The cultural landscape not only mirrors the present moment in the flow of events and personalities, but it also fits into the quote attributed to science-fiction writer, William Gibson; that "the future is already here, but it is distributed unevenly." By extension the cultural landscape is also the place where the past is still here, but it is distributed unevenly.
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| Fulton and Jefferson Streets, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 |
This photo shows a variety of buildings in downtown Grand Rapids, each with a different origin story. A closer look at the physical expression of the historical moment that each one dates to will reveal some of the desirable design elements of the time, the state of the (then) art installed and contractors' standard of practice in craftsmanship, the functionality and features of the time, and the purpose it was meant to be used for when first opened. Apart from the church steeple barely visible over the treetops on the right side of the horizon in this photo, most of the other buildings have tenants or owners much different to the people who dreamt of the building and then brought it to completion.
Just as the assemblage of buildings from different eras all jostle side by side in the present moment, the same can be said of people of different generations, social-economic status, ethnic origins, and so on who comprise today's nation and this particular municipality. Likewise of books in the lending collection on the nearby library shelves; of trees in the park of different ages and origins; or words found in conversation or present in this sentence. What is common to all these examples is the co-incidence or coexistence of subjects with origins of different years and possibly of different geographic setting. No matter what the roots are and what the path was that brings the things together in the present moment, they all share the space and time right now: the future is already here, but also the past is still here. This mix of dates and styles is what makes it so engaging and rewarding to read the cultural landscape. Even with incomplete knowledge, it is possible to see in the photo a Chinese buffet across the street in a sturdy and stylish brick building with decorative ceramic elements. Surely, the original owners did not envision the series of businesses that have filled the premises across the generations since it was built and opened for business decades ago.
Without expertise, deep memory, or local knowledge it is hard to know with confidence the meanings, uses, and chronology of personalities and events connected to a given building and surrounding location. But even approaching the cultural landscape with much ignorance, there is some satisfaction that is earned upon starting the adventure by paying attention; noticing details, patterns, and surrounding conditions that may contribute to the design, siting, and features visible in the durable structures of years ago.
In contrast to mass produced features of the cityscape like clothing, vehicles, and functional parts of the infrastructure like signage, traffic rules, and public safety services like police and fire, the creation of a building is usually one-of-a-kind. So whereas these other elements of the present moment might reflect something about the purchaser and user, in the case of buildings the massive scale and the long lifespan allow curious observers to imagine some of the considerations of the designer, builder, and owner at the original creation of the architectural form created. Later developments in technology, economy and consumer relations, and trends in people's lives play a part in the second and additional chapters in the each particular building, but traces of the original decisions baked into the structure can still be read into what we see there today. Perhaps there was a degree of pride, fashionableness, or ambition to present the latest services and products.
Generations later those faint echoes from the original time of opening perhaps remain for those who seek them, but even without turning an eye to "the past is still here, but it is distributed unevenly," it is possible to appreciate the diverse eras all buildings present here within walking distance in the city center. Then after exercising one's imagination of the past that lives on, it is natural to continue the process and look ahead through the mists of time to suppose how these same durable structures may carry on as time travelers to the future, under the management of new owners or tenants who continue their livelihood among the lives of those future people who only now being born.
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