

ASA NACH R800

•

From 1970 – 2018, Old Compton Street has been unlinked from New Compton by construction of a building

1970

ASA NAIN R800

•

From 1970 – 2018, Old Compton Street has been unlinked from New Compton by construction of a building

2018

ASA NAIN R800

•

From 1970 – 2018, Old Compton Street has been unlinked from New Compton by construction of a building

Accessibility 1970

Choice (to-movement) and Integration (through-movement) analysis reveal that the streets of Soho has higher value along Integration

North South direction and East West streets were lesser

NAIN R800

NAIN R800

Accessibility

Choice

•

2018

NACH R800

NACH R800

Old Compton Street

Year -2018 •

Old Compton street with highest gay amenities had also relatively high

Gay Amenities per street

Integration Value on Local measure of But on R2000 its position within the network of Soho’s streets was relatively low.

25

20

20

15

15 Count

•

25

Count

R800

Gay Amenities per street

10

10

5

5

0

0 0

100

200 300 Integration R800

400

500

0

500

1000 Integration R2000

INTr2000m

INTr800m 500

2000

450

1800

400

1600

350

1400

300

1200

250

1000

200

800

150

600

100

400

50

200

0

0

1500

2000

Old Compton Street in 1763 Kings Street was revitalised to make way for Shaftesbury avenue in 1800’s.

This changed the position of Old Compton Street in the network now overshadowed by the High Street

Old Compton Street

Kings Street Former Shaftesbury Avenue Road

Proposed Shaftesbury

Gay Practices over the years

In 1930’s

Queer spaces were secret underground venues

In 1995’s A recent comment as cited in (Bell and Valentine, 1995)

‘The nice thing about Old Compton Street is the total safety as queer space; and the large percentage of people walking up and down who are queer in one sense or other of the word. It is one of the public places where you can be queer without risk.

You can kiss in the street without anyone batting an eyelid.’

Dougie

These venues were secret locations were isolated. You could find these pubs only if you knew where to look for.

Findings Summary

1

The evolution of Old Compton to one of the most important Queer appropriated space has significant influence from the turn of events through out history.

2

Its closeness to High Streets as well as to spaces earlier appropriated by queer individuals in Soho have also contributed to the formation of its queer identity.

3

.Soho’s boundary has been clearly set about by the construction of Shaftesbury Avenue road which enclosed and concentrated these practises to one space.

4

With the construction of Shaftesbury avenue road in 18861887, Old Compton Street moved to the background of the active network, thereby enabling protection and isolation from an environment where homosexuality was considered an offence

Conclusion A recent comment as cited in (Bell and Valentine, 1995)

‘What is really going on, is that the

gay scene is adapting to meet the needs of a generation who are more ‘out’ than their predecessors—an increasingly confident generation of lesbians and gay men whose sense of Pride means that they want to be visible and not ignored.’

Short 1993:16

The shift in queer spaces from less integrated spaces like alleys to more integrated areas such as old Compton street shows this evolution or shift in attitude of Gay men.

References Amaury, R., Ramirez, R., 2016. Spatial Practices / Digital Traces : University College London, London.

Betsky, A., Queer Space: Architecture and Same-sex Desire. New York: William Morrow, 1997.

141 Bell, D., Valentine, G. (Eds.), 1995. Mapping Desire: Geographies of Sexualities. Routledge, London.

Campkin, B., Marshall, L., 2017. LGBTQ+ Cultural Infrastructure in London: Night Venues, 2006–present.

Collins, A., 2004. Sexual dissidence, enterprise and assimilation: Bedfellows in urban regeneration. International: Urban Studies. pp. 1789–1806.

Hiller, B., Hanson, J., Hillier, B., Hanson, J., 2013. The Social Logic of Space, Cambridge University Press.

Jerram, L., 2013. Space: A useless category for historical analysis? History and Theory 52, 400– 419.

Psarra, Sophia (SophiaPsarra). “Models and networks @Kayvan_Karimi presents cities and buildings as spatial and social systems @bartlettSDAC.” accessed on 16th March 2018 Short, B., 1993. ‘Up Queer Street’, in Lesbian and Gay Pride—Official Souvenir Programme: 16–19.

Speiser, P., 2017. Soho: The Heart of Bohemian London. British Library Publishing, London., 192.

Vaughan, L., 2007. The spatial syntax of urban segregation. Progress in Planning. 67, 205–294.

The End