User:Lor.ensō/contextures

[note to Steve: Introduction is meant as literal introduction to the thesis, maybe I have started this too soon?] I left your notes on the bottom of page without crossing it out. 

Perfect timing! I suggested edits here:LorenzoThesisDraftSteveSuggests,

Introduction

Traveling around the city of Rotterdam with my brother, who is in a wheelchair, has made me aware of the architectural, cultural and bureaucratic limits that define our movements. In this Thesis I will reflect upon, (de)construct and criticize Rotterdam. I will reflect on Rotterdam in contrast to the utopian postcard realities that I experience in the city. In this text called Contextures, I develop a "counter-mapping" practice in relation to the issue of accessibility in Rotterdam. This will take the form of the transcription of a series of drawings which I made whilst writing Contextures. I will also use my knowledge and experience in world building with 3D software.

The text will be structured by the following themes, each of which represents one of the multiple obstacles to getting around.

Socially - Personal, Affordable, Family, Housing

Accessibly - Disability, Information provision, infrastructures

Bureaucratically - Protocols of local municipal / governments

Architecturally - Buildings, ways, pavements, roads, streets

Virtually - Imagery, impression, media, softwares, simulation, games

Culturally - budget cuts, false iconism, counterculture, grassroots, community, festivals/gigs/events

These issues become invisible. When people do not see them. they do not exist.

Chapter Outline

The three chapters of Contextures group the above into pairs:

• ^{Socially - Accessibly /} (un)Familiar barriers, social thresholds and unmeant ignorance I refuse to allow myself to fall in a pit of despair. This is a healthy reflection on the topics; reacting honestly to a complex of issues in search for (alternative) mechanism.
• ^{Virtually - Architecturally} / Innovation and Virtual Tools as development or demolition of reality
• ^{Bureaucratically - Culturally} / Zoning: friction between counter culture and bureaucracy, false iconism vs community

GET AROUND / ^{Socially - Accessibly /} (un)Familiar barriers, social thresholds and unmeant ignorance

This drawing is a cacophony of the examples I give in this chapter. I_{n the top right, it is me pushing my brother from street level, to pavement, over the ramp inside onward towards inside.}_________________________________________ B_{elow the hall there is a front door view of where my aunt and uncle live. Which is a multi-threshold construction of tiles, bricks and pavements, resulting into a tight door which isn't wide enough to fit my brothers wheelchair into.} _________________________________________ I_{n the middle of the image. Is a sketched version of the Trevvel app-interface based on the ride booking/reservation screen. Above this screen is a sketch of the Gemeente logo with the word of WMO (law for societal support) and the number 6-8, indicating the weeks it can take before you know if you qualify for Trevvel}. _________________________________________ O_{n the right side of the interface. A sketch based on the front door situation of my Nephew's recently bought house. (Looked at above from Google Earth) Where we met up to meet his kid and showing us through the house. My brother couldn't get in because of, once again construction of tiles, bricks and pavements. With another social threshold that could have been helped, had we the knowledge of entrance, since we do have ramps to get past this. Wouldn't know if he would fit inside, though.} _________________________________________ ^O_{n the bottom left, there is the possibility of a back door of my aunt/uncle's place. Which we didn't use in the end.} ________________________________________ _ ^T_{he A to B line in bright green hovers over the different thresholds. To show what bizarre detours have to be done to get complete the route, not even mentioning the delays.}  

^{Socially - Accessibly /} (un)Familiar barriers, social thresholds and unmeant ignorance

In this chapter I aim to show the preconceptions that are often there about the multiple obstacles to and how these become invisible when people are unaware. When people do not see it. It does not exist.

I am zooming in from the big picture to a personal experience. The questions I'm currently asking is:

How does one Manoeuvre or get around 'town'?

Starting with myself: I can not ride a bike, so I either walk, take public transport, take a cab or carpool with someone. My brother can not walk, he is in a wheelchair or mobility scooter, so public transport mostly isn't an option. He can be transported from bed to wheelchair, from bed to mobility scooter, from wheelchair to a car.

It is mostly the case he gets around with something that is called Trevvel He manoeuvers around in his mobility scooter for longer distances and for shorter distances, he uses his electric wheelchair. One would assume that this fixes a lot of problems, which is true but still he meets a lot of obstacles on the way.

Here's an example of a difficulty I encountered. I intended to go to a friends Halloween party. I needed to get there via metro and bus. I couldn't stay there, and the option of a taxi with a big group was too expensive.  Another friend offered a place to stay, but that was only accessible via bike.  I didn't go in the end, but that kinda struck to me. This wasn't the end of the world, just a bit shitty and I felt a bit left out, even if this was well intended.

The frustration I felt through being presented with a series of comparatively low thresholds made me consider my brother. The thresholds that occur along the way for him: from a pavement without hills or ramps, to bureaucratic, social and architectural thresholds are of a different order. 

Here's an example of a difficulty my brother encountered. My aunt wanted to plan my grandfather's birthday at their place in Spijkenisse, but they were worried that my brother can't access the hallway, because it is too small and the chair might damage the varnish. The other option was that he comes in through the backdoor but that was also inaccessible due to the same compact measures and fear of damage.

My mother came with the idea that we would do it at 'our place'. Which means I have to 'work' for this: I sometimes help my mother as a Mantelzorger. [ informal caregiver ].

Every 4-6 weeks, my brother, mother and I have a little get together. Because, if I want to meet with my brother and mother at my mother's place, it takes some preparation:

The mobility scooter is too heavy for the ramp, he needs to get there in a wheelchair.

The situation installation of my brother visiting my mother's home.

For my brother to enter my mother's house, we need*:

- to reserve the parking spot before the pavement by addressing neighbours, people on the street.

- to place a hill or a plank on an empty parking spot

- to place a plank/hill from the street to the curb

- to place a ramp from the curb that which transitions into another a hill(small ramp) going into the hallway

- to place another small ramp in the corridor to enter the entrance hall.   

*The ramp and hills needed to be purchased.

- The ramp and hills need to be stored.

Quite the protocol on its own with these steps to make.

My brother has multiple ways to manoeuvre around, which gives him freedom. To get these things, there's a process that has to happen via the municipality. For this, he needs to get the 'social' version of Trevvel , called Trevvel Samen'. Applying for this takes 6-8 weeks and is done through the Gemeente via communicative layers of bureaucracy.

You would say this system would be great, customized for the person. The wonderful idea of social transport and traveling together and having a customized travel based on your necessities. But it has been quite the 'ride' so to say. Concerning my brother and mother. It either can go well and as it should be.

But when requesting a ride, you can reserve a booking via the app or call the company. It just works like a regular taxi service. It gets communicated via some sort of telecommunication device :

## \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"I'mavailable"\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

## //////"We have a ride from Boermarke 65 to Statenweg 127a" //////////////////////////////////////////

## \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'Yes I will take that one'\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\/////////////"Okay"/////////////////////// 

My brother then communicates that he has a ride planned. He sends us a message and we set up the small and large ramps. We tip the driver based on the fact if they help, are friendly, cooperate and participate.

There are a few social factors and flaws in Trevvel:

On a personal level: We wanted to book a trevvel that picks up my mother and me and then also picks up my brother. That wasn't possible, because *there has to be*  an hour between rides. So we in that matter needed to be picked up and brought to my brother. And then we would join him on the same ride. We then decided to go separate and ended up being picked up in the same trevvel.

This ride was heading to my nephew's house. We would visit and look at his house. We were there on time and then the same family was not thinking about my brother's situation, were unintentionally ignorant. My nephew has these concrete tile stairs. So this house becomes a liminal space to my brother. It is highly upsetting that in these vinex type lifestyle arrangements of normality. It doesn't come to mind that a nephew that has been impaired since 2019, is taken into consideration. It was a hot summer day and we just continued, but then my mother and I were picked up and my brother was picked up the moment we arrived at my mothers place.  

Our solution became that the three of us went to my grandfather for a custom version of my grandfathers birthday. We (me and my mother) were picked up around 13:00. My brother was in another bus and the driver picked up other people so it took a while in traffic. The road back we were supposed to leave around... 16:45 and in the end we had to wait an hour to be picked up. My brother started to get tremors / myoclonias because he didn't have his medicine yet (assuming he was going to be at home in time). The way back was bizarre: The bus needed to pick up people in another spot and then also right before we were almost on our location (my brother's home), the driver picked up another person at the Saint Francis Hospital (SFG) in Rotterdam. My brother was not doing well in this matter. Starting to get pissed off and tired. When we were finally were heading to Crooswijk. The last picked up person squished herself out of the bus when we were almost at our own space. Whilst we could have also requested the same but chose to be less egotistical.

This is one of the many stories of how Trevvel Samen as a form as customized transport is somewhat of a social taxi service but still has plenty of drivers and systems that are not listening to the needs of the travelers. And the fact that people need to wait 6-8 weeks depending on their situation if they qualify for this?! My brother in this case ends up less healthy and supported than this Social Support Law and Customized Transport.

This is only one of MANY examples that exemplify of just going to a family birthday for a bit requires a lot of mental preparation, it requires understanding and knowledge. It requires a municipal threshold, it needs physical support and so much more aftercare and rest afterwards.

So there are multiple obstacles to get around, socially, accessibly, bureaucratically, architecturally, virtually. And these become invisible when people do not see this. When people do not see it. It does not exist.

https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/1930343/vervoerder-trevvel-spant-kort-geding-aan-tegen-gemeente-rotterdam-we-maken-ons-grote-zorgen
https://www.government.nl/topics/care-and-support-at-home/social-support-act-wmo

https://www.rotterdam.nl/wonen-leven/vraagwijzer

https://www.trevvel.nl/trevvel-sociaal/uit-thuis-agenda/

https://www.verwijswijzer.nl/rotterdam/hulpmiddelen-en-aanpassingen/aanvullend-openbaar-vervoer.html

https://openrotterdam.nl/directeur-miniworld-woest-nadat-senior-klant-drie-uur-moet-wachten-op-taxi/

https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/1799787/krijgt-trevvel-een-opvolger-hopelijk-hebben-we-ook-als-gemeente-geleerd-van-de-fouten

https://www.ad.nl/rotterdam/trevvel-altijd-op-tijd-en-gezellige-chauffeurs-of-gaat-het-soms-toch-nog-mis~a9f4d9bd/

https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/zorg-en-ondersteuning-thuis/wmo-2015

https://www.trevvel.nl/doelgroepenvervoer/trevvel-samen/

+ Steve's comments

GET AROUND - Steve Suggested edits and [comments]

Drawing that belongs to the essay

[This is a really good proof of concept that a drawing can be the form around which you write a series of essays. Take a few lines to introduce the reader to the drawing, what are they seeing? The directed description of the drawing at the start of each "essay" will 1) provide a structure and direct the readers attention to what is important to you 2) it will establish the drawing as an instrument of your discourse, as a medium of interpretation 3) it provides a parallel form of reading.The drawing provides a map, it represents a form of "counter mapping" or "bespoke mapping". It is also evident that the thesis speaks directly to your proposal, on the level of practice.]

I am zooming in from the big picture to a personal experience. The questions I'm currently asking is:

=== How does one manoeuvre or get around 'town'? ===

Manoeuvre meaning,  a movement or series of moves requiring skill and care or carefully guide or manipulate someone or something in order to achieve an end.

I can not ride a bike, so I either walk, take public transport, take a cab or carpool with someone.

[<<This can also be used in all the essays= a definition which the essay then discusses. This will provide a solid structure for the thesis as a whole.]

My brother can not walk, he is in a wheelchair or scootmobile, so public transport mostly isn't an option. He can be transported from bed to wheelchair, from bed to scootmobile, from wheelchair to a car.

It is mostly the case he gets around with something that is called Trevvel*: a customized transport. (A social taxi).

But more on that later. 

He manoeuvres around in scootmobile for long distances and for shorter distances, his electric wheelchair. There are plenty obstacles that may come along the way.

My own recent example was that I intended to go to a friends halloween party. He lives in a location that I needed to get to via metro and bus. I couldn't stay there but a taxi with a big group was an option. A too expensive option.  Another friend offered a place to stay but that was only accessible via bike ride.  I didn't go but that kinda struck to me the other day. It wasn't a big deal because I also was still feeling sick from the flu shot.  This wasn't the end of the world but just a bit shitty.

But it kind of resulted in a frustration concerning my brother. The thresholds that occur along the way: from a pavement without hills and ramps to bureaucratic, social and architectural threshold.  The frustration was because I was complaining about how people are inconsiderate considering disabilities.

The reason was because my aunt wanted to plan my grandfathers birthday at their place in Spijkenisse. It is meant to be a social gathering. But they were worried that my brother can't access the hallway because it is too small and it might damage the varnish. The other option is that he comes in through the backdoor. But it still pending because we do not know the measurements of the door.

My mother came with the idea that we would do it at 'our place'. Which means I have to 'work' for this: I sometimes help my mother as a Mantelzorger

[ informal caregiver ] Every 4-6 weeks, my brother, mother and I do a little get together. Because, if I want to meet with my brother and mother at my mother's place. It takes some preparation: My brother can not walk and he gets around by either his electric wheelchair or in a mobility scooter(scootmobile?).

For my brother to enter my mother's house, we need*:

- an empty parkingspot to place a hill or a plank

- to place a plank/hill from the street to the curb

- to place a ramp from the curb that which transitions into another a hill(small ramp) going into the hallway

- to place another small ramp in the corridor to enter the entrance hall.   

*The ramp and hills needed to be purchased.

So, my brother has multiple ways to manoeuvre around, which gives him freedom. To get these things, there's a process that has to happen via the municipality.

Since the scootmobile is too heavy for the ramp, he needs to get there in a wheelchair. For this, he needs customized transport :**Trevvel Samen**.

Trevvel Samen is something you can apply for if you have an illness, handicap or age that public transport becomes impossible to use. It is a social taxi service that picks you up and delivers you to the spot where you need to be.

Applying for this takes 6-8 weeks and is done through the Gemeente via communicative layers of bureaucracy (Fill in a form, call 14010 or visit a location)

You would say this system would be great, customized for the person. Social transport. Traveling together.

This unfortunately depends as it were a case-by-case study.  Concerning my brother and mother. It either can go well and as it should be.

But when requesting a Trevvel, you can reserve a booking via the app or call the company.

It literally just works like a regular taxi service. It gets communicated via some sort of telecommunication device :

## \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"I'mavailable"\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

## //////"We have a ride from Boermarke 65 to Statenweg 127a" //////////////////////////////////////////

## \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'Yes I will take that one'\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\/////////////"Okay"///////////////////////

My brother then communicates that he has a Trevvel planned. He sends us a message and we set up the ramps and hills. We tip the driver based on the fact if they help, are friendly, cooperate and participate. He gets Trevvel via Wet maatschappelijke ondersteuning (law considering the social support act of 2015). There are a few social factors and flaws in Trevvel:

On a personal level: We wanted to book a trevvel that picks up my mother and me and then also picks up my brother. That wasn't possible, because *there has to be*  an hour between rides. So we in that matter needed to be picked up and brought to my brother. And then we would join him on the same ride. We then decided to go separate and ended up being picked up in the same trevvel.

This ride was heading to my nephew's house. We would visit and look at his house. We were there on time and then the same family was not thinking about my brother's situation, were unintentionally ignorant. My nephew has these concrete tile stairs. So this house becomes a liminal space to my brother. It is highly upsetting that in these vinex type lifestyle arrangements of normality. It doesn't come to mind that a nephew that has been impaired since 2019, is taken into consideration. It was a hot summer day and we just continued, but then my mother and I were picked up and my brother was picked up the moment we arrived at my mothers place.  

[The sense of frustration is conveyed powerfully here. I like the idea of how the personal maps on to broader issues, looking forward to seeing how this develops over the next few months]

So there are multiple obstacles to get around, socially, accessibly, bureaucratically, architecturally, virtually. And these become invisible when people do not see this. When people do not see it. It does not exist.

[<<if this is the introduction, the list of obstacles: "socially, accessibly, bureaucratically, architecturally, virtually" could provide a list of chapters/drawings (although the obviously always overlap)]

{feedback on draft proposal: in this text/drawing you are developing aspects of your proposal. The key here is that it is focussed and defines its parameters (protocol) = drawing +essay/annotation. I think you could do the same with the proposal. Consider, for instance, that your project be ONLY drawings or ONLY visualisations. The research question would then be something like "how to develop a counter-mapping practice in relation to he issue of accessibility in Rotterdam?" the proposal then becomes a more precise issue of developing a VISUAL LANGUAGE around the issue of accessibility in Rotterdam, as read through your own experience. The attendant issue would be the practical question of how best to present these drawings and visualisations (this could only be answered once you start producing the visual material and developing that question further). Let's discuss the implications of such a decision on Thursday.}

https://www.government.nl/topics/care-and-support-at-home/social-support-act-wmo

https://www.rotterdam.nl/wonen-leven/vraagwijzer

https://www.trevvel.nl/trevvel-sociaal/uit-thuis-agenda/

https://www.verwijswijzer.nl/rotterdam/hulpmiddelen-en-aanpassingen/aanvullend-openbaar-vervoer.html

https://openrotterdam.nl/directeur-miniworld-woest-nadat-senior-klant-drie-uur-moet-wachten-op-taxi/

https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/1799787/krijgt-trevvel-een-opvolger-hopelijk-hebben-we-ook-als-gemeente-geleerd-van-de-fouten

https://www.ad.nl/rotterdam/trevvel-altijd-op-tijd-en-gezellige-chauffeurs-of-gaat-het-soms-toch-nog-mis~a9f4d9bd/

https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/zorg-en-ondersteuning-thuis/wmo-2015

https://www.trevvel.nl/doelgroepenvervoer/trevvel-samen/