Trying to get an understanding of the city and its citizens, we asked ourselves where citizens of phoenix encounter each other. How is it possible to create a common political and social identity in such a widespread city? Driven by those questions we were talking to people about public spaces in the urban environment of Phoenix.
Interviews (pdf)
The answers guided us to different places including the public library, which tracked our intention. Libraries have always been community centres, since the emergence of the internet and e-books, they had to rethink their role as a community centre for knowledge. The public library in Phoenix now provides a variety of services beside the classical access to books, including a seed library, a maker spaces with screen and 3D printers, free course on different topics, rental service of music instruments and rehearsal rooms for bands. A lot of computers provide opportunities to work or use the internet.
Library management and perception of the change of its role
Interview with Yvonne (pdf)
Based on the decrease of physical books the library has a lot of spacial potential to increase its role as community centre. One floor of the building is half empty, we could imagine that this space could be used to create a socio-political platform of interaction in a relaxed atmosphere. Inspired by the Speakers Corner in London, we pictured a place were people can share their visions, dreams, fears, sorrows or simply their every-day life with each others. Additionally, organizations and initiatives could get the chance to present themselves to a broader audience. We see a significance in such a place, in order to gather people, because urban life should not mean living next to each other but living together. We believe in the self-organisation of communities and genuine bottom-up processes in order to create the future together.
Design for the Living World, HFBK 