Introduction

In this introduction, I explore the concept of affective urbanismAffective urbanism (*) and discuss the varieties of the urban experience that underpin this concept. I argue that the ongoing experiments in experience-oriented urbanism that involve the making of profoundly sensorial urban atmospheres, rhythms, and worlds, are inspired by two dichotomic, even contradictory, versions of the urban experience. On the one hand, affective urbanism under the perspective of the experience economy conceptualizes the city as a space for consumption in which experiences are imbued with affective, sensory, and emotional elements in order to attract and seduce consumers. On the other hand, a series of affective interventions in urban space have recently sought to rethink and reconstruct urban spaces and social relations through practices of care and curating that are meant to be sensitive to the everyday needs of the diverse population of contemporary cities. While both approaches seek to transform urban spatialities and socialities through affect, their outcomes differ significantly. With this in mind, I outline how this book will investigate this issue.