Urban Space, Campus Space, and Library Space in the Digital Era: Architectural and Ethical Issues

Mitchell, William J. (2005) Urban Space, Campus Space, and Library Space in the Digital Era: Architectural and Ethical Issues.

Abstract

These 50 slides presented in Plenary Session I: The Ethics of Global Interconnectivity, on Wednesday, January 12, at the 2005 ALISE Conference, explore the theme of information technology affecting life in the modern world. In answer to the question “How can networked information delivery add functionality and value to architectural space and urban public space?” the author explores the interactions of information technology (IT), architecture, and urban spaces, and claims that the interactions are subtle and complex, and have evolved over time. His statements concentrate on four aspects of information connectivity: 1) staged transformation from points of availability of new technology to continuous fields of availability, 2) fragmentation and recombination of building types and urban patterns, 3) new, valuable forms of human interaction result from injection of digital communication into face-to-face settings, and 4) the paradox of high tech space with a low tech look. Different stages of IT development are outlined as: Stage 1: the mainframe and minicomputer era, Stage 2: the Internet era, Stage 3: Portable wireless devices, Stage 4: Increased wireless functionality, and Stage 5: Ubiquitous connectivity. Many images are shown in support of the ideas presented.