An Anthropology of the Subjective Gaze in the Urban Space
An Anthropology of the Subjective Gaze in the Urban Space

Summary/Abstract: The subjectivity of the gaze distinguishes its very nature and differentiates us as humans. The mosaic of perceptions confronting the city in 2024 helps identify both societal states and our own sensitivity. From this element, we analyze urban space as a unique, personal context of individual identity. Every city has a central square, its nucleus, indispensable and strongly linked to the community. In every urban settlement, there are varying levels of visual perception influenced by its own and other temporarily established cultures. Another historical landmark closely linked to a city is the main street. For Bucharest, Calea Victoriei has been the main attraction since its construction. The most impactful message is the symbol. For Umberto Eco, basic symbols are words, texts, but this can be extrapolated. Just as texts can have multiple interpretations, so can an architectural complex like Calea Victoriei. These interpretations vary over time. In the Middle Ages, meanings were accepted rigidly, but the Renaissance allowed all interpretations, even contradictory ones. It’s uncertain if the architects of Calea Victoriei imagined infinite interpretations, but meanings were added by the recipients. Calea Victoriei is alive. To demonstrate how vanished monuments influenced architecture, I chose the lost Saadabad Palace, built by Sultan Ahmed III near Constantinople. The palace was destroyed, but it remained in people's memory, explaining levels of interpretation, especially from visual perception. There are five levels: urban landscape structure, religious buildings, residential architecture, ornamentation, and infrastructure. The main street of any city is crucial. Calea Victoriei highlights historical, anthropological, entertainment elements, and what makes a street the attraction of a city.

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