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Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 149 (2014) 570 574

LUMEN 2014

Museum Side of the City - from the Theory to Inquiry

Marina Mihailaa,b,*
a
University of Architecture and Urbanism "Ion Mincu", 18-20 Academiei Str., Bucharest 010014, Romania
b
Center for Studies in Contemporary Architecture, 65 Ion Ionescu de la Brad Bld., Bucharest 013812, Romania

Abstract

The cultural value of a city is also given by the quality of its architecture, the philosophies and trends it represents, the history
witnessed by its edification, but is also linked with the sighting and identification of spaces similar to themselves, whether
authentic or become symbolic. This article proposes the debate / investigation of the idea of (architecture) museum side of the
city, of its presence in the public space as visual and cultural interaction of the buildings, what these convey to the community,
and the way they define the built environment. The debate is dedicated to architecture itself as presence, sum of objects which are
exposed' in the "art gallery" the city space might represent; it does not call into question the construction or the existence of an
architecture museum in itself, but rather the importance of cataloguing and labeling the city's architectural objects, zones,
connections, exposure and visibility, culture and contribution to the visual quality of the space, whether it is about buildings of
heritage and architectural value or newly built buildings. The investigation refers to the identification of some elements that could
define the "architecture museum of the city" or as finality museum side of the city and a multi-criteria analysis which might
lead to conclusions and directions for future research - perhaps an innovative approach for the valorization and promotion of both
the architecture as object as well as in urban collections.
2014
2014 The
The Authors.
Authors. Published
Published by
by Elsevier
Elsevier Ltd.
Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Organizing Committee of LUMEN 2014.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Organizing Committee of LUMEN 2014.
Keywords: architecture; city; culture; museum; public space;

1. Observations on demarche.

The article proposes an idea of investigation on urban architectural space, based on the theme: Museum side of
the city from the theory to inquiry. Why this idea of investigation: Analysing the public space of the city, it is

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +4-074-505-0502; fax: +4-021-269-3422.

E-mail address: marina.mihaila@arhitectonik.ro , arh_marina@yahoo.com

1877-0428 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Organizing Committee of LUMEN 2014.
doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.08.212
 Marina Mihaila / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 149 (2014) 570 574 571

always too little to consider its specificity, identity or even brand, and to question its value in order to understand it.
To identify its memory and identity is usually more tangible, concrete and powerful methods in creating city an
image, comparable with identifying its urban characteristic image, symbols, silhouette or architectural patterns.
From where does this difficulty come: Even the cities with a considerable valuable architectural ground, with a
formal coherence or homogeneity of the details, textures or with specificities in the sense of patrimonial
authenticity, have difficulties sometimes to define a nature somehow understandable for the professional or wide
public. Homogenous and global specificity identified cities (at the level of architectural urban and cultural typology)
had difficulties in taking out in public through redefinition of essential features that would phrase tradition
peculiarity and essentialize the global importance of the place. These are important for the places that cities would
like to hold in the wide public appreciation and labeling, of cultural tourism (Gali-Espelt, 2011), or even of the
primary targets to animate their own public space in new terms of spectacle (Ockman, 2004) or stage (Ruesch,
2009).
Other cities have built however current mechanisms of continuity (Mihaila, 2012) between the space of traditions
(understood at every level) to the innovation, transforming the urban space in specific etiquette with a name. It is the
case of many European cities (Van der Borg, Costa, & Gotti, 1996) which starting from common principles were
able to build and sustain a material and immaterial heritage through several methods (Richards, 1996), but also
through a special lifestyle (Richards & Palmer, 2010), and that is somehow unique as standards and choice
hierarchy. From these we might learn in the terms of cultural quality and value, observing particularities, relations
and following the evolution of applications. Here it is simple to follow the models examples architectural objects,
urban features, cultural defined landscapes from which each is a part (from Mediterranean to Central and Nordic
European layouts). History is a part of the city from the urban territory pattern drawing that evolves from the core of
the city to the whole urban history, architectural scenography, on which attention might focus, and even further
beyond to elements less visible or temporary.
There are cities spaces of some cities that could be themselves investigated as museum/ museums. This was
one of the initial observations of the study. It is the case of the UNESCO sites (UNESCO, 2014), or even European
cities, Cultural European Capitals (Documentation Centre on European Capitals of Culture & DAEM, 2014) which
undoubtedly tend to be and are outdoor museums. The city as museum could be therefore a part of a possible theory
of the museum side of the city, and namely a particularization (Stocker, 2013).

Moving further to a larger approached method of investigation of museum side of the city, urban space could be
evaluated through such a thinking primary or evolved, with principles of exhibits, or concept of the museum in
different terms of classifications (after the collections, or after habits, ideas, names, time, etc.).
Also, a last first observation is that the culture understood as every level could be an important ingredient of the
urban space. Every level of features established through local cultural trends, habits, patterns, traditions might give a
reason for specialists to be interested in evaluate the potential of establishing a space, area, factor, idea, for museum
side of the city.

2. Subject's theoretical approach.

Theorizing (as a method of approach) in terms of museum space (Naredi-Rainer & Hilger, 2004), the city could
be evaluated generally by the architectural collections it developed, but also by the quality of the urban places.
Surpassing the first theorization of exhibits as objects and the considered valuable spaces for the city in terms of
museum (Burton & Scott, 2007), we could investigate the semantic and spatial anthropology, archaeology (Mihaila,
2013), the memory (Mihaila, 2012a) and successive users, but also forms and functions, and not last, the atmosphere
and people, and also the response of the local inhabitant to the cultural side of the city and tourism (Besculides, Lee,
& McCormick, 2002).
An important part of any theoretical approach to a concept of the museum space of the city can be maintenance,
preservation, protection of the collections (considered desirable in the terms of permanent collection), and ensuring
them in museum terms. Promoting collections and the city seen as a possible museum, would be another discussion
that may be an important part of the theory/ possible theory if the dedicated domain. Labeling the (permanent)
collections could be an important part on applying in inquiry research of the theory. The exact identification of the
572 Marina Mihaila / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 149 (2014) 570 574

architectural styles, of the dedicated authored collections, may lead to the inquiry of museum paths belonging to the
city space museum.
Going beyond the theoretical edge of the method, and passing to the research dedicated to the city as investigated
site, permanent collections considered to be labeled may cross the line of the patrimony and reach either the area of
the iconicity given by the modernity of a stringent museality domain, or of a tearing down thresholds in the urban
culture field, defined from the bottom up, predefined and identifiable visual background type.
In terms of temporary collections should be identified specific places in city space areal considered in this case
as active museum place where these could be developed. The areas which have held the international exhibition,
but also public parks are the more often examples that demonstrates valences to expose these temporary exhibits
collections. Also the temporary collections could be evaluated starting from concrete examples of international/
global fairs (Rydell, 2011), city street events or particular museal happenings (also architectural ones), as for
example: BMW Guggenheim Lab (BMW Guggenheim Lab, 2014) and Pompidou Metz Circus (Centre Pompidou-
Metz, 2014).
At the edge of a possible theory of any museal space of a city, we could count on urban areal sum of museums
(as dedicated function), but also on museal places urban islands, or even urban routes (Mihaila, 2014) between
museums, from the city guides and touristic-cultural maps.

3. Museum side of the city. Inquiry - investigating connections. Results.

Passing from the theory to inquiry, and investigating possible application, it is important to consider some
examples of identity public spaces city as a possible add to the initial theory (Lang, 2005). Starting from these
identity and iconic public spaces city examples, other particular cities have worked with their local identity concept,
promoting culture as place and image, but also with buildings collections and architecture itself. Both the new and
the old are identifiable in promoting urban space as museum side of the city, where, occupying a special place in the
general concept, is the development of art-cities, cultural districts and continuous museums areal in the metropolitan
texture, but also pointing out memory places. An important role in the promotion of museum side of the city also
plays the dedicated management field, not only in the thinking and rethinking the above listed points in defining the
collections, but also concerning a sustainable approach of the museum competitiveness of the considered valuable
and authentic areal. In this regard, the collection assessment and conservation may play an important role in
preventing the perishability and possible regular disasters effects.
Museum side of the city as application would investigate, as starting point, the valuable objects and spaces, the
heritage architecture and urban landmarks, monuments but not only these. Their disappearance could lead to
alienation feeling, breaking connections of familiarity with the public space given by the constituted established
human scale, the urban backgrounds that contribute to the linking memories, but also tracing the space meaning and
temporality. Protection of elements considered valuable, and ensuring their existence in the urban texture images is
essential for the sense of belonging and the sense of history, understood as place genesis. Heritage evaluation
(Chang et al., 1996) is no doubt one of the important directions, if not the most important, that should be considered
in the public space of the city. Very often the question what it is more important to be evaluated has an answer of
immediate urgency for saving patrimony objects and important landmarks for the local identity. When considering
also the threats for these kinds of objects but also areas in the city, museification could be one important but also
important thin line could be the restoration complies according with the original when the construction habits and
crafts are lost as living culture. Perishable architectural, urban examples but also inhabited traditional activities
might be also a point of interest in saving the museum side of the city, or at least architecture museum of the city as
built presence. City centers could be a good example for perishability of architecture and urban area, but also that
activities inhabited by the site. Also perishability of examples and their threats from complete destructions, natural
disasters could be listed for future ensuring of exhibits and museum spaces within the city.
Returning to museification, this could be a result of a misunderstanding of the valuable of keeping alive some
areas in the city, and promoting their traditions through innovating within the contemporary sense of events and
habits. Understanding and conserving traditions it is appropriated to be in the sense of contemporary social cultures.
 Marina Mihaila / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 149 (2014) 570 574 573

Investigating the valuable and heritage sites within the site, more ideas detached from the general concept
museum side of the city are highlighted: architecture museum of the city which in fact is important to be
conserved and not lost from the built patrimony, and add later to the virtual museum because valuable information
and memories could be lost together with it -, city museum might be a sum of atmospheres, cultures, and urban
architectures -, preserved valuable conserved museum sides of the city as citys core/ center in predefined
European patterns. Another kind of understanding could be cultural museum of the city, understood as urban areas
developed in the sense of culture continuity and successive, or developed as green fields as new city poles. Here
could enter categories as memorial sites as well as art districts or continuous urban routes of museums within the
city. Promoting urban space arises urban routes for lecturing and understanding the pinpoints of the urban memory,
either it is about urban pathways specific to a time period, neighbourhood tracks, architectural routes, or even lost
and forgotten trails. Considering the urban in its appropriate whole, the landscapes value, formed public spaces or
even activated or reactivated public spaces, all these might be regarded as interaction surfaces and museal
observation field. Urban regenerations could be conceptual built on museal value of the city, or on inception of
cultural memory of the museum side of the city (Mihaila, & Banica, 2013).
Consuming the city (Meethan, 1996) could be also an observation for locals and tourists, and also a result of the
local management. A clear readable (architecture) museum side of the city could lead to proclaim the valuable
background, and to find the iconic forms at micro or macro scale of representation in fragmented or whole brand
images, souvenirs, etc. (Benson, 2004)
Museum side of the city understood as inquiry could lead to evaluate new targets for strategic management of the
regions (Lazzeretti, 2004), extreme new cultural landscapes (Terkenli, 2006), and also to assess and management
cultural world heritage (Wijesuriya, et al. 2013).

4. In conclusions.

Museum side of the city could be either start from the theory or inquiry in developing the method of discovering
the links that leads to a cultural sustainable local development. Best practices inquired grant possible methods, but
still in connection with local habits or traditions, not applicable to every city. Also theory is a first method to enrich
and valuate the collections, and establish the paths, links and continuity-discontinuity flows within city contexts and
patterns.
The cultural value of a city is also given by the quality of its architecture, the philosophies and trends it
represents, the history witnessed by its edification, but is also linked with the sighting and identification of spaces
similar to themselves, whether authentic or become symbolic. This article proposes the debate / investigation of the
idea of (architecture) museum side of the city, of its presence in the public space as visual and cultural interaction of
the buildings, what these convey to the community, and the way they define the built environment. The debate is
dedicated to architecture in itself as presence, sum of objects which are exposed' in the "art gallery" the city space
might represent; it does not call into question the construction or the existence of an architecture museum in itself,
but rather the importance of cataloguing and labelling the city's architectural objects, zones, connections, exposure
and visibility, culture and contribution to the visual quality of the space, whether it is about buildings of heritage and
architectural value or newly built buildings. The investigation refers to the identification of some elements that
could define the "architecture museum of the city" or as finality museum side of the city and a multi-criteria
analysis which might lead to conclusions and directions for future research - perhaps an innovative approach for the
valorization and promotion of both the architecture as object as well as in urban collections.
Particular cities have worked with the local identity concept, promoting culture as place and image, but also
specific collections of buildings. Taking into consideration the principle museum side of the city, a quite interesting
result of mapping urban places is revealed, and also some space thresholds city museum could be exposed to debate.
Discussions that are supporting a sustainable applied investigation on museum side of the city are revealed as
based on the notions of: heritage as ground, objects, collections, fragmentations and backgrounds; idea of cultural
space; memory places (opposed to non-places); demand of culture at the public level and response as interaction
within the cities but also regions; local and global benefits of tourism; cultural sustainability principles and
integrated city cultural management; and supporting dynamic communities in museal challenges for the 21 century.
574 Marina Mihaila / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 149 (2014) 570 574

Acknowledgements

This article is part from Postdoctoral Project Types of innovation in cultural spaces.]working with/in[ cultural
spaces_tradition and innovation. supported by a grant of the Romanian Ministry of Education, CNCS UEFISCDI,
project number PN-II-RU-PD-2012-3-0515.

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