The Compression of Time and Space Through Urban Transport

  The term time space compression was first coined in 1989 by the Geographer and Social theorist David Harvey. The term was used to refer to the way the acceleration of economic activities leads to the destruction of spatial barriers and distances. Defining it in the simplest way possible time space compression is a number of processes that result in the distances between places shrinking and in turn makes places around the world seem closer together. According to Barney Warf the idea that the world is shrinking is not new, "in the face of rapid advances in travel, such as the jet airplane, and communications (especially the Internet), has entered into the public geographical imagination." The topic of space compression has long been an important part of work for geographers researching transportation and communication. Boats were the first mode of transportation that allowed humans to travel across seas to places far away. The first existing boat dates backs to somewhere between 8200 and 7600 BC. A journey by boat would take months or  even years but now with the invention of steam boats and planes the length of these journeys has been shortened by a great deal. People from all over the world can travel to other parts of the world that were not accessible to them in the past but is now in their reach within hours or days. Developed Urban areas around the world all include some mode of transport that makes another part of the world accessible and assists in compressing time and space.

 

Piarco International Airport
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/striderv/926037754:

In Trinidad and Tobago for example the compression of time and space started in 1924 with the purchase of our first steam ship the SS Belize as mentioned in a previous post. And continued with the inception of the Piarco International Airport on January 8th 1931. Maurice Lange a local engineer chose Piarco as the site at which the airfield would be located. Construction on the 3000 feet Piarco Runway and Terminal was completed in approximately three months and on the 8th the terminal was able to receive its first aircraft. Since this date the Airport has become one of the most important modes of transport for Trinidad as well as the Caribbean.

Photo by-E.D

The picture shows the Piarco International airport on a Saturday night.A great number of changes can be noticed about the structure of the building since it's construction date 85 years ago. Maxi taxis can be seen parked outside either waiting to pick up persons coming into  the country or dropping off persons who plan to leave the country. Thanks to transport technologies such as this the process of time space compression can be accelerated. The airport allows a number of people to stay communication with each other, enjoy recreation such as vacations and a number of other positive things. In another 85 years the airport will no longer look like this and who knows maybe airports may no longer exists because of improved transportation. The generations that experienced the airport after its construction and that are still able to experience this form of transport can consider themselves lucky. The airport as well as other modes of transportation that remove geographical barriers should be appreciated. These little things must be taken into consideration. Being born into a time when these exists gives us little appreciation for the value of them because we did not experience what it was like without them. When you look at this picture or visit the airport will you now have view on it? Do you appreciate the compression of time and space in your life by means of transport?

If you Enjoyed the post and wanna know more about Time Space Compression check out the link below.  Happy Saturday!! :)

http://fields.eca.ac.uk/disruptivetechnologies/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Harvey-David-Time-space-compression-and-the-postmodern-condition.pdf

Reference:

Warf, Barney. "Time-Space Compression - Geography - Oxford Bibliographies - Obo." Oxford Bibliographies. March 10, 2013. Accessed April 04, 2016. http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199874002/obo-9780199874002-0025.xml.