Bodies in Urban Spaces is a unique photography project by art director Willi Dorner and photographer Lisa Rastl that uses human bodies to give more meaning to spaces and architecture. They use the body as a tool for perceiving the dimensions of space.
“The body is the tool for perceiving the dimensions of space,†explains Dorner. “By putting himself in relationship to space and architecture body is not only measuring the space around him, body gives it a meaning. By literally filling up spaces that are left free in the designed space (architecture) not only dimensions become visible, it tries to make clear and point out how bodies stand against architecture and how they can change the perspective on it.â€
The idea then developed from simply perceiving the dimensions of these spaces into different ways of “reacting†or interpreting locations and sites in urban spaces.
Check out the gallery for images from this intriguing project.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Body-influenced Architecture
- There is an opportunity to develop architectural designs that directly consider human bodies and their movement for maximum usage.
- Artistic Expressions Through the Human Body
- Capturing the human body in artistic, creative, and non-typical settings is a growing trend.
- Body-inclusive Community Planning
- Involving different groups of bodies in urban planning creates more innovative and inclusive spaces that focus on universal access needs.
Where This Applies
- Architecture
- Architects and engineers can incorporate human bodies as key considerations in their designs to cater to the flow of movements of humans in their spaces.
- Arts and Culture
- Opportunities abound for photographers, painters, and other artists to capture and highlight how the human body interacts with different physical environments.
- Urban Planning and Design
- Community planning and design considerations should include the study and thorough analysis of how different groups of humans interact within a given environment, with an aim to build inclusive cities or communities
