The two characters impersonate the main two notions in the definition of economy - OIKOS and NOMOS
At the base of the statue of Zeus they are portrayed together, side by side, amongst the rest of the greek deities, arranged in couples. While all the couples have relationships such as marriage or brotherhood, Hestia and Hermes are united by friendship. They represent the dichotomy of the greek ancient space.
While Hestia represents the stability of the interior/private world, Hermes embodies the movement of the outside/the public, which is the space od the polis.
(Oikos and Economy: The Greek Legacy in Economic Thought - Gregory Cameron)
In THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ABSOLUTE ARCHITECTURE Pier Vittorio Aureli talks about the attributes of the Roman city combined with the ones of the greek city.
He introduces the notions of Urbs and Civitas. The first indicates the city in a different sense from the greek word polis. It represent the very material constitution of the city, the agglomeration of houses; while the polis was founded from a preexistent latin community, the latter comes from Cives, and represents the condition of citizenship.
By this we can consider that the Urbs, the agglomeration of houses, it is the material form of the Oikos, the spirit of the family, the private, while the polis is the manifestation in the city, the public space, that contains the Civitas, the spirit of citizenship.
Therefore the relation Oikos - Urbs represents economy, while Civitas - Polis is politics.
Aureli describes this pattern’s evolution in time: Urbs slowly takes over polis with the rebirth of the western city characterized by a new way of living and working guided by economy.
Having these principles defined, we can observe them in their physical form in Nollis plan of Rome.
Urbs, the material form of Oikos and polis the manifestation of Civitas, but there is also the space in between that connects them, this is defined by Aureli as being the infra - where trade takes place.
The activity of trade leaves physical marks through transport.
Having this in mind, we can consider the hypothetical region described by Walter Isard in Location and space - economy, as an example for economic activity as a base for organization in space.
1. A city develops in point A, firstly having no strategical relation to the environment. It develops an agricultural sector around it to support its population.
2. A new resource is found in the vicinity, on a river, therefore a new city is founded in point B.
3. Because the distance between the two points is of few days, new cities are founded in points C and D to make the transport of commodities easier.
4. In points E, G and F, resources of iron are discovered. Because E and G are closer to the current cities (lower transport costs), they are chosen as new locations of exploitation. New transport routes are formed to connect A and B with the resources. The iron manufacture represents an incipient industrialization.
5. In point F coal is also discovered. Because of the advances in technology, new transport systems are created and facilitate the connection with F. Here, a major industrialization takes place based on the coal resources and iron manufacturing.
6. H is formed to connect the new transport system with the old route. The relation F - H becomes a catalyst of relocation of agriculture, economic agglomeration, trade between agricultural products and factory products and the decline of E, G, C and D.
The Silk Road was the most enduring trade route of human history, being used for about 1500 years. It followed from Asia to the Middle East and Europe and consisted of a succession of trails followed by caravans through Central Asia, about 6400 km in length.
From this example we found the notion of transport corridor
This is an example of a transport corridor.
Its aim is to connect in a sustainable and cheaper way the Mediterranean and Central Europe with the North Sea increasing the capacity of transports on railways.
Its aim is to connect in a sustainable and cheaper way the Mediterranean and Central Europe with the North Sea increasing the capacity of transports on railways.
The notion of corridor is very vast, but many of its definitions are related to economy.
Economy uses the corridor as a tool for its development
Economy uses the corridor as a tool for its development
Basically the economic corridor spreads continuously from one entity and keeps its principles from one scale to the other like the phenomenon of fractal geometry that exhibits a repeating pattern that displays at every scale.
The corridor always consists of the same performative aspects that transform from one scale to the other.
The main performative aspects are: Trade/exchange, speed, branching, connection/division, efficiency/profit.
The most evident and direct exchange taking part in shops and supermarkets.
The futurist have the most relevant illustration of speed, this being a subject of their fascination.
Jeux des reflets et de la vitesse - representation of the dynamics of speed and the disorientation brought by it.
The corridor has the capacity of spreading into different branches creating joints and intersections.
Before the birth of the corridor, the circulation was made through the rooms, in enfilade.
Movement received a dedicated space – the corridor.
Movement received a dedicated space – the corridor.
EFFICIENCY | PROFIT
High-frequency trading, Nanex software, the stock trading activity in Johnson & Johnson
At the base of economical corridor we have efficiency.
Here we have a simulation made by Nanex software that shows the exchange of information during half a second.
This shows how important the position in relation with the corridor is, as every millisecond counts.
Here we have a simulation made by Nanex software that shows the exchange of information during half a second.
This shows how important the position in relation with the corridor is, as every millisecond counts.
Through our panels, we made a conclusion of the corridor’s performative aspects at three different scales:
First, we have the scale of the infrastructure, represented here by the tunnel.
The speed and the directionality of infrastructure is always brought to a maximum by overpassing obstacles in its path.
Tunnels pierce through mountains, seas and land.
The speed and the directionality of infrastructure is always brought to a maximum by overpassing obstacles in its path.
Tunnels pierce through mountains, seas and land.
This is made possible by the latest technologies and engineering breakthroughs.
As we can see from the drawing, the tunnel becomes a machine that optimizes transportation of freight and people at different speeds while also assuring the maintenance of its structure through an adjacent service tunnel.
As we can see from the drawing, the tunnel becomes a machine that optimizes transportation of freight and people at different speeds while also assuring the maintenance of its structure through an adjacent service tunnel.
The scale in between is where the branching starts.
Here there is also a change in speed and directionality.
This is the scale of infrastructural joints and connections, of warehouses and storage facilities, but also terminals (train stations, airports and ports).
Here there is also a change in speed and directionality.
This is the scale of infrastructural joints and connections, of warehouses and storage facilities, but also terminals (train stations, airports and ports).
In the image we want to amplify the ability of the corridor to spread through the precise mechanism of the warehouse. The façade is modelled by the most efficient movement of the trucks loading and unloading freight.
This is also visible in the plan, marking the change in shape and form of the corridor, bringing also the change of speed.
The maximum optimization of space takes place also inside, and here we can see better the change in scale as the logics of the street corridor is recurrent inside through the warehouse’s deposit lanes.
As we go to the smaller scale, the scale of the shopping malls, we discover the same principals.
Here, the speed is diminished, as the space is dominated by the displays of the shops. They force you to stop in front of them and amplify the possible changes of direction that occur whenever you make a choice.
Here, the speed is diminished, as the space is dominated by the displays of the shops. They force you to stop in front of them and amplify the possible changes of direction that occur whenever you make a choice.
On the ceiling, the technical part remains visible to show the infrastructure of the equipments. Their optimal functionality guarantees an ideal environment for activity, therefore better production.
In the plan, the real nature of the façade becomes visible. The shopping mall creates the illusion of a street façade while in fact it is just a way of hiding its real structure as to be more appealing to its customers.
The circulation flux changes inside the shop, as well as its speed, becoming labyrinthical and slower.
Economy uses the corridor as a tool for its development and acts through performative aspects that change and transform at different scales.