esp  

esp  

  ︎

scroll ︎︎︎    ︎  








> Bear Urbanisms of Dispersion.
Social Incubator in a Party Room at Mostenses Square

Madrid, Spain
2006

When we migrated from Rotterdam to Madrid in 2003, after studying the urban developments within the Cape Verdean diasporic community, we continued to explore what we referred to as “dispersed urbanisms”, which means urban environments that operate at various levels (multi-scale) and through different types of physical and virtual channels (multimedia). We found it particularly interesting to study dispersed urban environments that were close to us but often overlooked in urban studies. Possibly this neglect occurred because these urbanisms were linked to communities that were also overlooked. For example, the configurations that emerged around the gay bear community, in which we used to be involved. Their spaces and networks provided us with valuable insights. One of the reasons was that they challenged the traditional interpretation of concepts like “public space”, which is commonly regarded as the main location for interactions between different groups. They demonstrated the societal significance of other physical-virtual locations that functioned in a similar manner, albeit with distinct spatial features.



For example, the spatial configurations around some nightclubs generated very specific forms of encounter between the bear community and other urban tribes. To comprehend the territory of those communities, it was important to consider not just the physical space, but also how it was articulated through virtual spaces. For example, contact websites such as bearwww.com were very important. While this site was mainly used for dating, it was also used for other purposes such as renting rooms or looking for a job (Diego Barajas, “El espacio urbano para las prácticas creativas como interfaz hacia otra globalización y el habitante como constructor de la ciudad”, in N. Aramburu (ed.), Un lugar bajo el sol, Buenos Aires, CCEBA-AECID, 2008, p. 114-115). Classic books like “Queer Space” by Aaron Betsky (1997) or the works of Jan Kapsenberg with Bart Lootsma, who was our professor at the Berlage Institute (2000-2002), served as pioneering references for us in our research endeavors. At that time there were very few examples of queer culture in architecture and urbanism.

























Author: Diego Barajas