Atlas of Invisible Spaces: mapping in school environments

Abstract

Contemporary city planning frequently involves participation processes which are based on the ability to communicate about architectural and urban cultures. This raises the issue of whether and how all members of a diverse society can be empowered to address matters concerning urban quality and atmospheric values. Consciousness of a place develops intensively in adolescence, a period in which young people spend an increasing amount of time at school. Therefore, the influence of the school surroundings on the urban knowledge of young citizens is essential. This paper discusses the question which spatial image young adults produce of their school environment and how this knowledge can be improved through architectural education. The goal of this research project is to develop a set of transferable mapping strategies, which allow to collect urban knowledge and to communicate urban qualities among heterogeneous groups in educational settings. A case study set in Vienna focuses on a school with diverse student groups to test non-normative mapping methods for the visualisation of city images. These maps combine mind maps, artistic representation and narratives to challenge the relation of pupil, school and the city and to make everyday spatial knowledge visible and valuable.