ulsara agm apr15 crowe on geddes

Patrick Geddes in Dublin: Civic engagement and vacant sites

Philip Crowe UCD School of Architecture: Landscape Architecture [email protected] @filupcro

Part 1: Patrick Geddes


Part 2: Civic Engagement Part 3: Vacant sites

This presenta,on is in 3 parts, as set out on this slide. Commentary is provided in these grey boxes.

Part 1: Patrick Geddes (1854-‐1932)

So who is Patrick Geddes? He was a polymath who has been described as an evolu,onary biologist, ecologist, conserva,onist, town planner, sociologist, economist and botanist.

‘The indefatigable folder of paper and drawer of diagrams here conducts an incomprehensible experiment on himself.’ Hall, 2002, 145

Geddes was living in a period of rapid and unprecedented technological, social and environmental change. The discipline of town planning, of which Geddes was a founder, effec,vely emerged as a reac,on to the ills of the polluted industrial city. He understood the world in terms of social and ecological systems. Specifically he understood that man was an integral part of nature, albeit an intelligent one. His most famous ‘thinking machine’ or diagram, the Valley Sec,on, is an illustra,on of interdependent and interconnected social and ecological systems over space and ,me.

Edinburgh University Library Centre for Research Collections: Patrick Geddes Collection, Volume I, A1.13, The Valley Section.

‘How many people think twice about a leaf? Yet the leaf is the chief product and phenomenon of

Life: this is a green world, with animals comparatively few and small, and all dependent on the

leaves. By leaves we live. Some people have strange ideas that they live by money. They think

energy is generated by the circulation of coins. Whereas the world is mainly a leaf-colony, growing

on and forming a leafy soil, not a mere mineral mass: and we live not by the jingling of coins, but

by the fullness of our harvests.’

Patrick Geddes

Macdonald, 2004, 62; as reported by Defries, 1927, of Geddes’s final lecture as Professor of Botany in the University of

Dundee, 1919.

This famous quote illustrates the clarity of his understanding of social and ecological systems.

Geddes was thinking about natural resource deple,on and limits of non-‐renewable resources in the late 1800s.

National Library of Scotland Archives, Miscellaneous Geddes Papers, Excerpt from a thinking machine sketch (undated), MS 10656.

‘The paleotechnic order should, then, be faced and shown at its very worst, as dissipating

resources and energies, as depressing life, under the rule of machine and mammon, and as

working out accordingly its specific results, in unemployment and misemployment, in disease and

folly, in vice and apathy, in indolence and crime.’

Geddes, 1915, 86.

The neotechnic order moves ‘towards a finer skill, a more subtle and more economic mastery of

natural energies..’

Geddes, 1915, 93.

Geddes applied this understanding of social-‐ecological systems to the industrial ci,es he saw around him at that ,me. And he provides us with a vision of the future city – a new era of advanced technologies and ways of doing things that are efficient, low impact, and within the renewable and assimila,ve capaci,es of the planet.

Geddesian thinking in the early 1900s reflects the contemporary prevalent discourse in urban planning and policy -‐ the shiny new concept of ‘urban resilience’. This concept requires us to interpret ci,es as social-‐ecological systems. This is a mechanism for thinking differently about the city. Every conference on the city is now on the ‘resilient city’. But no one is very sure what this actually means on the ground or in prac,ce to urban planning and policy. Perhaps Geddesian thinking can help us understand this concept of urban resilience…

‘Whether one goes back to the greatest or to the simplest towns, there is little to be learnt of civics

by asking their inhabitants.’

Geddes, 1915, 18

‘the “civil service” is familiar to all, but civic service a seldom-heard phrase, a still rarer ambition.’

Geddes, 1915, 19

One of Geddes’s main pre-‐occupa,ons was that people were ‘half-‐blind’ to the city and its history. They were not aware or engaged. To address this he proposed using civic engagement to help people understand the forces that had shaped their regional environment.

The Outlook Tower, Edinburgh Geddes, 1915, Cities in Evolution

Survey categories in Cities in Evolution. Geddes, 1915, 345

Geddes had 2 main mechanisms: The civic museum: this developed first in the Outlook Tower in Edinburgh and then evolved into a roadshow version called the Ci,es and Town Planning Exhibi,on (CTPE). The civic survey: a mul,-‐disciplinary, dynamic, inclusive process of understanding the city and its drivers of change over ,me in order to interpret the present and to inform future planning.

The Civic Exhibition

Cornell University Library, John Nolen Papers, Pamphlet for the Civic Exhibition

Both elements came together in an event in Dublin in 1914 – the Civic Exhibi,on. This was organised by the Civics Ins,tute of Ireland that Geddes had helped set up a_er a previous visit of the CTPE in 1911.

Image of Dublin circa 1914, included in the Report of the Dept. Committee appointed ‘to Inquiry into the Housing Conditions of the Working Class in the City of Dublin, Cd.7317, Dublin, 1914.

In 1914 Dublin was in a state of social, economic, poli,cal turmoil. The city had a severe housing crisis.

Lilian Davidson, Poster for the Civic Exhibition 1914

Letterhead for the Civics Institute of Ireland dated 28th July 1914. University of Strathclyde Archives T-GED 6/11/6

The ambi,on of the Civic Exhibi,on was to include the en,re community in the be`erment of their city. The mechanism of an exhibi,on was to raise awareness while simultaneously entertaining and building community capital. The symbol of the exhibi,on was the Phoenix – so it was about transforma,on / rising from the ashes. The Phoenix was used in the official poster and the logo of the Civics Ins,tute of Ireland – with the mo`o ‘resurgam’ (rise again).

The civic exhibi,on took place from July 15 to August 31, 1914, in the Linen Hall (on the corner of North King Street and Cons,tu,on Hill -‐ now demolished), Henrie`a Street, the Kings Inns, and the Temple Gardens. The exhibi,on was opened by a procession of dignitaries through the city centre with much pageantry and reportedly received 9000 visitors on the opening day. Special trains brought people from outside the capital and department stores ran ‘Exhibi,on Sales’ for the dura,on.

Irish Times, June 20, 1914, 9, ‘ Civic Exhibi,on: The Arrangements; Lady Aberdeen; A Survey of the Exhibi,on.’

Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

CIVIC EXHIBITION: THE ARRANGEMENTSThe Irish Times (1874-1920); Jun 20, 1914; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Irish Times (1859-2012) and The Weekly Irish Times (1876-1958)pg. 9

Final a`endance figures are not clear as the announcement of WW1 disrupted the proceedings. There was an expecta,on of 250,000 visitors over the 6 weeks.

The Survey of Cities, Patrick Geddes, 1915

Geddes Town Planning Exhibition 1914

- Included School of Civics, July 27 - August 15

Plan of the Ghent Exhibition, 1913, Two Steps in Civics: “Cities and Town Planning Exhibition” and the “International Congress of Cities,”: Ghent International Exhibition, 1913. The Town Planning Review, Vol.4, No.2 (Jul., 1913), p84

National Library of Scotland Archives, Miscellaneous Geddes Papers, Photograph of the Cities and Town Planning Exhibition 1913, MS 21205.3.

The centerpiece was the expanded Ci,es and Town Planning Exhibi,on (CTPE). This was an eclec,c exhibi,on that documented the origins and evolu,on of urban civiliza,ons through drawings, illustra,ons and models. The CTPE had been in Dublin previously in 1911 at the RDS.



The Civic Exhibi,on was in effect a vast pop-‐up exhibi,on and community space in a re-‐used public building in the north inner city of Dublin. There was a wide range of exhibits in addi,on to the CTPE, for example on agricultural co-‐opera,ves in Ireland, the work of public agencies, and on towns and ci,es throughout Ireland, the Bri,sh Isles, Europe and the USA. It was a civic fes,val with fireworks, a ballroom, playground, outdoor exhibits, rooms for refreshments, concerts, and lectures. There were compe,,ons in musical performance, dancing, gymnas,cs and bu`er-‐making.

Civic Exhibition Ireland 1914

Cornell University Library, John Nolen Papers.



The very act of holding it in the Linen Hall directly engaged people with the pressing problem at hand as the Linen Hall was right in the core area of housing depriva,on. The renova,on of the Linen Hall reflected the idea of rising from the ashes -‐ the Phoenix. In 1914 the Linen Hall was derelict – trade had long since moved to Belfast and the building had been converted into barracks that were now abandoned. It was subsequently burnt down in 1916.


DUBLIN CIVIC EXIBITION: PROGRESS OF THE SHEME VIEW OF THE BUILDINGSThe Irish Times (1874-1920); May 13, 1914; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Irish Times (1859-2012) and The Weekly Irish Times (1876-1958)pg. 5


DUBLIN CIVIC EXIBITION: PROGRESS OF THE SHEME VIEW OF THE BUILDINGSThe Irish Times (1874-1920); May 13, 1914; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Irish Times (1859-2012) and The Weekly Irish Times (1876-1958)pg. 5

Irish Times, May 13, 1914, 5, ‘Dublin Civic Exhibi,on: Progress of the scheme; View of the buildings.’

The transforma,on of the Linen Hall was reported in the Irish Times. This was seen as a microcosm of what could be achieved in the city as a whole – a transforma,on of Dublin to a be`er situa,on. And there was to be a posi,ve impact on the surrounding area.

‘The preparation of such more detailed surveys is in progress… and is well advanced, for instance,

in Edinburgh and Dublin: and though these surveys are as yet voluntary and unofficial, there are

indications that they may before long be found worthy of municipal adoption.’

Geddes, 1915, 357.

Geddes’s other mechanism for civic engagement -‐ the Civic Survey – was also evident in the Civic Exhibi,on through the display of the progress of civic surveys of Edinburgh and Dublin in the CTPE. The civic surveys were to be realised through an inclusive and dynamic process that examined all aspects of the city before a`emp,ng to plan, in order to avoid ‘designs which the coming genera,on may deplore’ (Geddes, 1915, Ci,es in Evolu,on). But we don’t know what was shown of the Dublin survey at the CTPE.

University of Edinburgh, Centre for Research Collec,ons: Patrick Geddes Collec,on, Volume I, A1.98.A. Ci,es Exhibi,on 140

Archives contain a number of maps that may have been exhibited.

University of Strathclyde Archives, ‘2 slides relating to the open space survey Dublin ‘, T-GED 22/1/358.

And these slides of a survey of open space. Geddes’s concern was that Dublin didn’t have enough small parks that were local to where people lived. He felt that the Phoenix Park skewed all sta,s,cs.

Map of the City of Dublin showing derelict sites, Report of the Dept. Committee appointed ‘to Inquiry into the Housing Conditions of the Working Class in the City of Dublin, Cd.7317, Dublin, 1914, between 324 and 325.

The report for the inquiry into The Housing Condi,ons of the Working Classes in the City of Dublin, at which Geddes gave evidence in 1913, includes a ‘Central Area Showing Derelict Sites and Tenements’ plan that locates a total of 1,359 derelict sites and buildings across the city. This was used a tool for strategic management of a severe housing crisis.

Map of the City of Dublin showing derelict sites, Report of the Dept. Committee appointed ‘to Inquiry into the Housing Conditions of the Working Class in the City of Dublin, Cd.7317, Dublin, 1914, between 324 and 325.

The plan iden,fies ‘Derelict Sites’, ‘Land available for building’, ‘Insanitary areas’, ‘Areas for which schemes are in prepara,on’ and ‘Dangerous Buildings’. What we don’t know about the Dublin plan is to what extent the gathering of informa,on was dynamic and inclusive and involved a wide community of contributors.

University of Edinburgh, Centre for Research Collections: Patrick Geddes Collection, Volume II, Map shewing the open spaces in the Old Town of Edinburgh, A2.

Survey Progress displayed at Civic Exhibition 1914

The Dublin plan of 1914 clearly shows the influence of Geddesian thinking as we know of 2 earlier drawings of Edinburgh along the same lines that were included in the CTPE in 1911 and presumably 1914. Edinburgh was always the exemplar for the civic survey work.

University of Edinburgh, Centre for Research Collections: Patrick Geddes Collection, Volume II, Map of derelict sites 1910 A2.

Survey Progress displayed at Civic Exhibition 1914

The Dublin plan of 1914 clearly shows the influence of Geddesian thinking as we know of 2 earlier drawings of Edinburgh along the same lines that were included in the CTPE in 1911 and presumably 1914. Edinburgh was always the exemplar for the civic survey work.

King’s Wall Garden, Old Town, Edinburgh. Edinburgh University Library , Centre for Research Collections: Patrick Geddes Collection, Volume II, Outline of a Survey of Edinburgh

Gardening as a means to engage citizens in ‘vigorous health and activity, guided by vivid intelligence’ (Geddes 1915, 99).

Edinburgh was also the exemplar for work with individual vacant sites, which he considered spaces of opportunity for engaging with ci,zens and reinven,ng the city. It is s,ll possible to take a walking tour of these secret community gardens in Edinburgh today.

Notice for the opening of St Monicas Garden Playground,

Dublin, 1912. University of Strathclyde Archives T-GED

1/10/1

In Dublin, Geddes and his daughter Norah were involved with the Womens Na,onal Health Associa,on’s work on vacant sites from 1911. Here is an example from 1912 – the St Monica’s Playground and Garden at St Augus,ne Street.

Notice for the opening of St Monicas Garden Playground, Dublin,

1912. University of Strathclyde Archives T-GED 1/10/1

The Women’s Na,onal Health Associa,on were ‘transforming derelict spaces into centres of brightness and happiness’.

1914 [Cd. 7317] Appendix to the report..

House of Commons Parliamentary Papers Online

We get more insight into his ideas for civic engagement through vacant sites from his evidence to the inquiry – where he suggests: •  Giving communi,es agency to look a_er

their own local environment; •  Using the vacant sites for urban

agriculture; •  Reclaiming all vacant land.. ‘in the public

interest’ and alloca,ng it amongst the poorer classes in order to create a level of income.

Red Luas Line, Dublin, 2014. Photograph by UCD MRUP students.

There are many opportuni,es in this re-‐examina,on of Geddesian ideas about civic engagement in Dublin to make parallels with today. If we speed forward 100 years from 1914, we s,ll have many vacant sites and buildings, a housing crisis, significant social inequity, and a lack of engagement with planning processes.

Red Luas Line, Dublin, 2014. Photograph by UCD MRUP students.

Map of vacant sites. Dublin City Council, 2014.

In 2014 Dublin City Council generated a map of vacant sites, mo,vated by a proposal in 2013 to place a levy on vacant sites by the then Lord Mayor of Dublin, Oisin Quinn, based on a concern that developers are holding on to sites in the expecta,on of higher land values over ,me. This directly parallels the map of derelict sites 100 years previously.

Irish Times, January 2, 2014

Extract from evidence of Mr E.A. Aston, Report of the Dept. Committee appointed ‘to Inquiry into the Housing Conditions of the Working Class in the City of Dublin, Cd.7317, Dublin, 1914, 220. .

There are even parallel ideas discussed in the evidence for levies:

Granby Park, Dominick Street, Dublin 1. August 2013. Photograph by A2 Architects

And temporary re-‐use of vacant sites is quite commonplace around Dublin today – for example at Granby Park in August 2013.

Granby Park, Dominick Street, Dublin 1. August 2013. Photograph by A2 Architects

Geddes explores ideas in rela,on to vacant sites that may be useful in our present situa,on – for example: •  Using the map for strategic planning, for example in housing, not just for tax collec,on. •  Vacant sites represent opportuni,es for reinven,ng the city and addressing numerous

challenges that could be related to food and energy systems, biodiversity, ecosystems services – they are not just opportuni,es for more buildings.

•  There is a need for the open and par,cipatory process that Geddes imagined, that engaged ci,zens in gathering data – it should not be just a once off remote exercise by planning officials.

In UCD we are trying out some of these ideas in an open-‐source web-‐mapping applica,on called Reusing Dublin, that iden,fies underused spaces in the city. This is an evolving map that records spaces that are not used at all, are only partly in use, or that could accommodate addi,onal uses such as energy crea,on or growing plants for biodiversity.

Users can discover and share informa,on (such as photographs, reports) on an iden,fied space, and connect with others who have ideas about how that space could be used more efficiently. Users can also add markers for underused spaces not already recorded and share informa,on or connect with others about that space. Please visit www.reusingdublin.ie

‘The indefatigable folder of paper and drawer of diagrams here conducts an incomprehensible experiment on himself.’ Hall, 2002, 145

This presenta,on has hopefully demonstrated why it might be worth re-‐examining the work of Patrick Geddes. Geddesian ideas around civic engagement and the opportuni,es presented by vacant sites are s,ll very relevant today.

ulsara agm apr15 crowe on geddes

Environment

patrick geddes patrick

patrick geddes collection

patrick geddes macdonald

miscellaneous geddes

civic engagement

vacant sites thispresenta

landscape architecture

depressing life