From the infraordinary to the extraordinary: Georges Perec and domesticity

The design of domestic environments is fraught with decision-making, a process often dictated by fashion. resulting inhabitation spaces blends the routine and banal, occasional forays into extraordinary. domesticity range from single rooms to elaborate palaces. These can be functionally prescribed or open-ended, they support furniture, décor, behaviours, narratives. writer Georges Perec (1936–82) provides way looking at realm ordinary life through his many inter-related writings on subject. In quest for an ‘anthropology everyday life’, he explored notions ‘ordinary’ ‘infraordinary’. this text two important works are examined explore how framed questioned domesticity; reading construed as theory domesticity? Perec’s Species Spaces describes spatial continuity between city dwelling that characterised types, thresholds/boundaries, objects, practices autobiographical nature. He begins page, ascends apartment building city, ends world in sequence embedded conditions. A close read uncovers kind sociological work, critique manifesto, evolution previous writings. asks most fundamental questions, such ‘What does it mean, live room?’ monumental Life User’s Manual , examines lives residents typical Parisian building, remains one significant imaginings work architecture, occupied. Through vast scope project book captures intertwining occupants 11 Rue Simon-Crubellier, Paris’s 17 th arrondissement, precisely 8:00 pm 23 June 1975. To accomplish devised forty-two ‘preprogrammed’ factors structure each ninety-nine chapters ensure covered plot, actors, setting systematic way. ultimately armature study very small large. world, we organise our residences compartments space, furnish rooms, stories create realities, people intertwine so ways. Although frozen moment, novel vagaries complexities everyday. It routines living, unexpected happenings, connections living together quarters, role interiors defining particular period, histories damage life, common aspirations tragedies urban dwellers, on. Perec's not constitute actual domesticity, although order sense place attending both minor major aspects environment.