A Social Network to Hack the City
Physical structures such as bridges, parks, districts, and neighborhoods constitute the physical city, wherein infinite data is generated every second. A parallel city, produced by the relationships among this data, can be defined as a virtual city. In this context, a city is described as an organism created by the overlap of the virtual and physical cities. Locations along citizens’ daily routes and intersection points of these routes with other individuals form part of this organism.
Each person has the right to express themselves in areas defined as public space. Just as individuals express themselves in the physical city’s public spaces, they can also express themselves in the virtual city’s public spaces.
Just like any organism, a city can display components of marginalization, development, and transformation. Individuals often lack influence on these transformations and deteriorations.
A network, termed “Space Hackers,” is designed to organize events aimed at opening up urban closures, making them accessible to people. A participant posts closed-off points based on their own definition of inaccessibility and then organizes events to open these spaces by grouping with other members of the network. This action is referred to as hacking spaces.
In order to hack a space, a Space Hacker develops events designed to unlock the predicted potential of a space, thereby provoking its use in ways other than initially intended. As closed-off points are opened up, the physical and virtual cities interact and create a pattern that interweaves with each other. The concept begins with the notion of play as a method for individual self-expression. Due to the inherent flexibility of play, which has general principles rather than fixed rules, the encouragement of participation, dynamism, and the provision of a free platform for self-expression, it allows individuals to interpret public space through the method of play.
As a Space Hacker hacks a space, the parameters of the space serve as inputs for the events, making the events adaptable based on the city’s dynamics. It is possible to hack using different media, taking advantage of both material and immaterial opportunities. Every Space Hacker is an unorthodox architect and innovative user. The Space Hacker network is a platform where individuals can transform their thoughts about the city into action and elicit responses from others.
Spaces that have been hacked, being nearby areas, and the hacking of various city points simultaneously, contribute to the ongoing transformation and integration into daily life, thereby creating fluid, dynamic cities. In this way, it is anticipated that more democratic cities will emerge, where every individual has the freedom to express their ideas.
The Spacehackers Project was showcased at the Lütfi Kırdar Convention Center as part of the International Innovation Week 2018 in Istanbul. This exhibition united new projects, initiatives, and investors in the fields of science and technology.
In contrast to other participating projects, Spacehackers uniquely offers innovation in the cultural and social spheres. Moreover, it is the only project that is created with the modifying and developing aspect of design in mind.