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Previous Plazuela del Teatro, Sacramento, Uruguay
This is closest to the concept of the outdoor public square in Las Vegas. On one side "Paris" and on the other "Bellagio" hotel, Ceasar Palace - Rome and in the distance "Venetian", everything is instant here.
In front of the Bellagio hotel and casino there is really magnificent pool with dancing fountain show!
This is one of the rare spots where you do not feel oppressed or prayed upon to get drunk, get involved and of course, spent all your money. Las Vegas is definitely mean money eating machine!
In March 2003 we were in Las Vegas attending the Graphic Design Industry Conference and receiving Paragon Award for our design of virtual Guide to Seneca College in Toronto. On return I wrote this text for the little presentation we put together. Today 17 years later I am still standing behind every word. Here it is:
All of the above plus much more for 33 million visitors a year! What all these people are looking for?
They are looking for place (and time) to get instant (average visit is four days) relieve from the routine of the everyday life, "money is all" pressure and dark reality of the 9 - 5 restrictions to our life.
They have lost all the interest for reality, interest for other places, other cultures, other way of life. They still have some traces of knowledge that there, somewhere, there is a place where you can enjoy yourself. That is exactly what is offered. Instant Paris, Venice, New York, Treasure Island, Mirage, Aladdin, Luxor, Caesar's Palace... They are all more real than real. There is a chance (one in a million) to get rich.
Money you work hard to get (and that is a main reason that you have all those inhibitions) is sucked by the money making machine (Las Vegas). All the hypnotic sounds and smells, music, dance, free drinks, eroticism, entertainment, over expensive shopping, exotic food, chance to get rich, no clocks, no place to relax, is contributing to the "no time or place sense" in Vegas and confusing you, already over depressed, to spend all the money you have and much, much more. Than you can go back and make your life more miserable by working even harder to pay all the debts.
Las Vegas is only the most extreme example of how we are treated by the interest of the small minority of the corporate people, but this is reality in the North America.
Is this a life we are aiming to?
| more about evaluation method |
more about types of squares |
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sociability |
10 |
ceremonial |
x |
uses & activities |
6 |
religious |
x |
access & linkages |
8 |
social |
x |
comfort |
6 |
residential |
x |
image |
2 |
court yard |
x |
tourist value |
10 |
with park |
x |
total |
42 | street, shopping |
x |
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