Page - 134 - in Mobile Culture Studies - The Journal, Volume 3/2017

134 Mobile Culture Studies. The Journal 3 2o17 Patrick Naef | Using mobility and urban planning to implement atmosphere in the place layout. The suppression of pedestrian crossings, as well as the levelling of the pave- ment and the road, made some of the population uneasy. The municipality had to install a dif- ferent type of street furniture, not initially foreseen, as a remedy. Some bollards were set up near residential front doors to create a demarcation between the buildings and the road. Other types of street furniture, like flower pots or bike racks, were also installed on straight streets to force motorized vehicles to slow down. Moreover, after the suppression of a pavement in front of its main storefront, a bank asked for a solution to prevent potential ram raid attacks. A concrete bench was installed to ward off such an eventuality. (fig. 4) In Versoix again, urban planners and the authorities faced other, more unexpected, situations. A Thai restaurant owner noticed that a tree planted as part of this new development formed an angle with the layout of her restaurant. The owner complained that this sharp angle was preventing an optimal circulation of the Chi, thus negatively impacting the Feng Shui of the place.7 Although the tree was not removed, the authorities changed the installation of the stakes, increasing their number from three to four, in order to remove the shape of a triangle and obtain a square. As we can see, the appreciation of appropriate place atmospheres also depends on cultural contexts. A new urban development can highlight cultural differences related to what is considered as a desirable atmosphere. A city is composed of micro-cultures, creating zones of contact and friction between people and spaces. (Duarte, 2013) Like urban planners and public authorities, city-dwellers also parti- cipate to configure the diverse atmospheres of a place; they demonstrate specific know-how and express micro-resistances to restrictive and inhospitable space-times. (Thibaud, 2013). As in the case of Versoix, the suppression of pedestrian crossings and signage in the ‘Alt’ neighbourhood in Fribourg also created a feeling of unease among inhabitants and users. The local authorities 7 To be Feng Shui, an installation is supposed to avoid sharp angles and obscure corners. Fig. 4: Photo by Patrick Naef