Phoenix Urban Walking Tour Indonesia
Last Name 1
Name:
Tutor:
Course:
Date:
Phoenix Urban Walking Tour: Urban Studies
1. According to Lyn Lofland, the public space has six functions (Hutter 238). During the tour of
Phoenix city, the various uses of the city were evident, in some cases from different places and in
other situations, only at a single place or location. The first function is that of a learning center,
and it was met at the Civic Space Park, where I encountered and talked to at least five strangers.
During the second encounter, the lesson learned was the importance of greeting people, before
asking them for help or information that they know about a question of interest. During the first
encounter, the not greeting the stranger led to a somehow rough interaction, and at one point, she
reminded me that I should learn to greet people. During the second encounter, I applied the
lesson, and the reception, openness, and acceptance offered were very high. The same lesson was
reinforced during future encounters with strangers. The second function was applied at the Civil
Space Park, at around 12 noon, when a new friend led me to a café at the center. When taking
coffee and snacks, I saw that the availability of opportunities for refreshments and relaxation was
a crucial function of public spaces.
The third function of the public place is offering a communication center, which I learned
at the Orpheum Lofts Building, which is an 11-story office building. At the building, while
waiting to enquire about its history, due to its iconic appearance, I met an African historian that
had come there to study its architecture. The attractiveness of the building is apparent from
outside, due to the progressive color difference in its outside bricks from the bottom to the top.
Last Name 2
From the short conversation we had, the African historian informed me that the building was
opened in January 1931 and that artists Lescher and Mahoney designed it. Apart from telling me
about the building, the African man informed on the African society and culture, and that
demonstrated the usefulness of the public space as a communication center. The fourth function
of public spaces is that of practicing politics, and it was evident during interactions with Jane, a
lady attending a regional convention at the Phoenix Convention Center (Hutter 238). After a
short discussion, the interactions with the lady took me to the convention meeting center. There,
we met a California politician in attendance was discussing his political ideas and philosophy
with his friends, as they debated the strengths of his views and the future of American politics.
The fifth function of the public space is that of showcasing and enacting policy, political,
and social plans. The function was demonstrated at the Phoenix Convention Center, during the
session that followed after the break. The session was started by a drama by one of the
entertainment teams, to give the people in attendance a sneak peek into the civil rights
movement, where some performers chanted civil rights movement slogans, while others
performed the role of policemen and tried to disperse and quiet them. The sixth function of the
public space is the creation of cosmopolitans (Hutter 238). The function was demonstrated at a
café at the Arizona Center, which I noticed after entering the café that the staffs were from
different racial groups. At the café, I saw waiters from all races, including African-Americans,
Asian-Americans, Latino-Americans, and others from every racial group. Upon asking one
waiter why they looked so different, she pointed me to a banner above the door, written “the
cultural learning center”. The experience demonstrated the role of the public space as the place
where people learn to relate with others from around the world.
Last Name 3
2. According to Hutter, and the discussions made in class about successful public spaces,
particular characteristics affect the success of public space (249). In the comparison between
Civic Space Park and City Scape, it becomes evident that the two share some characteristics. The
first comparison is that both spaces for public use for activities such as open spaces, art spaces,
banquet place, and socialization in the case of Civic Space Park and City Scape (Hutter 249).
Similarly, City Scape offers services such as residential area, office building area, retail center,
and access to hotel services. The functionality of the two areas points out that City Scape is more
function-oriented towards residential, business, and formal use. In contrast, Civic Space Park is
more oriented towards formal and informal meetings, banqueting, enjoying nature, and open
spaces for socializing in areas with grass and trees. Further, it is a culture center where activities
such as art, music, and games dominate. In line with Whyte’s definition, the feature of Civic
Space Park that distinguishes it as a better public space include that it has movable chairs, spaces
for food and drink carts, open use for grass areas, and more opportunities for social interaction
(Hutter 249). As an example, in the photo of Civic Space Park, the arrangement is less restrictive
to movement even in grass areas. Further, apart from the flexible movement, people enjoy other
services such as a television show, which could attract lovers of the outdoors. Comparatively,
City Scape lacks almost all the features of a good public space, except having movable chairs.
The office space, in particular, makes City Scape less oriented for social activities. The manmade shades at City Scape also make the place look less natural. The distinction between the two
public spaces clearly shows that Civic Space Park is a better and more attractive public space, as
compared to City Scape, due to the ways it enhances social interactions.
Last Name 4
Visual Aid 1: Picture of Civic Space Park
Visual Aid 2: Picture of City Scape
Last Name 5
3. The Disneyfication of the city of Phoenix was evident at the Civic Space Park, considering the
ways that it is distinguished by the theming style that makes it unique from other public spaces.
From the picture of the Civic Space Park, the large lighting mold suspended in the air depicts the
evidence of Disneyfication (Hutter 253). The Disneyfication of the park is evident from the wide
range of consumption options available at the site, including enjoying nature, the availability of
food carts, and the showing of television shows on screens, among other services. Despite the
high levels of Disneyfication, the existence of open spaces feels natural, noting that it shows
evidence of the signature style of an attractive public space for relaxation. By comparison, the
City Scape appears highly unnatural, considering the ways every surface is paved with concrete,
preventing any contact between visitors and nature. Similarly, at the Civic Space Park, the
suspended mold feels unnatural to the nature of the park because it makes it appear highly
technology-oriented, making it seem like a theme park or a lit street. The locations that showed
little evidence of Disneyfication included the Bank of America, and the Phoenix Convention
Center, and the respective environs (Hutter 253). The reason for the position is that the areas are
not themed like a Disney center, no hybrid consumption patterns, and the employees at the place
do not operate like performers and entertainers.
4. After the hatching of the plans for developing City Scape, some critics felt that refurbishing
the Arizona Center would be a better idea. At the time, the Arizona was beginning to show aging,
and store vacancy rate was high. The indication of the aging center was that Downtown Phoenix,
which is the epicenter of the city, was not making headway in the area of developments. During
the time of the debate, it was the time when cities such as Dubai and Taipei were making a name
around the world, as home to the world’s newest and classiest buildings (Hutter 99). Considering
the economic productivity of the city of Phoenix and the Arizona area as a whole, it was justified
Last Name 6
to change the face of the city, instead of refurbishing the aging Arizona center before developing
a new icon of development. To the critics, the cost of developing the new shopping complex was
the major concern, but upon examining the effect that building new world class shopping
complexes in places like Dubai has had on the people and the economy, it becomes evident that
building the new center was a better development option, despite the higher cost. Further, the
development of City Scape catered to the demand for office and business space, noting that the
space available at Arizona Center was already overstretched (Hutter 436). In the short term, the
refurbishment may have looked like a better option, but in the long-term, building a new icon for
the city and the state was the better option.
5. At the Bank of America area stop during the tour it became apparent that some groups would
feel comfortable there, but not others. The best-suited group for the area includes office and
formal sector workers and investors such as bankers, and managers. The evidence that the group
is most suited for the Bank of America building and area is that there is few or no commercial
activities such as business outlets in the area. The groups that are left out in the culture, lifestyle
and even the architectural developments in the area include the commercial entrepreneurs and
employees, for example, shop owners, restaurant operators, and their employees. Another group
that is predominantly left out in the region is the student population, considering that there are no
activities relevant to them, and there are no avenues and platforms for interconnecting them with
the formal working class in the area (Hutter 140). To make the Bank of America building and
area more friendly and inclusive to the business people, the institutions operating in the area,
including the Bank of America should fashion forums and exchange programs that involve the
business people. As an example, the bank could host exchange programs aimed at informing the
business people about the financing options available to them, so that they can increase the levels
Last Name 7
of interactions (Hutter 139). Fortunately, the move could also increase the profitability of the
bank, among the other institutions operating in the area. The same strategy can be used for the
student population.
Last Name 8
Works Cited
Hutter, Mark. Experiencing cities. Third Edition. New York: Routledge, 2016. Ebook.
Name:
Tutor:
Course:
Date:
Phoenix Urban Walking Tour: Urban Studies
1. According to Lyn Lofland, the public space has six functions (Hutter 238). During the tour of
Phoenix city, the various uses of the city were evident, in some cases from different places and in
other situations, only at a single place or location. The first function is that of a learning center,
and it was met at the Civic Space Park, where I encountered and talked to at least five strangers.
During the second encounter, the lesson learned was the importance of greeting people, before
asking them for help or information that they know about a question of interest. During the first
encounter, the not greeting the stranger led to a somehow rough interaction, and at one point, she
reminded me that I should learn to greet people. During the second encounter, I applied the
lesson, and the reception, openness, and acceptance offered were very high. The same lesson was
reinforced during future encounters with strangers. The second function was applied at the Civil
Space Park, at around 12 noon, when a new friend led me to a café at the center. When taking
coffee and snacks, I saw that the availability of opportunities for refreshments and relaxation was
a crucial function of public spaces.
The third function of the public place is offering a communication center, which I learned
at the Orpheum Lofts Building, which is an 11-story office building. At the building, while
waiting to enquire about its history, due to its iconic appearance, I met an African historian that
had come there to study its architecture. The attractiveness of the building is apparent from
outside, due to the progressive color difference in its outside bricks from the bottom to the top.
Last Name 2
From the short conversation we had, the African historian informed me that the building was
opened in January 1931 and that artists Lescher and Mahoney designed it. Apart from telling me
about the building, the African man informed on the African society and culture, and that
demonstrated the usefulness of the public space as a communication center. The fourth function
of public spaces is that of practicing politics, and it was evident during interactions with Jane, a
lady attending a regional convention at the Phoenix Convention Center (Hutter 238). After a
short discussion, the interactions with the lady took me to the convention meeting center. There,
we met a California politician in attendance was discussing his political ideas and philosophy
with his friends, as they debated the strengths of his views and the future of American politics.
The fifth function of the public space is that of showcasing and enacting policy, political,
and social plans. The function was demonstrated at the Phoenix Convention Center, during the
session that followed after the break. The session was started by a drama by one of the
entertainment teams, to give the people in attendance a sneak peek into the civil rights
movement, where some performers chanted civil rights movement slogans, while others
performed the role of policemen and tried to disperse and quiet them. The sixth function of the
public space is the creation of cosmopolitans (Hutter 238). The function was demonstrated at a
café at the Arizona Center, which I noticed after entering the café that the staffs were from
different racial groups. At the café, I saw waiters from all races, including African-Americans,
Asian-Americans, Latino-Americans, and others from every racial group. Upon asking one
waiter why they looked so different, she pointed me to a banner above the door, written “the
cultural learning center”. The experience demonstrated the role of the public space as the place
where people learn to relate with others from around the world.
Last Name 3
2. According to Hutter, and the discussions made in class about successful public spaces,
particular characteristics affect the success of public space (249). In the comparison between
Civic Space Park and City Scape, it becomes evident that the two share some characteristics. The
first comparison is that both spaces for public use for activities such as open spaces, art spaces,
banquet place, and socialization in the case of Civic Space Park and City Scape (Hutter 249).
Similarly, City Scape offers services such as residential area, office building area, retail center,
and access to hotel services. The functionality of the two areas points out that City Scape is more
function-oriented towards residential, business, and formal use. In contrast, Civic Space Park is
more oriented towards formal and informal meetings, banqueting, enjoying nature, and open
spaces for socializing in areas with grass and trees. Further, it is a culture center where activities
such as art, music, and games dominate. In line with Whyte’s definition, the feature of Civic
Space Park that distinguishes it as a better public space include that it has movable chairs, spaces
for food and drink carts, open use for grass areas, and more opportunities for social interaction
(Hutter 249). As an example, in the photo of Civic Space Park, the arrangement is less restrictive
to movement even in grass areas. Further, apart from the flexible movement, people enjoy other
services such as a television show, which could attract lovers of the outdoors. Comparatively,
City Scape lacks almost all the features of a good public space, except having movable chairs.
The office space, in particular, makes City Scape less oriented for social activities. The manmade shades at City Scape also make the place look less natural. The distinction between the two
public spaces clearly shows that Civic Space Park is a better and more attractive public space, as
compared to City Scape, due to the ways it enhances social interactions.
Last Name 4
Visual Aid 1: Picture of Civic Space Park
Visual Aid 2: Picture of City Scape
Last Name 5
3. The Disneyfication of the city of Phoenix was evident at the Civic Space Park, considering the
ways that it is distinguished by the theming style that makes it unique from other public spaces.
From the picture of the Civic Space Park, the large lighting mold suspended in the air depicts the
evidence of Disneyfication (Hutter 253). The Disneyfication of the park is evident from the wide
range of consumption options available at the site, including enjoying nature, the availability of
food carts, and the showing of television shows on screens, among other services. Despite the
high levels of Disneyfication, the existence of open spaces feels natural, noting that it shows
evidence of the signature style of an attractive public space for relaxation. By comparison, the
City Scape appears highly unnatural, considering the ways every surface is paved with concrete,
preventing any contact between visitors and nature. Similarly, at the Civic Space Park, the
suspended mold feels unnatural to the nature of the park because it makes it appear highly
technology-oriented, making it seem like a theme park or a lit street. The locations that showed
little evidence of Disneyfication included the Bank of America, and the Phoenix Convention
Center, and the respective environs (Hutter 253). The reason for the position is that the areas are
not themed like a Disney center, no hybrid consumption patterns, and the employees at the place
do not operate like performers and entertainers.
4. After the hatching of the plans for developing City Scape, some critics felt that refurbishing
the Arizona Center would be a better idea. At the time, the Arizona was beginning to show aging,
and store vacancy rate was high. The indication of the aging center was that Downtown Phoenix,
which is the epicenter of the city, was not making headway in the area of developments. During
the time of the debate, it was the time when cities such as Dubai and Taipei were making a name
around the world, as home to the world’s newest and classiest buildings (Hutter 99). Considering
the economic productivity of the city of Phoenix and the Arizona area as a whole, it was justified
Last Name 6
to change the face of the city, instead of refurbishing the aging Arizona center before developing
a new icon of development. To the critics, the cost of developing the new shopping complex was
the major concern, but upon examining the effect that building new world class shopping
complexes in places like Dubai has had on the people and the economy, it becomes evident that
building the new center was a better development option, despite the higher cost. Further, the
development of City Scape catered to the demand for office and business space, noting that the
space available at Arizona Center was already overstretched (Hutter 436). In the short term, the
refurbishment may have looked like a better option, but in the long-term, building a new icon for
the city and the state was the better option.
5. At the Bank of America area stop during the tour it became apparent that some groups would
feel comfortable there, but not others. The best-suited group for the area includes office and
formal sector workers and investors such as bankers, and managers. The evidence that the group
is most suited for the Bank of America building and area is that there is few or no commercial
activities such as business outlets in the area. The groups that are left out in the culture, lifestyle
and even the architectural developments in the area include the commercial entrepreneurs and
employees, for example, shop owners, restaurant operators, and their employees. Another group
that is predominantly left out in the region is the student population, considering that there are no
activities relevant to them, and there are no avenues and platforms for interconnecting them with
the formal working class in the area (Hutter 140). To make the Bank of America building and
area more friendly and inclusive to the business people, the institutions operating in the area,
including the Bank of America should fashion forums and exchange programs that involve the
business people. As an example, the bank could host exchange programs aimed at informing the
business people about the financing options available to them, so that they can increase the levels
Last Name 7
of interactions (Hutter 139). Fortunately, the move could also increase the profitability of the
bank, among the other institutions operating in the area. The same strategy can be used for the
student population.
Last Name 8
Works Cited
Hutter, Mark. Experiencing cities. Third Edition. New York: Routledge, 2016. Ebook.