The Power of Icons and Symbols in Cities
There are many topics of discussion on the future of the city of Houston in regard to urban planning, transportation woes, the state of the economy, and more recently, flooding issues. While these areas of inquiry are important to speculating on the city’s future, an additional area of concern should be that of culture and its ultimate impact on shaping Houston into a great city.
For a city to be a great city, a strong culture amongst other key factors must be in place. Urban planning research professor H.V. Savitch described the factors as the “4 C’s”[1] of greatness in cities — with the first as “charisma”. Built through symbols, charisma can contribute to the legibility of a city, establishing memorability, much like branding. Strong, authentic symbols with historic meaning give people in cities a figurative ‘badge’ to wear for their communities. Essentially, charisma is character and culture.
Three Values of Culture
The core of culture is formed by three values which are: Symbols, heroes, and rituals. Symbols are learned and perpetuated in a society through its institutions[2]. In consideration of this, the approach to the city development, economy, institutions, and transportation are symbols in which directly shape and build the culture of any city. Each of the values represent the tangible or visual aspects of the practices in a culture. When analyzing a city like Houston, one can observe that almost none of the categories are being fulfilled.
Symbols
Symbols can be words, gestures, images, objects, or architecture. For New York City, the timeless “I Love NY” campaign logo designed by Milton Glaser serves this purpose. In Chicago, a public sculpture such as Anish Kapoor’s “Cloud Gate” (aka “The Bean”) becomes symbolic of the city ethos. In Los Angeles, it is the iconic “Hollywood” signage.
Heroes
Heroes are those who possess influential characteristics that are celebrated in a culture and become models for behavior. These figures can be from the past or present; real or fictitious. To name a few, in LA, it’s J. Paul Getty, John Cage.
For New York, it’s Rudy Giuliani, Jane Jacobs, John D. Rockefeller, or Spiderman.
In Chicago, there’s Dick Tracy, Ernest Hemingway, Michelle Obama.
Rituals
Rituals are activities or routines all in a community partake in and are socially essential to culture. The subway system has this affect in New York; The L in Chicago.
Divided We Fall
When a people are divided amongst a large area such as Houston, they cannot powerfully unite to rally for or against protection of ideals or symbols within their communities. Examples of this are at work with the rejection on the ballots to save the local architectural symbol, the Astrodome in 2013[3] (there are new plans currently being considered at the time of this posting), and in 2011, when Houston was not awarded a shuttle by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)[4]. The primary location of mission control being in Houston seemed reason enough by the public to have a shuttle, and therefore the assumption was that no fight needed to be had to keep one.
Space Center Houston, where the shuttle was to be showcased, has long suffered as a result of an insufficient attempt to attract tourists, in addition to lack of support and interest by the local community. In other words, Houston appeared disinterested and got what it rightly deserved: a replica. In an interview with Houston Public Media, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said it succinctly “You know it’s an incredible venue [Space Center Houston at Johnson Space Center], but when they have to rely on bringing exhibits in that have nothing to do with space just to attract people, it says that the city probably ought to get a little more involved with them in trying to make them a focal point for the city of Houston.” In spite of this undesirable result, the local community of Houston continues its same lack of support for the Space Center.
The shuttle, Astrodome, and in particular the recent Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO)[5] losses are symptoms of the Houston culture dilemma on all fronts. The first two should have been held for their symbolic nature: one for major exploration feats in science and technology, and the other for architectural marvel. Finally, HERO represented an opportunity for public acceptance and openness to diversity in community.
Preservation and establishment of culture help communities unite and build better futures. This is crucial to Houston’s future as the city continues to see a massive influx of people and families relocating here — with millennials making up the majority of the population.
Rice University sociologist, Stephen Klineberg, describes Houston as being a representative of a new human settlement and one of the major places where the American future is going to be worked out. The city has eight to 10 major centers of activity that include workplaces, shopping places, and residences. In essence, Houston has become a city of smaller cities. With this scale, the inner and outer loops are necessary not for travel from the suburbs to a main downtown core, but to travel from one suburb to another.
Klineberg has been documenting Houston’s ongoing transformation for 35 years[6], and has suggested that one primary factor will be important to the city evolving in a positive direction: Education. A new generation will soon be coming into positions of power and the way forward is to ensure they are well equipped to continue to lead and pivot the city in the global economy. Although Klineberg’s concern for education is more related to one of quality, a consideration that access by the masses and the sharing of ideas — which mobility and interconnectivity can provide — will also be crucial. Ultimately, we cannot rally around or build symbols if we are increasingly spread apart physically and philosophically, nor can we foster higher education.
While the city’s roots have been in aggressive economic development and the impatient entrepreneurial spirit that comes with it, it is clear that a time of awakening and transition has arrived.
In a treatment of a symptom, the Greater Houston Partnership has launched many initiatives[7] — “UpSkill Houston”, “Houston The City with No Limits”, “Houston Talent Attraction Initiative” — which are indicative of a new change. In addition, the concept of the “Creative Economy” has also caught the eye of the Houston Arts Alliance which has released several reports[8] and launched “Houston is Inspired”, as well as the City of Houston with a recent Arts and Cultural Plan, “By You City”.
However, what these reports and programs are missing is a resolution to the lack of interconnectivity, an understanding of the power of deliberate design, and authentic symbols.
A great city needs great visionaries, big picture thinkers, and risk takers working in tandem with the community, urban planners, architects, civic and cultural institution leaders, and public officials. It is more than an ‘inspired’ campaign.
All Things Are Connected
Houston must begin to look critically into its past and present, and to find value in protecting (and creating) strong symbolic, ritualistic, and heroic assets. If the city of Houston has no interest in resolving its city design and transportation woes, it cannot build or protect culture in the community. As a result, native Houstonians and newcomers of the future alike will never value building or preserving monuments crucial to the future success of the city in the global economy.
To effectively make change and shape the future, it must first be understood that all things are fundamentally connected: Culture cannot be discussed without transportation, transportation without city development, city development without education, education without creative class and economy. No words ring more true than If You Build It, They Will Come.
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[1] H.V. Savitch, “What Makes A City Great? An American Perspective”, Planetizen, November 8, 2010, accessed May 2016, www.planetizen.com/node/46776
[2] Ifte Choudhury, Associate Professor Department of Construction Science, College of Architecture, “Culture”, Texas A&M University, accessed May 2016, www.tamu.edu/faculty/choudhury/culture.html
[3] Juan A. Lozano, “Demolition Likely for Astrodome as Voters Nix Plan”, Houston AP News, November 6, 2013, accessed July 14, 2016, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/fate-iconic-houston-astrodome-voters
[4] “Review of NASA’s Selection of Display Locations for the Space Shuttle Orbiters”, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of the Inspector General, August 25, 2011, https://oig.nasa.gov/audits/reports/FY11/Review_NASAs_Selection_Display_Locations.pdf
[5] Katherine Driessen, “Houston Equal Rights Ordinance Fails by Wide Margin”, Houston Chronicle, November 4, 2015, accessed July 14, 2016, http://www.chron.com/politics/election/local/article/HERO-results-6608562.php
[6] “Kinder Houston Area Survey 2016”, Rice|Kinder Institute for Urban Research, accessed June 2016, https://kinder.rice.edu/has/
[7] “Partnership Initiatives”, Greater Houston Partnership, accessed June 2016, https://www.houston.org/initiatives
[8] “The Creative Economy of Houston 2”, Houston Arts Alliance, accessed June 2016, http://houstonartsalliance.com/publications/creative-economy
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Jennifer Blanco is a native Houstonian who spent a great deal of time living and working in Brooklyn, New York., but is glad call Texas home again. She has an undergrad degree in Graphic Design from the School of Visual Arts in New York and her work has been featured in design compendiums byGestalten, Rockport, Chronicle Books, PRINT, and HOW Magazine. Jennifer is founder and creative director of Field of Study, an award-winning branding firm based in Houston and co-founder of the letterpress studioWorkhorse Printmakers. She has taught design as an Affiliate Artist at the University of Houston and has served on the board of directors of AIGA Houston — a national professional design association — previously as Vice President for four years. Through AIGA, Jennifer advocated for a greater understanding of the value of design and designers in government, business, and media.
