Using the potential of photography to narrate the urban border: a case study in the XII Arrondissement of Paris
Cities are defined by their boundaries – internally and externally. They provide the framework against which the urban narrative is told. But how can we ‘narrate’ the boundary? This paper argues the case for a creative, visual way of applying a theoretical understanding of the boundary condition to...
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| Publicado en: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/articulo, |
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| Autor Principal: | |
| Formato: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
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Journal of Urban Research
2025
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| Acceso en liña: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
| Résumé: | Cities are defined by their boundaries – internally and externally. They provide the framework against which the urban narrative is told. But how can we ‘narrate’ the boundary? This paper argues the case for a creative, visual way of applying a theoretical understanding of the boundary condition to tell its story through a reading of the XII arrondissement of Paris. The method is distinctly subjective, based on the tradition of the expert observer and the photography deliberately amateur but informed. This is set against a background, both in Paris and elsewhere, of urban planning activity that seeks to promote ideas of place identity. Knowing when we move in or out and whether the boundary has a presence can either reinforce or dilute that feeling. The paper concludes by suggesting that not only is the urban boundary a ‘place’ but that photography is a good way of narrating its condition as a support to other more quantifiable approaches. |
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