ReadingReading
For the University of LeedsFor the University of Leeds
55thth
November 2015November 2015
Tina RichardsonTina Richardson
……the citythe city
ReadingReading
……the campusthe campus
Overview
• What is psychogeography and how can we use it
critically
• Urban semiology and the reading of space
• Guided campus walk
• Researching/discussing what we discovered
• Learning resource/quiz answers
Urban cultural studies…where cultural theory/culturalUrban cultural studies…where cultural theory/cultural
heritage meets psychogeography…heritage meets psychogeography…
What is psychogeography?
The study of the specific effects of the geographical
environment, consciously organized or not, on the
emotions and behavior of individuals.
[The] active observation of present-day urban
agglomerations.
[A psychogeographer is] one who explores and
reports on psychogeographical phenomena.
Situationist International
What is psychogeography today?
…when using the term psychogeography one
should always be thinking of psychogeographies.
The bricolage nature of psychogeography means
that its influence for a specific group or individual will
be vastly different from each other. Even if two
psychogeographers define what they do in, say,
Situationist terms, this will result in a different
practice and outcome for each of them. It might be
better to think of the historic influences of urban
walking practices as being a kind of toolbox for
contemporary psychogeographers.
Tina Richardson
Introduction to Walking Inside Out
Reading Space in Cultural Theory
• Sigmund Freud
• Roland Barthes
• Karl Marx (+ neo-Marxists)
• Michel Foucault…
Stones can make people docile and knowable.Stones can make people docile and knowable.
Michel Foucault
Psychogeography works by…

Showing that the act of physically exploring spaces reveals information not available elsewhere

Highlighting contradictions between the discourse on and the manifestation of urban space

Allowing minority voices to be revealed from the postmodern terrain...

...enabling the potential for an alternative history to be written
Guided Walk
Inspection Cover
William Airey and Sons
• Were building contractors in Leeds, the North
and the UK
• Builders of the Brotherton Library
• Sir Edwin Airey (1878-1955), William Airey’s son,
helped build one of Rugby’s most famous venues
- at Headingley
• Designed a significant prefabricated house – the
Airey House!
The Airey House
William Campbell
William Campbell
Philanthropist
Who died April 30 1903 . Aged 93 yrs.
Friend of the Working Man.
Pioneer of and Lecturer for the
Temperance Society…
Question 1
What is this? Where is it located?
Question 2
Where is this sculpture?
Question 3
What road is this walking silhouette on?
Competition
What is this? Email me at: schizocartography@gmail.com
w ww
.Sch
i zoca
rto GR
a phy
.org

Reading the Campus/Reading the City

  • 1.
    ReadingReading For the Universityof LeedsFor the University of Leeds 55thth November 2015November 2015 Tina RichardsonTina Richardson ……the citythe city ReadingReading ……the campusthe campus
  • 2.
    Overview • What ispsychogeography and how can we use it critically • Urban semiology and the reading of space • Guided campus walk • Researching/discussing what we discovered • Learning resource/quiz answers Urban cultural studies…where cultural theory/culturalUrban cultural studies…where cultural theory/cultural heritage meets psychogeography…heritage meets psychogeography…
  • 3.
    What is psychogeography? Thestudy of the specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organized or not, on the emotions and behavior of individuals. [The] active observation of present-day urban agglomerations. [A psychogeographer is] one who explores and reports on psychogeographical phenomena. Situationist International
  • 4.
    What is psychogeographytoday? …when using the term psychogeography one should always be thinking of psychogeographies. The bricolage nature of psychogeography means that its influence for a specific group or individual will be vastly different from each other. Even if two psychogeographers define what they do in, say, Situationist terms, this will result in a different practice and outcome for each of them. It might be better to think of the historic influences of urban walking practices as being a kind of toolbox for contemporary psychogeographers. Tina Richardson Introduction to Walking Inside Out
  • 5.
    Reading Space inCultural Theory • Sigmund Freud • Roland Barthes • Karl Marx (+ neo-Marxists) • Michel Foucault… Stones can make people docile and knowable.Stones can make people docile and knowable. Michel Foucault
  • 6.
    Psychogeography works by…  Showingthat the act of physically exploring spaces reveals information not available elsewhere  Highlighting contradictions between the discourse on and the manifestation of urban space  Allowing minority voices to be revealed from the postmodern terrain...  ...enabling the potential for an alternative history to be written
  • 7.
  • 8.
  • 9.
    William Airey andSons • Were building contractors in Leeds, the North and the UK • Builders of the Brotherton Library • Sir Edwin Airey (1878-1955), William Airey’s son, helped build one of Rugby’s most famous venues - at Headingley • Designed a significant prefabricated house – the Airey House!
  • 10.
  • 11.
    William Campbell William Campbell Philanthropist Whodied April 30 1903 . Aged 93 yrs. Friend of the Working Man. Pioneer of and Lecturer for the Temperance Society…
  • 12.
    Question 1 What isthis? Where is it located?
  • 13.
    Question 2 Where isthis sculpture?
  • 14.
    Question 3 What roadis this walking silhouette on?
  • 15.
    Competition What is this?Email me at: schizocartography@gmail.com
  • 16.
    w ww .Sch i zoca rtoGR a phy .org