Urban Space and the Senses
An International Conference of the "Cross-Disciplinary Urban Space” Network | CfP

Berkeley, CA, US
CALL FOR ABSTRACT DEADLINE: Friday 15.01.2020
• Cross-Disciplinary Urban Space Research Network
• University of California at Berkeley, Department of Architecture
• Università degli Studi di Firenze | DIDA Dipartimento di Architettura
• University College Cork, Ireland

CROSS-DISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN SPACE
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
University of California at Berkeley, Department of Architecture
9-10 May 2020

ORGANIZERS
Margaret Crawford (University of California at Berkeley)
Giulio Giovannoni (University of Florence)
Silvia Ross (University College Cork)

KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Niall Atkinson (University of Chicago)

CALL FOR PAPERS
Although historically dominated by sight-based approaches, for some decades now urban studies have also been engaged with the study of space through sound, touch, smell, and taste. The concepts of soundscape, tactile space, smellscape, foodscape, initially developed by a few scholars from various backgrounds, have pervaded a number of fields such as architecture, planning, anthropology, social sciences, historical studies, literary studies, and art history, to name but a few. Social, cultural, and environmental features of space are in fact reflected in all sensorial landscapes. Ecological and environmental crises are legible in noises and smells, as well as through sight. Social and spatial conflict is reflected in language, music, noise, olfactory contaminations produced by food. A multisensory approach to the study and design of urban space appears to be more and more necessary.

Studying urban space with the five senses inevitably leads us to transcend spatial stereotypes through a direct empirical and bodily approach: apparently dystopian places can reveal unexpected sonic virtues, just as picture-postcard landscapes can, in fact, be an utter mess for their other-than-visual senses. When used in historical research, a multisensory approach to the study of space can have a demystifying power, offering representations of material life which are often much more realistic then established historical representations. These are just some of the reasons that make an interdisciplinary debate on the study, representation, and design of urban space through the senses particularly promising.

As part of the ‘Cross-disciplinary Approaches to Urban Space’ network, this international conference investigates the ways in which different disciplines engage with urban space and the senses, in areas ranging from architecture, urban planning, literature, film studies, geography, history, linguistics, philosophy, art history, sociology, drama and theatre studies, anthropology, among others.

GOALS AND OUTCOMES
The 'Urban Space and the Senses' conference has four major goals:
• To advance the debate on urban space and the senses from different disciplinary perspectives, taking into account their mutual influence;
• To explore theoretical perspectives, as well as theoretically-informed case studies on urban space and the senses in a comparative context;
• To enhance critical awareness about the relevance of sensorial approaches in urban analysis and design;
• To extend the network of scholars interested in investigating urban space from different disciplinary perspectives already initiated with the seminar "Crossdisciplinary Perspectives on Urban Space" held in the Department of Architecture of the University of Florence in the 2014-17 spring semesters and the conferences organized in Florence (2016; 2018) and in Cork (2017; 2019).

SUBMISSION PROCESS
• The organizers invite submissions for 20-minute presentations to be delivered in English.
• Please send a 300-word abstract, contact details and a brief bio by Friday, 15 January 2020 to the conference email address
crossdisciplinaryurbanspace@gmail.com

CONFERENCE FEE
The conference is entirely self-financed. To cover operating costs a conference registration fee of 150$ will be required. The organizers anticipate that a peer-reviewed collection of selected essays, to be published with an academic press, will result from the conference.

CONTACTS