Design to occupy: public space in the age of biopolitics

Abstract

How public’s social and political power can be sustained in public space? From Tahrir Square to Zuccotti Park, physical public space reminded us of its multiple ambitions and capabilities for accommodating consequential political activities as well as everyday practice of life. Put plainly, place still matters.

‘Design to Occupy’ is a starting point for the revolutionary making of space as well as the making of public. The Occupy toolkit is made for the public to fully utilize the place of the public, the richness and complexity of the toolkit helps users to open a discussion of the interrelationship between individual and the commons, private property and public commodity, the implementation of biopolitics and biopower. The idea of antagonism is used here as a type of programmatic generator, it is when two different positions or views collide between different groups of people. Rather than try to erase this moment, we, as landscape architects, should nurture it and make tools for its production. The three scenarios: the totalitarian, the utilitarian and the utopian, are the demonstrations for three representations of space. They may coexist or standalone in one place at one time.

The intent of the design proposal is not trying to render an ideal democratic space, but to promote an independently operating public space that question public’s evolving dialogue with power and governance, especially in Hong Kong. The further intent of the proposal is to test a theory proposed by Michel Foucault, aiming to engage urbanism apparatus with biopower and biopolitics. To offer an idea that the usage of public space cannot be predetermined, but defined by discursive practice of everyday life.