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Placemaking, sites of cultural difference : the cultural production of space within a University construct Archibald, Diane
Abstract
This inquiry investigates the cultural meaning of architecture, and the notion that different cultures produce and experience space differently. This investigation focuses on cultural issues of space and place as related to ethnicity, gender and their combination. The site of inquiry is the University of British Columbia, a postsecondary educational institution founded on philosophies, ideologies, and values grounded in British scholastic traditions. The university, which is situated on traditional Musqueam land, and which has a large student population representative of diverse cultures, provides a unique site of study. Within the institutionalized spaces of the university, alternative educational spaces have emerged and coexist. For the purpose of this inquiry the university is considered as the dominant norm with the three alternative sites representative of cultures of difference. The alternative sites included in the study are the Centre for Studies in Curriculum Instruction, the First Nations House of Learning, and the Centre for Research in Women's Studies and Gender Relations. The institutionalized spaces of the university are not experienced by all cultures in the same way. They are viewed as Western cultural constructs of space that differ from and are often incommensurable with cultures of difference. Given the cultural location of the user of the space, based on ethnicity and, or gender, the institutionalized spaces of the university are experienced differently. The objectives of this investigation are: to view knowledge as a spatial construct; to view the differences of cultural constructs of space as to race, ethnicity and gender within educational sites; and to view the multiplicity of the cultural meanings of a space given the cultural location of the observer moving through that space. The methodological approach applied to this study is a discursive historical spatial analysis inclusive of architectural drawings, conceptual drawings and plans, maps, archival research, on-site spatial analysis, and participant meetings with users and "conceptualizers" of the respective sites. Although each alternative site is representative of cultural differences, diverse philosophical processes and spatial practices, commonalties emerged such as notions of cultural inclusion, embracing difference, alternative ways of knowing, alternative ways of constructing knowledge, repositioning "other," community, placemaking, and creating a spirit of place.
Item Metadata
Title |
Placemaking, sites of cultural difference : the cultural production of space within a University construct
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Creator | |
Publisher |
University of British Columbia
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Date Issued |
2004
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Description |
This inquiry investigates the cultural meaning of architecture, and the notion that different
cultures produce and experience space differently. This investigation focuses on cultural
issues of space and place as related to ethnicity, gender and their combination. The site of
inquiry is the University of British Columbia, a postsecondary educational institution
founded on philosophies, ideologies, and values grounded in British scholastic traditions. The
university, which is situated on traditional Musqueam land, and which has a large student
population representative of diverse cultures, provides a unique site of study. Within the
institutionalized spaces of the university, alternative educational spaces have emerged and
coexist.
For the purpose of this inquiry the university is considered as the dominant norm with the
three alternative sites representative of cultures of difference. The alternative sites included
in the study are the Centre for Studies in Curriculum Instruction, the First Nations House of
Learning, and the Centre for Research in Women's Studies and Gender Relations. The
institutionalized spaces of the university are not experienced by all cultures in the same way.
They are viewed as Western cultural constructs of space that differ from and are often
incommensurable with cultures of difference. Given the cultural location of the user of the
space, based on ethnicity and, or gender, the institutionalized spaces of the university are
experienced differently.
The objectives of this investigation are: to view knowledge as a spatial construct; to view the
differences of cultural constructs of space as to race, ethnicity and gender within educational
sites; and to view the multiplicity of the cultural meanings of a space given the cultural
location of the observer moving through that space. The methodological approach applied to
this study is a discursive historical spatial analysis inclusive of architectural drawings,
conceptual drawings and plans, maps, archival research, on-site spatial analysis, and
participant meetings with users and "conceptualizers" of the respective sites.
Although each alternative site is representative of cultural differences, diverse philosophical
processes and spatial practices, commonalties emerged such as notions of cultural inclusion,
embracing difference, alternative ways of knowing, alternative ways of constructing
knowledge, repositioning "other," community, placemaking, and creating a spirit of place.
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Extent |
29917739 bytes
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Genre | |
Type | |
File Format |
application/pdf
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Language |
eng
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Date Available |
2009-12-02
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Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
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Rights |
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
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DOI |
10.14288/1.0091871
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URI | |
Degree | |
Program | |
Affiliation | |
Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
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Graduation Date |
2004-11
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Campus | |
Scholarly Level |
Graduate
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Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
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Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.