Psychogeography

The psycho- geography examines the impact the architectural or geographical environment on the perception that mental experience and behavior. The psycho- geographical research takes place here at the intersection of the fields of art, architecture, geography and psychology. The term was coined mainly by the artist group Situationist International, in which the former London Psycho Geographic Society came up. The philosopher Paul Virilio explored later inter alia, the psycho- geography of bunkers and fortifications (see also his book Speed ​​and Politics ). Today psychogeography found, for example, in architectural theory instead, is the subject of urban planning, but will also continue to be considered in the art ( for example in discussions about art in public spaces ).

Psychogeography and the artistic movement of the Situationists

The "Guide psychogéographique de Paris" by Guy Debord was Paris, experienced psycho- geographical. The districts are cut up and parts are missing, according to perhaps the rides in the metro, in which one goes somewhere and gets off somewhere else and do not see where you're going, or walking through a dissected by highways urban space. Another picture of Ralph Rumney shows a Paris street map showing all roads are drawn, achieved by a student in one year - the result is a hundred times repeated triangle between home, university and conservatory, supplemented by some additional lines. The card made ​​graphically the solitude of a predictable, isolated life visible.

Characteristic was also a call of the Situationists, intentionally getting lost in foreign cities to expose themselves to new discoveries, experiences and meetings, or there maps of other cities for the ( dis) orientation to use. In their opinion, the urban built-up area was the visible expression of that (over - ) rational thinking, which they criticized. Each building such as housing estates or shopping centers transported hence views about people ( of man ), and subliminal instructions on there circulating people to behave in a certain way.