sociology 396 term project by katarina marjanovic

Downtown Urbana:

Katarina Marjanovic Downtown Urbana

Introduction:

Introduction When we think of a public area we usually only think of one type of space and one type of behavior: public. But there is more than just publicly-owned public space there is also university-owned and privately-owned public space as well, each with its own uses and behaviors. The locale in this paper will explore the spaces and behaviors of downtown Urbana, a place of various public spaces and uses filled with shops, cafes, a public library, an indoor mall and a courthouse. It is the center of much public activity for the local people of Urbana and has everything from small weekly events to large annual festivals. The area is also a great place for local artists and musicians to display their talents as well as for the local people to enjoy them.

Morning Market:

Morning Market 5/6/11 9:53 pm f/ 4.2 1/500 sec. ISO 100 Location: Market at the Square In this photograph a man is buying some sort of leafy green product at Saturday’s Farmer’s Market. The Farmer’s Market is a weekly event that occurs every Saturday starting at the beginning of May and ending when the weather turns too cold. This is an example of private-sphere public behavior which can be seen in vending and trading, much like the market is. This type of behavior is one that is private in the sense that each vendor has their own agenda and is trying to sell whatever product they have to offer, but it is set in a public atmosphere, in this case the parking lot of Lincoln Square Mall, where anyone is allowed to buy, sell or walk around.

Life Lesson:

Life Lesson 4/20/11 4:16 pm f/ 3.1 1/30 sec. ISO 800 Location: IMC Taken at the Independent Media Center (IMC), this photo is of a violin lesson between Robin, the teacher, and a beginner student. The IMC is a building that is owned by the public, for the public’s use. Anything from concerts, art projects, music lessons or yoga, it can be found and accessed here for the public. This photo is a small view into the private sphere of the public space and is a prime example of a publicly-owned public space used for private purposes. A music lesson such as this is a very private thing, but with Robin’s consent I sat in on a portion of their lesson. Music is such a social aspect of any community and especially in downtown Urbana where many spaces are used for performances from the Folk and Roots Festival to the Urbana Sweet corn Festival.

Shirts of Hope:

Shirts of Hope 4/20/11 3:48 pm f/ 6.4 1/80 sec. ISO 800 Location: Lincoln Square Mall The Lincoln Square Mall is a unique place in that it is very open space used in many thoughtful and creative ways, anywhere from photo competitions to train conventions. This photo shows how the space can be used as a form of display of important issues. Each t-shirt color represents some form of abuse or violence, whether it is rape, prejudice, political violence or other, it is represented here.

Hard at Work:

Hard at Work 4/20/11 3:53 f/ 4 1/30 sec. ISO 800 Location: Lincoln Square Mall The Lincoln Square Mall used to be a very active area, full of shops and people. But for quite some time now, it has been a place of forgotten splendor and with only a few stores and food venues barely making ends meet. It was a center for social gatherings, if you weren’t shopping you went there to see who you knew was shopping. Next to the historic Lincoln Hotel there is a new food court with a café and other food venue. Much like a café, though, the middle area with chairs and tables is not just used for eating and meeting, but for working and exchanging. As in this photograph, the man seems to be working on something on his laptop, not typical of a mall, but this is more than just a mall, it is an open area completely free of conventions and typical use of space.

Dinner of Champs:

Dinner of Champs 4/29/11 5:12 pm f/ 6.4 1/200 sec. ISO 800 Location: The Great Impasta Passing by The Great Impasta, an excellent Italian restaurant connected to Lincoln Square Mall, some 30-odd number of people, all in red t-shirts, come out and ask if I could take a photo for them. I already had my camera, but I received three more and was asked to take about three for each so I did not get the chance to use my own. They said it was for the newsletter of their club, they had traveled all the way from out of town just to participate in the Illinois marathon that would occur the next day. I just barely got a shot of some of them going back inside for they had only come outside for the large group photo. One of the more famous public events in the Champaign-Urbana area, the Illinois marathon attracts people from all over the state and country. Although this photo is not a direct correlation to the marathon, it does show that such large public events attract many people that come and help the area economically through restaurants and stores, and that such public spaces have multiple purposes.

Friday Night Fever:

Friday Night Fever 4/29/11 5:44 f/ 3.1 1/125 ISO 3200 Location: The Iron Post The Iron Post is another charming bar and venue that offers frequent live music and a spacious patio. The atmosphere is always welcoming and the people always friendly. This is a fine example of how much the area loves folk and jazz music, there was even a couple dancing in what little floor space there was. This is a great example of private space for a public use. The bar is privately owned, but very much open to the public and such free performances as this.