Cities in space and time are challenged to be both distinct and multiple. Colin Rowe’s collage technique is taken as a starting point to discuss multiplication and distinction in the city. Throughout the essay, we will apply Rowe’s argument on the case of the care landscape.
Multiplication might lead to a generic city. The scorn and disvalue of this are discussed through Rem Koolhaas’s argument on provisional freedom. On the other hand, the distinction can lead to a very special definition. Charles Jencks positions Maggie’s centres in between strong and weak determinism. At first sight, Maggie’s centres as part of the ‘hospice movement’ are architectural jewels, yet they are values for much more and they are rapidly changing our future notion of care in urbanity.
Distinctiveness becomes richer when it has in itself multiplicity, it is almost outrunning the multiplicity. They both can be part of the collage of the city. In specific, Maggie’s centres can become a vaster value in the future of our urban care.