Lurking, 2013

A series of 12 large format photographs. 8"x 10" black and white negatives scanned and printed on archival pigment paper, 40"x 50" edition of 5.

Expanding upon the seminal observations of Abraham Akkerman and Ariela F. Cornfeld, the Cartesian urban planning model emerges as a highly problematic construct that not only resists fluid, unstructured change but actively erases the palimpsest of urban memory. This model is mechanistically rigid, operating like clockwork to enforce a regime of repetitive routines and predictable settings. While appearing orderly, such an environment serves to subsume human inhabitants into a highly regulated system that effectively curtails their spontaneity, undermines their authenticity, and compromises their autonomy.

In an ostensible effort to counterbalance these limitations, contemporary urban planning often incorporates private and public green spaces. However, these spaces frequently serve as impoverished replicas of natural wilderness, offering only a superficial semblance of organic life. Far from resolving the core issues engendered by the Cartesian model, these green spaces function as mere cosmetic interventions, failing to address the more profound, systemic problems that plague our urban landscapes. This raises many ethical, existential, and sociopolitical questions that extend beyond the realm of architecture and urban planning into broader considerations of human agency and social well-being. How do we reconcile the need for urban order with the equally compelling need for human freedom and spontaneity? How can urban spaces be designed to preserve, rather than erase, the rich tapestry of historical and cultural memories that define a community? And most crucially, how can we re-envision the philosophy underpinning urban planning to create cities that are functional and efficient, but also humane, inclusive, and conducive to the full expression of human potential?

In summary, this approach to urbanism necessitates a critical reevaluation that considers its multifaceted impact on human psychology, social cohesion, and cultural heritage. Only by addressing these complex interrelations can we hope to develop a more holistic, human-centered approach to urbanism, one that respects both the individual and the collective, the material and the immaterial, in shaping our shared urban experience.