FANTACITY/issue1

ARCHITECTURE SUBVERSION

PLANTS USER MANUAL

/1FANTACITY

ISSUE /1

INTRODUCTION

URBAN SUBVERSION

CITY ECOLOGY

USER MANUAL

NOT TO FIND ONE’S WAY AROUND A CITY DOES NOT

MEAN MUCH. BUT TO LOSE ONE’S WAY IN A CITY,

AS ONE LOSES ONE’S WAY IN A FOREST, REQUIRES

SOME SCHOOLING. STREET NAMES MUST SPEAK TO

THE URBAN WANDERER LIKE THE SNAPPING OF

DRY TWIGS, AND LITTLE STREETS IN THE HEART

OF THE CITY MUST REFLECT THE TIMES OF DAY,

FOR HIM, AS CLEARLY AS A MOUNTAIN VALLEY.

THIS ART I ACQUIRED RATHER LATE IN LIFE;

IT FULFILLED A DREAM, OF WHICH THE FIRST

TRACES WERE LABYRINTHS ON THE BLOTTING

PAPERS IN MY SCHOOL NOTEBOOKS.

WALTER BENJAMIN/ BERLIN CHILDHOOD AROUND 1900

MANHATTAN/USA

AUGUST 2013: MANHATTAN/USA

AUGUST-OCTOBER 2013: ZURICH/SWITZERLAND

MILAN/ITALY BERLIN/GERMANY

OCTOBER 2013-JANUARY 2014:TEL AVIV-YAFFA/ISRAEL PROPER

AL KHALIL/OCCUPIEDPALESTINE

ZURICH/SWITZERLANDMILAN/ITALY

MANTOVA/ITALY BERLIN/GERMANY

TEL AVIV-YAFFA/ISRAEL PROPERAL KHALIL/OCCUPIED PALESTINE

NYC/THE MUSEUM OF RECLAIMED URBAN SPACE www.morusnyc.org

ZURICH/KOCH AREAL SQUAT www.kochareal.ch

BERLIN/PRINZESSINNENGARTEN COMMUNITY GARDENwww.prinzessinnengarten.net

BERLIN/TEMPELHOFER FREIHEIT COMMUNITY GARDENwww.tempelhoferfreiheit.de

MILAN/GIARDINO DEGLI AROMI COMMUNITY GARDEN www.ilgiardinodegliaromi.org

MILAN/ISOLA PEPE VERDE COMMUNITY GARDENwww.isolapepeverde.wordpress.com

MANTOVA/CORTE EREMOwww.corteeremo.com

TEL AVIV-YAFFA/ZVULUN BALAGAN ROOFTOP GARDENfacebook.com/zvulun balagan

AL KHALIL/COMET-ME SUSTAINABLE RURAL ELECTRIFICATIONwww.comet-me.org

SENIOR PROJECT

EXPERIENCES

PRACTICALVISUAL

CULTURAL ECOLOGICAL

RESEARCHING METHODS OF RECLAIMING URBAN SPACES THROUGH SUBALTERN CULTURES

WHILST TRAVELLING, WHAT SUNG TO ME WERE NOT JUST THE ‘FORMAL’ SUBALTERN CULTURES THAT I EXPECTED TO FIND BUT THE UNINTENTIONALLY SUBVERSIVE METHODS BY WHICH PEOPLE REAPPROPRIATED SPACES. I BEGAN TO SEE THE INTRICATE SYMBOLS OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT MANIFEST THEMSELVES IN THE LIMINAL ZONE BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPACES.

MY INTENTION WAS TO EXPLORE CULTURES THAT WERE EXPLICITLY RADICAL IN THEIR APPROACH TO URBAN SPACE DYNAMICS - ANARCHIST SQUATS, URBAN GARDENS, ART COLLECTIVES AND COMMUNITY MARKETS ETC. MY THESIS WAS THAT SUCH MOVEMENTS EMPHASIZED AND REASSERTED THE INTEGRITY AND ‘REALNESS’ OF THE CITY. HOWEVER, THE MORE I TRAVELLED, I BEGAN TO FEEL THE SPIRITUAL AND AESTHETIC BEAUTY OF A CITY ALSO CREATED BY THE SIMPLE, SEEMINGLY NON-POLTICALLY RADICAL WAYS OF USING THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT.

TO RECLAIM SPACES IS NOT ONLY TO INTENTIONALLY OPPOSE THE FORCES THAT GOVERN THEM BUT TO FIND USES FOR THEM THAT EMPHASIZE THE FUNDAMENTALLY COMMUNAL QUALITY OF THE CITY IN WAYS THAT ARE PRACTICAL AND EQUALLY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.

WE ARE AS MUCH THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CITY AS THE BUILDINGS THAT COMPRISE IT. I AIM TO PROVOKE THOUGHT ABOUT THE PLACES WE LIVE IN IN THE HOPE THAT WE MIGHT FIND WAYS TO PRACTICALLY RECLAIM SPACES AND OPPOSE THE INCREASINGLY PRIVATIZED NATURE OF OUR CITIES.

URBAN RESILIENCE

MANHATTAN/USAZURICH/SWITZERLAND

MILAN/ITALY BERLIN/GERMANY

TEL AVIV/ISRAEL PROPERAL KHALIL/OCCUPIED PALESTINE

6 MONTHS OF TRAVEL

CULTURAL?ECOLOGICAL?POLITICAL?

“THE CAPABILITY TO PREPARE FOR, RESPOND TO, AND RECOVER FROM SIGNIFICANT MULTI-HAZARD THREATS WITH MINIMUM DAMAGE TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH, THE ECONOMY, AND SECURITY”1.

1 Wilbanks, T (2007). “The Research Component of the Community and Regional Resilience Initiative (CARRI)”. Presentation at the Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado-Boulder.

HOW DO WE CREATE SPACES THAT REJECT FORMAL STRUCTURES OF POWER AND OPPRESSION?

IN WAYS THAT ARE PRACTICAL, SIMPLE AND INNOVATIVE

OFIR BROM, RAN ZARZEVSKY AND IYAR SEMEL CONVERTED THEIR TERRACE INTO A SPACE TO GROW FOOD FOR THE PEOPLE. THEY ALSO HOST YOGA CLASSES AND SCREEN FILMS IN THE SUMMER MONTHS. PEOPLE CAN WORK AT THE GARDEN IN EXCHANGE FOR A PLACE TO STAY AND FOOD. THEY HAVE ALSO OPENED A SHOP WHERE THEY SELL FRESH PRODUCE OUTSIDE THE GARDEN.

ZVULUN BALAGAN/TEL AVIV-YAFFA11 ZVULUN STREET,YAFFA

VOLUNTEER-RUN ROOFTOP GARDEN

“WE ARE SHOWING THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENT WAY TO MAKE STUFF. WE HOPE TO GROW AND TO BE ABLE TO TAKE BIGGER PROJECTS AND TO LIFT THE AWARENESS OF THE PEOPLE. IT IS A PART OF WHAT’S HAPPENING.”

FOUNDER/OFIR BROM

COMET-ME IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SUPPORTERS, PARTNERS AND VOLUNTEERS. IF YOU ARE A HIGHLY MOTIVATED PERSON WITH BACKGROUND IN RENEWABLE ENERGY, WATER ENGINEERING, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, ECOLOGICAL DESIGN, OR MEDIA ADVOCACY AND CAMPAIGNING, WE INVITE YOU TO VOLUNTEER WITH US. VOLUNTEERING IS PREFERRED FOR PERIODS OF THREE MONTHS OR MORE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT [email protected].

COMET-ME IS AN ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN ORGANIZATION PROVIDING BASIC ENERGY AND CLEAN WATER SERVICES TO OFF-GRID COMMUNITIES USING ENVIRONMENTALLY AND SOCIALLY SUSTAINABLE METHODS. THEY FACILITATE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF SOME OF THE POOREST AND MOST MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES THROUGH INSTALLATION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS (WIND AND SOLAR), CLEAN WATER SERVICES, CAPACITY BUILDING AND RELIABLE MAINTENANCE.

THEIR WORK DEVELOPED OUT OF A LONG-LASTING RELATIONSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO THE MARGINALIZED PALESTINIAN COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH MOUNT HEBRON. INITIALLY A VOLUNTARY INITIATIVE, COMET-ME CARRIED OUT ITS FIRST INSTALLATIONS IN 2006, AND FORMALLY INCORPORATED IN ISRAEL AS A PUBLIC BENEFIT COMPANY IN SEPTEMBER 2009. TODAY, THEY ARE A VERTICALLY INTEGRATED UTILITY, PROVIDING BASIC ENERGY SERVICES TO MORE THAN 24 COMMUNITIES ENCOMPASSING OVER 1,500 PEOPLE. COMET-ME IS CURRENTLY THE LEADING PROVIDER OF SUSTAINABLE RURAL ELECTRIFICATION SERVICES IN THE REGION, AND AN INNOVATOR IN THE FIELD OF OFF-GRID WATER TECHNOLOGIES.

GIARDINO DEGLI AROMI WAS FOUNDED IN 2003 IN THE FORMER PAOLO PINI PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL BY A GROUP OF WOMEN WITH EXPERIENCE IN CULTIVATING AND COLLECTING MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS. IT AIMS FOR THE SOCIAL REINTEGRATION OF DISADVANTAGED PEOPLE. THE ASSOCIATION PROMOTES THE KNOWLEDGE, USE, AND DISSEMINATION OF HORTICULTURAL, AROMATIC AND MEDICINAL PLANTS AND PROVIDES TRAINING AND RESEARCH WHICH ARE OPEN TO EVERYONE.

GIARDINO DEGLI AROMI/MILAN45 VIA IPPOCRATE

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

THE DESIGN IDEA AND COMPOSITIONAL CHOICES THAT DEFINE SPACES ARE ORIENTED TO THE PURSUIT OF HARMONY AND WELL-BEING OF THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE PLACE WHETHER THEY ARE HUMAN BEINGS , ANIMALS OR PLANTS.

[email protected]

CORTE EREMO IS HOME TO THE CULTURAL ASSOCIATION ‘READING RETREATS IN RURAL ITALY’ AND ITS FOUNDER, CLARK LAWRENCE. THE ASSOCIATION HOSTS CONCERTS, ART EXHIBITIONS, AND CULTURAL EVENTS YEAR-ROUND, AND IS OPEN AS A GUESTHOUSE TO MEMBERS, WHO COME FROM ITALY AND ABROAD TO READ, RELAX, AND MEET EACH OTHER IN A FRIENDLY, QUIET ATMOSPHERE.

CORTE EREMO/MANTOVA2/A VIA EREMINO

CULTURAL ASSOCIATION

“PEOPLE OFTEN ASK HOW OR WHY I BECAME A GARDENER. IT BEGAN WHEN I MOVED TO THE CASTLE OF GALEAZZA IN 2003, WHERE GARDENING WAS A NECESSITY. SOME OF THE GATES AND DOORS OF THE CASTLE WERE BLOCKED BY TREES AND BRUSH. WISTERIA WAS WINDING ITS WAY UP THE CASTLE WALLS AND UNDER ROOF TILES. GARDENING MEANT CLEANING UP A WILD, OVERGROWN MESS. SLOWLY THIS CHANGED, AND IN THE CLEARED-OUT AREAS I BEGAN CULTIVATING FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES, INCLUDING UNUSUAL OR RARE PLANTS I HAD COLLECTED WHILE TRAVELLING. THE IDEA WAS NEVER TO FEED ALL OF THE GUESTS OF THE CASTLE WITH OUR GARDEN PLANTS, BUT CREATE A BEAUTIFUL SPACE WHERE THERE IS NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN EDIBLE AND ORNAMENTAL. CABBAGES, HORSERADDISH AND MANY AROMATIC HERBS GREW IN THE FLOWER GARDEN WHILE COSMOS, TULIPS AND MARIGOLDS GREW BETWEEN THE VEGETABLES.

THE GARDEN HAS BECOME AN IMPORTANT PART OF READING RETREATS IN RURAL ITALY. WHAT BEGAN AS A NECESSITY BECAME A HOBBY, AND THE HOBBY QUICKLY BECAME AN OBSESSION. I AM FASCINATED BY HOW PLANTS GROW, AND PROPOGATE NEARLY EVERYTHING IN MY GARDEN FROM SEEDS - NEARLY ALL OF THEM ARE DONATED FROM GARDENING FRIENDS FROM SEVERAL COUNTRIES. I USE COMPOST AND GOAT MANURE AS FERTILISER, AND SEE NO NEED FOR USING ANY KIND OF HERBICIDE OR PESTICIDE, OTHER THAN WHAT I CAN MAKE AT HOME WITH NATURAL AND INEXPENSIVE INGREDIENTS - GARLIC, ROTTEN NETTLE JUICE, LEMON JUICE AND ZEST, CIGARETTE STUB “TEA”...

MY AIM IS TO LEARN ABOUT PLANTS, CREATE AN INTERESTING AND ECOLOGICALLY BENEFICIAL GARDEN, RECYCLE SCRAP BRICKS AND WOOD (POTS, PANS, PANELS OF GLASS, BUCKETS, OLD RUSTY BEDS) AND SHARE THE BEAUTY OF WHAT GROWS WITH THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED - SCHOOL CHILDREN, TOURISTS, FRIENDS, ITALIAN NEIGHBOURS. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE VISITED MY GARDENS IN THE PAST 10 YEARS, AND MANY STUDENTS COME TO VOLUNTEER IN THE GARDEN.

I’M AT MY HAPPIEST WHEN WORKING OUTSIDE, AND IF YOU COME FOR A VISIT, I’D BE DELIGHTED TO SHOW YOU WHAT I’M UP TO.”

FOUNDER/CLARK LAWRENCE

NOMADISCH GRÜN (NOMADIC GREEN) LAUNCHED PRINZESSINNENGÄRTEN (PRINCESS GARDENS) AS A PILOT PROJECT IN THE SUMMER OF 2009 AT MORITZPLATZ IN BERLIN KREUZBERG, A SITE WHICH HAD BEEN A WASTELAND FOR OVER HALF A CENTURY. ALONG WITH FRIENDS, ACTIVISTS AND NEIGHBOURS, THE GROUP CLEARED AWAY RUBBISH, BUILT TRANSPORTABLE ORGANIC VEGETABLE PLOTS AND REAPED THE FIRST FRUITS OF THEIR LABOUR.

[email protected]

PRINZESSINNENGÄRTEN/BERLIN 15 PRINZESINNENSTRASSE

COMMUNITY GARDEN

“BUILT ON LANDS ORIGINALLY HELD BY THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR, TEMPELHOF AIRPORT‘S TUMULTUOUS HISTORY SPANNED A CENTURY: THE SITE OF THE ONLY OFFICIAL SS CONCENTRATION CAMP IN BERLIN AND THE PLACE WHERE CHILDREN GATHERED CANDY THROWN BY WESTERN PILOTS DURING THE BERLIN AIRLIFT OF 1948/9. AFTER A CENTURY SERVING AS AN AIRFIELD, TEMPELHOF WAS CLOSED TO AIR TRAFFIC IN 2008, AND IS CURRENTLY BEING CONVERTED INTO A PUBLIC PARK AND COMMUNITY CENTRE.”

TEMPELHOFER FREIHEIT/BERLIN TEMPELHOFER DAMM/ COLUMBIADAMM

COMMUNITY GARDEN

“THE IDEA IS TO GROW VEGETABLES BUT ALSO TO JOIN IN A GROUP PROJECT, DO SOMETHING TOGETHER, IT’S A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE TAKES PART,”

BURKHARD SCHAFFITZEL, ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF “RUEBEZAHL GARTEN”

“THE END OF THE BINZ IS NOT, HOWEVER, THE END FOR ZURICH’S SQUATTERS. A LARGE PART OF THE SCHOCH FAMILY BEGAN TRANSPORTING THEIR BELONGINGS, UNDER THE CLOSE WATCH OF POLICE DRONES, TO THE NEW PLACE IN ALTSTETTEN TWO WEEKS AGO. THEY ARE OPTIMISTIC THAT THEY HAVE FOUND A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN CONTINUE THEIR FIGHT AGAINST THE WEALTH-SERVING AND OVERBEARING POLITICS OF ZURICH, EVEN IF UBS WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO START TEARING THE VACANT BUILDING DOWN THIS FRIDAY, AND HAVE BEGUN TAKING BIDS FROM ARCHITECTURAL FIRMS. IN A MOVE MEANT TO DETER SQUATTERS, UBS HAS ALREADY ORDERED ALL SANITARY FACILITIES ON THE GROUNDS TO BE DESTROYED.”

KOCH AREAL/ZURICH ALTSTETTEN

SQUAT

“BUT FOR WHOM IS IT CLEARED ? NOT FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY. NOT FOR THE COUNTLESS PEOPLE WHO CANNOT PAY RENT. WHAT IS BEING BUILT IS HARDLY QUESTIONED...PEOPLE ARE DISPLACED. THIS CAN BE SEEN IN THE WHOLE CITY. THE HIGHEST BIDDER TAKES THE GOOD LOCATIONS AND WHO DOES NOT PAY GOES!”

[email protected]

“THE MISSION OF THE MUSEUM OF RECLAIMED URBAN SPACE (MORUS) IS TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY OF GRASSROOTS ACTIVISM AND PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTALLY-SOUND, COMMUNITY-BASED URBAN ECOLOGIES. THE MUSEUM PROMOTES SCHOLARSHIP OF GRASSROOTS URBAN SPACE ACTIVISM BY RESEARCHING AND ARCHIVING EFFORTS TO CREATE COMMUNITY SPACES. WE ALSO EXHIBIT MATERIALS THAT DOCUMENT THESE ACTIONS IN ORDER TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ON THE POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF RECLAIMED SPACE.”

[email protected]

MORUS/MANHATTAN155 AVENUE C

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

URBAN SUBVERSION

MOST NEEDED ARE THOSE ‘THIRD PLACES’ WHICH

LEND A PUBLIC BALANCE TO THE INCREASED

PRIVATIZATION OF HOME LIFE. THIRD PLACES

ARE NOTHING MORE THAN INFORMAL PUBLIC

GATHERING PLACES. THE PHRASE ‘THIRD PLACES’

DERIVES FROM CONSIDERING OUR HOMES TO BE

THE ‘FIRST’ PLACES IN OUR LIVES, AND OUR

WORK PLACES THE ‘SECOND.’

RAY OLDENBERG/ THE GREAT GOOD PLACE

CITY ECOLOGY

RELATIONS BETWEEN PLANTS, PEOPLE AND

PHYSICAL SPACES ARE WAYS TO CONSTRUCT

A MORE-THAN-HUMAN COLLECTIVE ACTION AND

UNDERMINE AND CONTEST AN ESTABLISHED

PRACTICE OF POWER.1

1Lawhon, Mary, Henrik Ernstson, and Jonathon D. Silver. /“Provincialising Urban Political Ecology: Towards a Situated UPE through African Urbanism.”

USER MANUAL

WHAT MAY BE NEEDED HERE IS A DESIGNERS’

COMMUNE. MOST COMMUNES IN THIS COUNTRY

HAVE DETERMINEDLY MARCHED INTO THE PAST.

BUT BAKING BREAD, PLAYING A GUITAR,

WEAVING FABRICS, AND DOING CERAMICS ARE

NOT THE ONLY RATIONAL ALTERNATIVES TO A

CONSUMER SOCIETY. NOR IS THE MIND-BLOWING

VIOLENCE OF A CHARLES MANSON. WITH MOST OF

THE COMMUNES POISED IN A CHOICE BETWEEN

NIHILISM AND NOSTALGIA, A COMMUNE OF

PLANNERS AND DESIGNERS MIGHT PROVE TO BE

THE BEST ALTERNATIVE.

VICTOR J. PAPANEK /DESIGN FOR THE REAL WORLD

KRISTI RUGGISABEL MANCINELLIHEATH CABOTERNIE MCMULLENUJWALA SAMARTHHARTMAN DE SOUZAZAEEN DE SOUZAPRABHA AND RAMESH SAMARTHSUNIL BHONSLEANJALI NERLEKARKASPAR FLUECK (AND FAMILY)IRENE CORTESEJON ARCHERBOGLARKA IVANEGOVAANA PUHACSURYA KARKIMOUTASSEM HASSANURS RIGGENBACHSAMUEL ARTHUR ALLENREMO KRIEGCHRISTOPH PFLUGERMICHAEL PFLUGERADITI DESAITERESACLARK LAWRENCEANDREA MUBI BRIGHENTI

JAYA CHAKRAVARTIFELICIA VON BORRIESURS FABIAN WINIGEREMMY RAVIVELINOR KAMINER (AND FAMILY)YAARA BARAKRONEN SHAMIROMER SHAMIRHILANIOFIR BROMRAN ZARZEVSKYIYAR SEMELLEVI HAIMELAD ORIANNOAM DOTANAHMAD ALMASRY AYA SHOSHANWASEEM JABARI JALAL TAMIMIEZRA NAWI JON PERSSONLEA FREHSEJONATHAN MACHLERRUTH PEACEGOODLAILA(AND EVERYONE ELSE)

THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE THAT CONTRIBUTED THEIR TIME AND EFFORT INTO THIS PROJECT. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.