DOI: https://doi.org/10.34680/urbis-2025-5(2)-321-335
Digital city’s space: The image of the panel house in the context of urban identity
Olga Shirokova
Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University, Veliky Novgorod, Russia
ORCID: 0000-0002-1257-6571
ABSTRACT
In this article author analyzes the representation of the panel house as a central visual construct in the urban identity emerging within the digital environment. Urban identity, in this context, is understood as an objective and collectively perceived characteristic of a city, capable of capturing the unique meanings of a place while distinguishing it from other areas. In the digital realm, the process of identification – both for people and cities – results from the integration of socio-cultural structures and interactions between citizens across media platforms. This process is driven by citizens' desire to preserve the cultural specificity of their city in the new digital space. Furthermore, the article explores the concept of “digital culture,” which shapes urban forms in the media and enables the representation of a place's characteristics in this new environment. Using the image of the panel house as a case study, the article examines key narratives of place development and appropriation in the city's digital space. The author conceptualizes the visual image of place in the digital environment, defining its symbolic boundaries through digitized visual patterns and urban narratives. Affective markers of identity are identified as crucial elements in this process, as they establish connections between citizens and their environment – particularly significant in the digital media space. The author also highlights key sensory components of identity – such as security, nostalgia, and resilience that help individuals anchor themselves in the fragmented landscape of digital meanings.
KEYWORDS: city, urban identity, urban culture, image of the home, image of the city, panel house, digital culture, digital media.
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Information about the author
Olga V. Shirokova
PhD Student
Assistant of the Cultural Studies Department
Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University
41, Bolshaya Sankt-Peterburgskaya St.,
Veliky Novgorod, 173003, Russian Federation
ORCID: 0000-0002-1257-6571
e-mail: [email protected]
For citation:
Shirokova, O. V. (2025). Digital city’s space: The image of the panel house in the context of urban identity. Urbis et Orbis. Microhistory and Semiotics of the City, 5(2), 321–335. https://doi.org/10.34680/urbis-2025-5(2)-321-335
