Play and City Relation as a Social Phenomenon: Rhythmanalysis and Place

Oyun ve Kent İlişkisi

Abstract

The act of play, which is inherent in our nature, liberates us from the necessities of modern life, liberates our senses and bodies, develops us individually, and transforms us as it enables interaction and participation with other people, therefore it is both an individual and a social act. Johan Huizinga, in his 1938 book “Homo Ludens: An Essay on the Social Function of Play,” takes play as a social act even further, implying the idea that play is the cement of society. The play that Huizinga talks about is a natural action that cannot be perceived by the rational mind, in which the body and the senses come to the fore. However, in the urban context, which are based on the concepts such as mind-based, classification, norm and organization brought by the modernization process, the mentioned play action cannot find much place for itself. Especially in Turkey, there are playgrounds where the boundaries are clearly drawn, separated according to different age groups rather than being inviting, and more importantly, reduced to equipment. These spaces, which are independent of the place and the user, are almost reduced to a type understanding and take place in our cities. While such a set up play space restricts the emergence of a play experience that will change and transform people, it also does not allow the emergence of the social power of the game, that is, the potential of publicity. Another issue that harms the social power of play is that it is defined as a situation specific to children only. Huizinga’s idea that the play is a cultural phenomenon is a subject that is not discussed much in the playgrounds texts. The understanding that children always come to mind when it comes to play, in fact, excludes the fact that play is important for all age groups within the framework of the concept of Homo Ludens. This exclusion is also a cultural phenomenon. The play, which is generally the opposite of the concept of seriousness and settled in social codes as a leisure activity, has not acquired its cultural value. This approach emerges as the definition of play spaces for children under the age of twelve in the urban fabric, the exclusion of the gathering of different age groups, and the exclusion of play that is open to everyone, which can be a part of public spaces. The article focuses on the concept of an improvised, instant, unpredictable and spontaneous play. rather than a game understanding, such as sports activities or chess, with a clear playing field and rules. Such a play concept has been chosen because it coincides with the state of the public space being transformative. The article, which aims to read the current situation of playgrounds within the framework of the criticism of modernity, claims that the potential of public spaces and playgrounds to increase, change and transform interaction can be revealed through design. The article is based on the theory of phenomenology in the design of such spaces. It claims that the liberating, transformative and developing nature of play can only emerge with designs that belong to the place, activate all the senses, and where individuals can experience “owned time” (approprié). In this context, it evaluates Bernard Tchumi’s Parc de la Vilette project (1983) and the Be-Mine project (2016) designed by Carve and Omgeving design offices. These two projects tell us that the way for public spaces to include free actions that will change and transform people and to create associations is not mechanical, designs in which the directive of what to do is given clearly in the space. Instead, it reveals that it is possible with more flexible designs that will allow different possibilities. In Lefebvre’s words, these are spaces where each individual will be involved with her/his own polyrhythm and reach eurhythm in harmony with the rhythm of other individuals and the place / space.