OGLM 3110 - Time and the City

Time plays a crucial role in managing urban dynamics and facilitating urban transformations. While

spatial justice has become a common topic of discussion, urbanists often overlook the social and

political implications of managing time which, like space, has also become a commodified asset in

cities. Temporal agglomerations are governed and enforced through costly licensing mechanisms

and policies focused on mitigating chronic nuisance. However, the social, economic, cultural, and

environmental impacts of these policies are seldom discussed or contested. This workshop will look

at time-based urban policies—from those that enable temporal agglomerations, to those that allow

meanwhile uses, and those that encourage greater night-time activity—and discuss how cities can

manage time in sustainable and more inclusive ways. Students will examine literature and case

studies that illustrate the impact of these policies and consider how these approaches influence urban

life. Furthermore, the class will explore local examples firsthand and conduct an excursion to study

Paris after dark.

The goal of the night-time excursion is to introduce students to night-time planning and design by

conducting a guided observation of a public space and analyzing both physical conditions and human

behavior. For this purpose, students will be divided into subgroups that will gather information and

insights using qualitative methods presented in class. Groups will have some time to discuss and

analyze their findings in class on September 20, and will receive additional data on the week of

September 22. Based on all this information, each group will prepare a brief presentation (10 minutes)

for the final class on October 3.

While readings are not mandatory, students are expected to review the case studies in advance to

prepare for each session. The assessment will be based on the following:

• Students’ attendance and participation in the discussion of the course material 50%
• Final student presentations (in subgroups) summarizing insights and analysis from the night-

time exploratory study 50%