ABSTRACT
In a radio interview some years ago Bernard Tschumi spoke of the Park of La Villette to the effect that he wanted it to resemble, in an entirely new way, the coexistences and conjunctions of the industrial city in all its classic densities. Without actually invoking Poe, Simmel or Benjamin his aspirations remapped their figurations of chance and shock, of speed and anomie, of intensity and blasé resignation.3 To make his point Tschumi gave the instance of the park’s running track, designed eventually to pass through the piano bar so that while the drinkers are to drink and the runners are to run around, sometimes they will change roles and places, and sometimes may watch or not watch each other run and drink.
