Temporary and temporality: Public realm regeneration through temporary events

Abstract

The purpose of this theoretical study was mainly to explore the theories behind temporariness and how it is applied to regenerate the public realm. This research study focused on the implications which temporary use of the public realm may have for social behaviour and the identity-relations of a place. Subsequently, temporary use of a place verifies that there is no certainty to the potential of a place but rather possibilities filled with desire, significance and values that belong to the social environment. Within the context of social sciences, it can be corroborated that identities are considered to be developing norms in constant relationships with their context and their immediate contacts. This often appears to happen in an evolutionary process, meaning that identities have impacts on the socio-environmental relations of environments. Furthermore, it can be argued that there is no determinism to identity of a place, but rather a perceptible network of mutual relations that can define, materialise and revive a particular place. This argument comprises the core of this paper, which also elaborates on the fact that place is subject to change, decay, growth and development.