The Influence of Media on the Transformation of Public Space – Considering the Future of Park of Friendship
Dragana Kocić, Petar Mitrović, Dragana Konstantinović
https://doi.org/10.60152/6iyarcyq
Abstract: In the contemporary world, much is discussed about the influence of media on people’s lives. However, the direct impact of the media on the creation of living public spaces is less discussed. The availability of different web platforms, freedom of speech, reporting methods, and the direct translation and transmission of political thought to the public lead to changes – new agendas – and the formation of opinions and attitudes that directly impact the built environment. Thus, media discourse becomes an old/new tool for forming the identity of a place, city, and state. Media discourse has changed and become more influential in the former Yugoslav states. The transition of post-Yugoslav society was accompanied by the transformation of the built environment, which was supported by various media narratives. This research begins with the assumption that reality is not singular but comprehensive and socially constructed, and that media plays a fundamental role. The media’s influence in constructing and deconstructing public space will be illustrated through a case study of Park of Friendship (Park prijateljstva) in Belgrade. From the Avenue of Peace and the Eternal Flame to a future-oriented space focusing on museums and contemporary design, the Park’s evolution reflects how media narratives and present-day societal needs shape its identity. These media discourses not only document but also participate in the creation of public perceptions, transforming spaces in line with emerging cultural and political agendas. At the same time, media exert a massive influence on the globalization of architecture. This often manifests through the promotion of architectural works and the dissemination of imagery, whether through photographs of actual buildings or visualizations of future projects. By circulating these representations on various platforms, media help create a positive economic climate, fostering development and revitalization of previously overlooked or less popular spaces. Thus, media platforms act as catalysts in global architectural trends, influencing both local urban transformations and broader aesthetic and economic movements in architecture. The media today are more influential than those from 40 years ago and are considered social agents that intervene in the construction of public representations of space. Contemporary lifestyles involve frequent changes in the urban landscape and demands for change. What is the role of the media, what kind of media agents are present, what are the most influential ones, and whose agents are they, are just some of the questions this research tends to address.
Keywords: Architecture, public space, media, media discourse, narrative, transformation
How to cite this Paper (Harvard referencing style):
Kocić, D., Mitrović, P. and Konstantinović, D. (2024) ‘The Influence of Media on the Transformation of Public Space – Considering the Future of Park of Friendship’, in R. Bogdanović (ed.) On Architecture — Shaping the City through Architecture, Proceedings. Belgrade, Serbia: STRAND, pp. 235-243.