Generadores de informes

The  childhood  games  of  David  Belle  and  his  peers  that  began  in  the  suburbs  of  Paris  during   the   1980s   have   developed   into   an   international   movement   with   practitioners   residing   in   countries   throughout   the   world.   This   has   been   largely   due   to   its   filmic   representation.   In   such   appearances   practitioners   of   parkour   have   demonstrated   movements   that   push   the   limits  of  their  physical  and  psychological  ability  in  situations  that  convey  heroic  risk–taking.   Parkour   is   therefore   largely   considered   as   a   movement   that   is   a   continuation   of   extreme   sports,   because   it   is   accepted   that   there   is   a   high   level   of   danger   associated   with   the   activities  practitioners  participate  in.    

Behaviour  associated  with  parkour  demonstrates  an  expression  of  reading  space  in   a   way   that   takes   into   consideration   an   acute   understanding   of   the   body’s   physical   and   sensory   capabilities.   Although   particular   bodily   movements   such   as   running,   rolling   and   climbing  are  considered  as  expressions  of  parkour,  there  are  no  restrictions  on  the  type  of   mobility  that  practitioners  choose  to  explore.  Unlike  conventional  athletic  pursuits  traceurs   project  their  identity  through  movement  on  to  spaces  that  they  have  appropriated  rather   than  engage  with  places  that  have  been  socially  dedicated  for  the  purpose  of  recreation.   The  culture  of  parkour  is  therefore  intertwined  with  issues  of  subversion  and  conflict  as  the   social  and  physical  boundaries  of  architecture  are  tested.  What  is  therefore  pertinent  about   parkour  is  the  desire  articulated  by  practitioners  to  reject  the  rules  or  codes  prescribed  to  a   space  in  order  to  create  territory  for  an  individualised  relationship  and  meaning.    

The   visual   aesthetic   presented   through   parkour   activity   can   also   be   read   as   juxtaposition  between  subjective  understandings  of  place,  and  empirical  measurements  of   space.  This  contrast  again  highlights  the  dialectic  found  between  the  strategies  of  designing   architectural  space  and  the  processes  that  constitute  how  it  is  inhabited  and  perceived  by   its   users.  Parkour’s   relationship   to   sports,   film,   and   other   aspects   of   popular   culture   demonstrate  that  it  has  evolved  to  become  a  movement  that  is  intertwined  with  the  nature   of  contemporary  capitalism  like  other  movements  that  were  once  regarded  as  being  sub-­‐ cultural.  Although  criticism  has  been  attracted  to  the  commercialisation  of  parkour,  such  as   Mason’s  suggestion  that;  ‘parkour  was  instantly  devoured  by  media  piranhas  because  of  its   incredible  visual  appeal  ...  It  was  a  real  movement,  but  it  was  turned  into  a  corporate  circus   almost  instantly.’  (Mason  2008,  p.  223)  Due  to  the  level  of  autonomy  that  exists  within  the   culture,  it  is  also  important  to  consider  that  parkour  practitioners  have  created  their  own  

industry.   This   industry   has   flourished   based   upon   a   widespread   desire   to   consume   the   urban   environment   in   an   approach   based   on   individuality   rather   than   based   on   its   prescribed   functionality.   Consequently   the   influence   of   mass   media   representations   of   parkour   should   not   simply   be   read   as   spectacles   intended   for   a   passive   audience,   but   equally   the   inspiration   for   individuals   that   have   chosen   to   become   participants   in   the   culture.      

As   much   of   the   activity   associated   with   parkour   challenges   the   constraints   of   capitalism  by  way  of  questioning  the  purpose  of  architecture  through  performative  acts,  it   demonstrates  an  alternative  economy  of  creative  interactions  between  the  body  and  the   world   in   which   it   inhabits.   The   involvement   of   traceurs   in   facilitating   the   visual   representation  of  parkour  and  dissemination  of  its  beliefs  present  a  considerable  degree  of   entrepreneurship,   displaying   their   ability   to   promote   their   own   athletic   accomplishments   and  the  virtues  of  parkour  culture.  Parkour  videos  therefore  present  a  variety  of  enhanced   multi–sensory  narratives  that  amongst  other  things  are  used  to  develop  the  reputation  of   traceurs  and  their  ability  to  engage  with  testing  situations.  They  are  also  used  to  highlight   the  haptic  qualities  of  architecture  and  demonstrate  unconventional  forms  of  experiencing   it,  and  in  doing  so,  present  an  alternative  means  to  express  the  spirit  of  a  place.  Criticism   towards   the   commercial   usage   of   parkour   however   does   raise   questions   of   authenticity,   due   to   concerns   surrounding   the   extent   to   which   the   original   philosophy   of   parkour   is   embedded  within  the  growing  community.  

Rather  than  regarding  parkour  as  a  means  of  appropriating  spaces  it  is  important  to   consider  its  value  as  form  in  relation  to  the  concept  of  dwelling,  in  order  to  build  a  lasting   connection  between  individuals  and  the  environment  in  which  they  inhabit.  Although  it  is   apparent  that  parkour  speaks  directly  to  the  notion  of  displacement  and  the  world  in  which   individuals  have  access  to,  it  also  highlights  the  role  of  human  mobility  in  place–making.  As   the   Geographer   Tim   Cresswell   points   out   how   the   notion   of   displacement   helps   us   to   understand  the  wider  sense  of  belonging  that  an  individual  ascribes  to  places  that  extend   beyond   the   boundaries   of   which   they   inhabit   (Cresswell   2004)   Therefore,   displacement   should  not  be  considered  as  dialectically  opposed  to  place–making  but  rather  demonstrates   the   complex   and   often   contradictory   relationships   that   are   embedded   within   anthropological  place.    

As  this  chapter  highlights,  parkour  presents  a  new  reading  of  architecture  that  has   evolved  around  the  philosophy  of  overcoming  the  challenges  that  are  embodied  within  it.   Traceurs   interrogation   of   the   tactile   qualities   of   buildings   therefore   demonstrates   an  

understanding   of   architecture   that   is   only   apparent   when   being   situated   in   a   space.   This   reading  of  architecture  and  of  place  resonates  with  Heidegger’s  concern  for  the  nearness  of   a   place.   As   Malpas   states,   ‘nearness   is   not   a   matter   of   coming   into   the   vicinity   of   some   single,   unique   place,   but   rather   of   coming   to   recognize   the   placed   character   of   being   as   such’  (Malpas  2006,  p  .297).  Heidegger’s  concern  of  a  loss  of  nearness  is  associated  with  a   belief   that   although   the   modern   world   has   overcome   the   problems   of   distance   it   undermines  the  experiences  of  true  dwelling.  I  would  therefore  argue  that  traceurs  develop   sense  of  place  based  on  nearness  and  an  ability  to  engage  with  the  particularities  of  a  site.   It  is  also  evident  from  the  interest  that  exists  in  the  visual  representations  of  parkour,  as  an   alternative  way  of  decoding  the  urban  environment  that  it  presents  a  way  of  questioning   the  codes  that  govern  the  use  of  urban  space.  For  these  reasons  the  next  part  of  the  study   will  closely  examine  groups  of  architecture  students  and  traceurs  to  compare  and  contrast   their  reaction  to  the  physical  and  social  conditions  of  urban  spaces.  The  aim  of  this  will  be   to   investigate   the   benefits   of   considering   readings   of   environments   that   focus   upon   personal  explorations.  This  will  be  achieved  by  using  filmic  tours  of  the  city  of  Liverpool  to   document   the   specific   ways   in   which   individuals   associate   themselves   with   the   characteristics  of  a  place.  By  recording  tours  of  the  city,  this  study  builds  upon  the  use  of   filmmaking  as  an  academic  tool  to  capture  a  sense  of  place  that  can  be  analysed.