In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape that we live in, significant aspects of our identity reflect upon our connections and experiences within our community-buildings. In her article “The Imaginary Real World of CyberCities,” written by M. Christine Boyer, she explores how these technologies transform our understanding of identity, raising concerns about potential losses of identity and how a place turns into placelessness. Traditionally, our sense of belonging is deeply rooted within the environment through historical, cultural, and personal interactions. However, virtually, the perception of a place becomes abstract, diminishing its tangible authenticity.
Boyer mentions the key concept of an “imaginary world,” signifying a parallel to our current society, where “the reality of time and place [is turned] into an imaginary matrix of computer nets linking together.” (115) This space acts as an extension of our physical world while portraying a version of our society as an “urban dystopia” (115).
In MachineCity, the machine successfully represents the point given as it was able to “represent and reflect attitudes toward modernity and the metropolis […].” (116) So, instead of self-restricting ourselves to these advanced technologies, let us embrace this new methodology and continue the “progress of city planning.” (117)
-CHING Hau Sik Monique
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