Urban Dwell: Proxemics-Territoriality-Privacy

Globalization has caused the development of a global user culture where needs have similar associations, whether positive or negative, across numerous countries. Despite of that, culture codes still strongly influence the lifestyle of the people around the world. Territoriality and privacy are two direct results of particular human studies, better known as “proxemics” and “semiotics”. The iconicity and symbolism of a sign depends on the cultural convention and, are on that ground in relation with each other. If the cultural convention has greater influence on the sign, the signs get more symbolic value. Claude Raffestin has postulated that territoriality is a result of the relationships(real or abstract) between man and environment in a tridimensional context formed by society-space-time. It is an open process that depends on the people and the type of relations established with the space. This vision is opposed to the theory affirmed by prof. Robert D. Sack, who instead said that territoriality is associated with the control and primary expression of social power. The dominance of the indoor and outdoor spaces is a direct result of this theory in the built environment, known as the human “biotope”. These reports can generate a different management of the views inside the home, that influence the appearance of the building and its final form. Introverted house and spatial hierarchy affect the Town Plan, sometimes creating an urban matrix of growing. Emphasis is given to the role of urban green spaces, linked to the concept of privacy: on the one hand, continues the object-background contrast, while, on the other hand, it merges with the interior space inhabited.