Blog 3

The Heart in Place-

If Somerville were the place, Davis Square would be it’s heart. 

his notion is by far not limited to the geography or physical make-up of Davis. Davis is the  place identity of may Somerville residents, it is the symbol that comes to mind for many that reside here (as parent, student, officer, lover, voyeur, business owner...). It’s important to note that there are a few other nodes within the district of Somerville that people identify with. In any case, Davis is the  principle one because it provides representation (in the form of social territory)  for the greatest cross section of social groups. 

The emotional aspects of Davis are mulit-valent. A sculptor's work provides insight into the heart of Davis. Abounding the square lie two sculptures that encapsulate the emotional aspects of Davis. One is of an old couple that harkens us to the memory of young love and faithfulness. So often, we see older couples holding hands and cannot but help feel a sense of nostalgia. Davis maintains a sense of this nostalgia. The other is of a lonely many bearing flowers reaching out (to us) as though he were attempting to share. It's sentimental at the very least and I feel as though Davis carries with it a feeling of sentimentality available to anyone willing to reach back. 

The square meets much of the criteria laid out by Lynch for what he defines as good public space. There are points, nodes, edges, and paths. Its clear physical  legibility allows people to easily relate, not only in the sense of establishing orientation, but also of identity. There are nodes and destinations that relate to divers groups giving Davis a lot of amenable flexibility. It has diverse levels of energy which is important for public spaces if it is going to attract different social groups. 

The principle social group in Davis is unquestionably the younger crowd ranging from the ages of 18-30.  Many of them spill over from Tufts University, the rest are young professionals such as myself who chose to live near a strong social hub in a relatively affordable area. Social classes are more difficult to pin point; one could speculate that the people in Davis are mostly middle-class but that isn't saying much since most of N. America is middle class. What makes Davis unique as compared to say Harvard or Central Square is density and attitude. Its not as alternative as Central nor as cosmopolitan as Harvard. There's a pastoral feeling about the place. I've heard many locals refer to Davis as the place that "Harvard used to be" and the place that will eventually become as busy and frenetic as Harvard. There's steady activity in Davis, but just enough to keep you intrigued without the sense of over crowding. People in Davis are self leveling because there are enough destinations to move into. Unfortunately, family run businesses are slowly giving into big-box chain operations which in turn force people into consumerist situations which alters the mood altogether. At present, you don't have to shop everywhere. You can come and do nothing without feeling out of context.