Events

4 May 2010

Communiqué - Namita Kambli: New Media and the Changing Nature of Urban Place

Lecture

Urban place is a well conceptualised notion that denotes a physical space in which people gather to exchange goods, ideas and information, and this function of place has remained relatively stable over time. In this talk Namita Kambli will discuss the growing incorporation of digital communication media, and how this will change the role and the nature of urban places.

In the 21st century, new media present endless possibilities due to the fluidity of digital technology and this needs to be accounted for in the place-making process. The interconnectivity and ubiquity of digital media allow the flexibility of live-work dwellings, telecommuting and the formation of virtual communities, thereby reducing the need for face-to-face contact and social proximity. This in turn impinges on the traditional notion of place as a bounded realm within which events and encounters ‘take place’. The present challenge lies in determining the type of place which emerges when digital technology and physical space intersect. Namita contends that the use of digital technology creates a mediated realm which is more versatile and responsive to context and the needs of its users, thereby augmenting the value of that place. Her conclusion is that new media contributes to the changing nature of place, and plays a role in expanding the definition of place.

Namita Kambli is a PhD student in the School of Architecture and Planning at The University of Auckland.

Organisation:

School of Architecture and Planning, University of Auckland.