Environmental forms, from a theoretical perspective to concrete case studies in urban planning

Nathalie Blanc (1) , Frédéric Barbe (2, 3)

1 LADYSS - Laboratoire Dynamiques Sociales et Recomposition des Espaces
2 ENSA Nantes - École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Nantes
3 CRENAU - Centre de recherche nantais Architectures Urbanités

"Intersecting Environmental Humanities (HE) and the New Materialism (NM), this article proposes a specific approach to forms, metamorphoses, and uncertain futures. We favour an approach incorporating aesthetic dimensions, as well as theories from the NM, to propose the expression of “environmental forms”, in order to renew the often techno-centric environmental analysis and research in the field of humanities and social sciences. We intend to focus on the process of “environmentalization”, considered distinct from a usual definition of humanity as ontologically separate from other living beings, and ascribed in a traditional opposition between nature and culture. This process of creating environments means building a system that unites the stakeholders with variations in time and space. In the first section, we will discuss the question of forms, whose history is strongly associated with the history of art and aesthetics (Goethe, Kant, etc.). Secondly, we will try to highlight the contributions of authors referring to New Materialism literature regarding the issue of environmental forms. In a last section, we will highlight how spontaneous environmental forms such as community gardens, or animals in cities, as well as contemporary “green” urban planning can be a way of co-producing “natureculture” in cities." (source éditeur)

Domaines: Sciences de l'Homme et Société; Géographie; Etudes de l'environnement

Nathalie Blanc, Frédéric Barbe. Environmental forms, from a theoretical perspective to concrete case studies in urban planning. RUUKKU Studies in Artistic Research, 2018, Aesthetic Intra-Actions, 9, ⟨10.22501/ruu.371052⟩. ⟨halshs-02185436⟩