Performative Interventions In Public Space: Moments of Urban Transformation in Athens
type: CreativeWork
description: This research by design is concerned with forming a critique of the temporary uses of public space by socio-cultural activists in Athens, Greece, through the development of notational drawings and filmic experiments. The aim is to propose a method to sustain and construct conditions for temporary transformations in selected locations within the urban context of Athens by exploring the symbiosis of corporeal movement and physical space. It initially draws attention to the political, economic and social drivers that led to the increased presence of performative activists in public space from the beginning of the financial crisis in 2008. For the purpose of this research, ‘performance’ refers to a number of temporal kinaesthetic actions that attempt to critique and interrogate socio-political narratives in public space. Positioning the research at the intersections between performance practice and architectural design, elements of choreographic notation and representation are juxtaposed with theories that perceive the space of the city as a field for social engagement. Attempting to operate despite the severe funding cuts that were forced by austerity policies as a result of the first (2010), second (2012) and third (2015) Memoranda, the range of informal solutions that emerged and their impact on public space have a central role throughout this enquiry. Multiple constraints and passivity in urban space on a global scale, combined with the transformation of an economic crisis into a spatial crisis, have led to the consideration that a traditional architectural approach alone can no longer address the reclamation of public spaces. Therefore, a conceptual and speculative practice could become a critical tool to intervene in public space and constitute a hybrid approach that responds to the increasing demand to redefine public space. An improvised notation methodology is formulated to operate as a representational form of “language” that can record selected events and act…
abstract: This research by design is concerned with forming a critique of the temporary uses of public space by socio-cultural activists in Athens, Greece, through the development of notational drawings and filmic experiments. The aim is to propose a method to sustain and construct conditions for temporary transformations in selected locations within the urban context of Athens by exploring the symbiosis of corporeal movement and physical space. It initially draws attention to the political, economic and social drivers that led to the increased presence of performative activists in public space from the beginning of the financial crisis in 2008. For the purpose of this research, ‘performance’ refers to a number of temporal kinaesthetic actions that attempt to critique and interrogate socio-political narratives in public space. Positioning the research at the intersections between performance practice and architectural design, elements of choreographic notation and representation are juxtaposed with theories that perceive the space of the city as a field for social engagement. Attempting to operate despite the severe funding cuts that were forced by austerity policies as a result of the first (2010), second (2012) and third (2015) Memoranda, the range of informal solutions that emerged and their impact on public space have a central role throughout this enquiry. Multiple constraints and passivity in urban space on a global scale, combined with the transformation of an economic crisis into a spatial crisis, have led to the consideration that a traditional architectural approach alone can no longer address the reclamation of public spaces. Therefore, a conceptual and speculative practice could become a critical tool to intervene in public space and constitute a hybrid approach that responds to the increasing demand to redefine public space. An improvised notation methodology is formulated to operate as a representational form of “language” that can record selected events and act…
author: Sakellariou, Angeliki
date published: 2022
date modified: 2026-07-24T06:01:19Z
provider: University of Westminster
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Westminster

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.34737/w1vq5