BOXES: A Study of Gender Influence in Public Space

STUDYOF OFGENDER GENDERIN INPUBLIC PUBLICSPACE SPACE AASTUDY PIACENZA,ITALY ITALY2019 2019 PIACENZA,

MARYBROWN BROWNMCGREGOR MCGREGOR MARY

TO WHOM DOES THE CITY BELONG TO? -bohdan jalowiecki

© 2019 Politecnico di Milano Topics in Landscape Architecture History and Theory Profesoressa Gaia Piccarolo Piacenza, Italy

I. THE CITY BUILDS BOXES Gender constrictions in an Italian city

II. TAKING UP SPACE Public Sidewalks and streets

III. GENDER LOVES COMPANY? Public parks and green space

IV. HISTORY PROMOTES FLUIDITY Plazas, culutral and city centers

V. EPILOGUE AND BIBLIOGRAPHY Results and references

THE CITY

BUI

ILDS

BOXES

gender constrictions in an italian city: PIACENZA The aim of this project is to define the influence of gender in the public space of an Italian city through the use of photography.

The location of this study is Piacenza, the capital of the EmiliaRomagna region. The presence of the Po river, Italy’s longest river, gives the existing climate, descriptions such as “rigid” or “oppressive sultriness”. With over 93,000 in population, this could give reason as to why this city may feel so cold in terms greater than weather, but personality. The above is stated to better understand the flaws or irregularities in this study. Piacenza provides a semi-controlled environment for this study, because it does not have the diversity of a metropolitan city. The subjects photographed in this study, are most likely community members, that repeat the patterns presented in the pages to follow.

Traces seen in the map to the right, are the spaces and streets in Piacenza that were studied between the months of September 2019 through Feburary 2020. Keep in mind possible variations related to weather; and that the use of public space is not as frequent as it would be in different climate conditions.

The public spaces studied are placed into three categories: public streets and sidewalks, public parks and green spaces, and plazas, squares and cultural centers.

The ‘Boxes’ mentioned in the title refer to the constrictions associated with putting gender in a confinement, or a ‘box’. These ‘boxes’ then create barriers for the genders placed within them.

The gender identification in this study will consist only of male and female, considering the Italian society heavily acknowledges the gender binary.

TAKING TAKING UP UP

SPACE

public streets and sidewalks The sidewalk: an area in which the separation between human and vehicle are distinguished.

It is an element of the urban form that takes public ground and connects points of origin and destination. This means, the sidewalk is typically used as a space of motion - to get from one place to another in a safe manner. However, in this chapter it will be noted that there are different uses of the sidewalk and public streets dependent on the user’s gender.

Piazza E. Ferrari Paul Strand Luzzara, 1953

men in place

women in motion

In the public space of the street and sidewalk, men are found to stand in place – essentially taking up space on the sidewalk that is meant to be used as a walking corridor. This may stem from the idea that the binary roles of male and female, have been “biologically determined because women have wombs and men have penises; thus, women must engage in the process of ‘protection’ while men should aspire for ‘projection’.” (Lico 2001, 39). If Lico’s theory of the gender binary is accepted in the case of sidewalk; this would mean men feel it is their right to project their presence on the sidewalk – whether it be in front of a bar, or at a random place to stop and talk with another man. In doing so, the user of the sidewalk who is male feels comfortable and in control, but a user identifying as female must turn to a mode of ‘protecting’.

The street assumes a “synergistic stage for spectatorship and exhibitionism where female bodies and personalities are in continuous parade.� (Lico 2001, 41). The sidewalk and public streets are used as nothing more than passing areas in most cases where the user is female presenting. It is not a space for her to stop or pause, because this tends to trigger the risk of cat-calling or other harassment from those who decide to take up the space on the sidewalk. Almost all women captured in this study were found to be in motion and when passing a group of men standing, they would increase their walking speed.

repeated scenarios (1)

repeated scenarios (2)

GENDER

LOV

VES

COMPANY?

public parks and green space Parks play a significant role in measuring the quality of life in a city. There are numerous studies acknowledging the social, environmental, economic, and health benefits parks bring to a city and its people. Although, many parks in Piacenza are underused or have low-maintenance – they are still notable public spaces to study in terms of identifying differences of spatial use influenced by gender. The parks and green spaces studied are, the largest park closest to the train station, Giardini Margherita, the most centralized park, Giardini Merluzzo, and the public stroll area of Pubblico Passeggio.

Paessagio Italiano Henri Cartier-Bresson Abruzzo, Scanno 1951

men alone

women together

Men are typically found to be alone when in the setting of a public park. According to Edward T. Hall’s theory of Proxemics, there are two types of space. Sociopetal and sociofugal spaces, sociopetal is a space organized to conduct communication between people, and sociofugal is organized to produce solidarity (Hall 1968, 91). In the case of the park, it can provide both depending on the gender of the user. So for the male user, the park can be seen as both a space of sociopetal and sociofugal, but for the woman they can only view this space as sociopetal if they want to use it. This means, it is a public space that is organized to encourage communication between people - typically other women. It is unlikely to find a woman in the park alone.

“Women’s susceptibility to sexual assault and their fear for sexual violence lead to a restrained use of specific places, especially at night” (Lico 2001, 41). It is important to mention the maintenance of certain green spaces and public parks in Piacenza.

Because of its low quality, not many people are using these spaces, and some of those that do are drug pushing. So this means the comfortability for a woman to stay in this space without company is unlikely to achieve. “[Public space] is not the exclusive territory of architecture, but is the product of the inextricable relationship between social action and physical space” (Gender Space Architecture 2000, 145). This quote supports the idea that social action could change the perception of a space.

repeated scenarios (3)

repeated scenarios (4)

HISTORY

PRO

OMOTES

FLUIDITY

plazas, squares and cultural centers Historically, public space in western culture was limited to town centers, plazas, church squares, i.e. nearly something always designed around a central monument to inform the purpose of the space. These spaces are treated as the commons of the people, a type of political, social, and cultural arena. Viewing public space in this way, can provide insight into understanding the notso distinct gender roles played in the activities created in this space. Thus, the understanding of historically used public space as the promotion of gender-fluid activity can be concluded.

Piazza E. Ferrari Gianni Berengo Gardin Luzzara, 1973

comman space

close for comfort

In regards to public spaces such as plazas, church fronts, or centers - the gender binary does not have such strict rules in how a male or female user will act in this space. Again, the man is found sitting alone - he is comfortable in most public spaces.

But the woman can also be found sitting alone in these spaces, possibly because of the historical and long-term public use of these places.

It is not so clear, as stated before, the gender binary constrictions in the public spaces displayed in this chapter. Women again take comfort in staying close to one another and creating a circular protection. However, a woman can also be found sitting alone on a bench in these spaces, or window-shopping alongside her husband.”Woman has been placed in this category when she has tried to establish her presence rather than limit herself to finding a way of ‘fitting’ within the established symbolic order.” (Gender Space Architecture 2001, 359).

various scenarios (1)

various scenarios (2)

various scenarios (3)

various scenarios (4)

epilogue These 8 scenarios, repeated and various scenes, of the people in Piacenza, attempt to deconstruct the gender influence of the urban life. The results found can be applied in making public space more inclusive. For instance, in the case of the sidewalk and public streets, where men are found to take up space and women go into “protection� mode, seeming to stay in motion, an intervention of creating elements such as seating to invite different kinds of people can be put into place. Or, for the case of the public parks and green spaces, where women were found to stay in numbers and men felt comfortable to be alone, added lighting and more open space can make the woman feel safe being in a space like this alone. And finally, for the case of plazas, squares, and cultural centers, it is best to encourage tourism or exploration which in turn will result in density, only to create a larger interaction of both male and female.

Via E. Dalai Stephen Shore Luzzara, 1993

bibliography Cartier-Bresson, Henri. Abruzzo. 1951. Film Photography.

Gardin, Gianni Berengo. Luzzara, Un Paese. 1973. Film Photography.

Hall, Edward T. “Proxemics.” Current Anthropology 9, no. 2/3 (June 1968): 83–108.

Iain Border, Barbara Penner, and Jane Rendell. Gender Space Architecture : An Interdisciplinary Introduction. London ; New York: Routledge, 2000.

Lico, Gerard Rey. “Architecture and Sexuality: The Politics of Gendered Space.”

Humanities Diliman 2, no. 1 (2001).

Shore, Stephen. Luzzara, Un Paese. June 1993. Film Photography.

Strand, Paul. Luzzara, Un Paese. 1953. Film Photography.

All photos taken by Mary Brown McGregor 1

shot on Olympus Superzoom 76, OM-1 and an iphone 6 1

reference photos are credited