Reflect on places and spaces that you are familiar with, whether in your past or in the present - Essay Example

Introduction: I have chosen a night club, a highway and a corporate building as built environments that have an impact on me. These are obviously cosmopolitan fixtures or found in cities. Cities represent symbolic impact in their layout and architecture, and built environment always has a symbolic impact in a person, at one point or another. Discussion:McCann (2002) argue that there is a great deal of scope for spatial thinking in the contemporary debates in urban decision-making and citizenship, which he says include the associated ideal of the 'right to the city.

'The city has become a part of many, of millions of peoples' lives, if not such a necessity as there we find sources of income, recreation, space to live or reside, among others. But rarely do people in general put into context what Friedman and Douglas (1998) cite as space and rights dealt in the contemporary discussion of citizenship, which is vital in the urban formation; urban in a way that it is composed of people, space, and the built environment. They identified these rights as to voice, to differ and to humanly flourish as part of a worldwide social movement and a rising civil society.

This essay shall try to point out parts of our built environment that has become a part of me as an individual and at the same time had impact on me.The Night ClubThere are several night clubs in my area. Almost all of them look alike and are built alike, inside-out. There are of course slight variations, such as one was set on the second and third floor of a five storey building, while another is a single building with three storeys, and some as occupants in the ground floor of a building with several storeys.

Most of these have only the front door, an exhaust outlet, and fire exit as openings on the outside world. But the single building/nightclub has its lobby or lounge area which is open outside, so that the lobby, set on the second floor, seems inviting enough for anyone who would be interested.Aside from the physical differences and similarities, it's the services that set the night clubs apart. I am no going to describe the rest, and I have chosen to describe the single building nightclub as it stood out, if only in my experience in our area.

The night club caters to middle class, mostly, young professionals, although there are high school and college students who went in from time to time. It also has become the "hottest place" in town at one point as it seemed everybody went to the place especially when they featured up and coming musicians. The nightclub was not the biggest in our place, nor is it the most extravagant. There are several others which were bigger in space, had amenities that are considered high-tech, latest or state-of-the-art, among other features that could entice patrons, or clients.

The night club's services were also the same with the ones people would rate as ordinary. In fact, I myself find it ordinary, too.I would like to point out that the night clubs appeal is its open lobby at the second floor. The building has its entrance on the ground floor but it is rarely used. It has a theatre-like interior where clients are positioned in tables that allow convenient viewing of the stage. But in going inside, every, or most clients have to pass through the lobby, where other clients lounge, sit and talk with their companions, or even strangers.

It is the view from the outside or even below, showing people in groups or as individuals mixing and relaxing that has drawn me to check out the club with friends. The lobby has lounge chairs and a safe rail where people could sit around.The Corporate BuildingThis is quite a magnificent and handsome building made of concrete and fibreglass with a green shade that reflects the outside. It is one of the biggest in our area, built when I was still a teenager. During the construction, people have been quite at awe with the structure.

In its first few years, it was the biggest building in land area as well as height, in our place. I have been inside the building twice: the first time was when we need to have our on-the-job training, and the second time was when I tried to apply for work in one of the offices it houses. The interior was as elegant as the outside, if not more impressive. The corporate building has an impact on me because it seems quite cold and distant. It could be the aura that it projects as an elegant structure and no-nonsense design using minimal geometric shapes, in its exterior as well as interior.

Nevertheless, it could also be the fact that I was not able to spend my OJT as well as any working experience inside it. It was like, I tried to belong to it, or become a part of it, but, I have not been given the chance.The Highway.Of course, as any other utilitarian and public facility, our highway was one of the more important structures in our place. Aside from connecting cities, it makes mobility faster, with its wide lanes that could service a lot of vehicles at one time. The highway is huge as compared to main streets and side streets.

But it also has the most accidents, averaging to about 30 deaths per annum for about five years now, if it does not steadily increase. The highway had am impact on me because one of my schoolmates figured in a vehicular accident in the highway a few years back. She did not die, but has lost her legs. Conclusion:The built environment sought to be useful, practical and even pleasing if not attractive for humans. As every structure may have been built in the preference of one or two individuals, but to be functional for more at some points, these become threat without aiming so for others.

At most, the built environment, when done with the natural environment in mind, could be practical and blend well to the elements of nature --- from temperature to weather, and even the sun and the sea. As well as to people who had them built for peoples' use in the first place.I can therefore suggest that when in the process of planning and designing, a lot things need to be considered aside from the present user or owner preference. These include the first and foremost people, then the natural environment, safety, and mobility.

These same things could be deem as considered in building a night club, a corporate structure, as well as the highway, but due to urbanization, largely influenced by our built environment, some things change and there are questions that need to be addressed: is this structure still serves its original purpose How has it evolved to maintain usability and safety for humans What changes must be made in order to cope with new demands of the timeI believe that since change is permanent, in every built structure, change must always be applied and considered from the start.

These include space, demand of our time, and most especially, peoples' welfare.Reference:Friedman, J. and Douglas, M. (eds). (1998). Cities for Citizens: Planning and the Rise of Civil Society in a Global Age. Pp 1-18. Wiley.McCann, Eugene. (2002). "Space, citizenship, and the right to the city: A brief overview." GeoJournal 58, 77-79.