Social Difference in LA- Week 2

WEEK 2 - VENICE

This week I travelled along with one of my friends to Venice. Having heard lots about Venice’s boardwalk, I was eager to walk along it and see it for myself. However, before doing so, I decided to approach this location with a more open-minded view on social different.  My goal was to find something out-with the widely talked about areas.  This brought me to the Canals of Venice. These canals were built in 1905 and some only lasted until 1929 leaving only remaining canals in disrepair. They were left for 40 years and. In 1992, were finally renovated.

This week I looked at the reading of David Harvey, who looks at ‘The Urban Process under capitalism’, where he focused “exclusively on the process governing investment in the built environment”. In his research, he looks a lot at the working class and the ways in which their residential areas are comprised. Many of the lower class housing were historically located near factories, where there was little investment in the built environment and had low standards of living for the families. Contrary to this, Venice displays the “capital class” individuals at the opposite end of the spectrum where investment in the built environment is extremely high. 

The houses are very large, well maintained houses, in one of the most expensive areas in California. The majority of the homes overlook the picturesque canals; each with their own jetty and boat.  They are also located only 200 meters from one of the most famous beaches in the whole of California.

However, the peaceful surroundings are a far cry for the bustling atmosphere present on the famous boardwalk. Only about 200 meters away in the tranquil settings, is home to many homeless individuals trying to make a living selling undistinguished skills. In my opinion, this really highlights the contrast between classes.

  

There were a number of visible deterrents such as the sign above; clearly indicating a complex security system in place to warn off trespassers. This emphasises the barrier between the varying class levels.