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2TacticalURBANISMShort-Term Action | | Long-Term
Changetacticaladj: \ t a k - t i - k l \
1. of or relating to small-scale actions serving a larger
purpose2. adroit in planning or maneuvering to accomplish a
purpose
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MIKE LYDON, Project Editor/AuthorDAN BARTMAN, Layout/Copy
EditorTONY GARCIA, ContributorRUSS PRESTON, ContributorRONALD
WOUDSTRA, Contributor
Tacticians
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TacticalURBANISM
iv
The lack of resources is no longer an excuse not to act. The
idea that action should only be taken after all the answers and the
resources have been found is a sure
recipe for paralysis. The planning of a city is a process that
allows for corrections; it is supremely arrogant to
believe that planning can be done only after every possible
variable has been controlled.
- Jaime LernerArchitect, urbanist, former mayor of Curitiba,
Brazil
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TacticalURBANISM
v
A NOTE ON VOLUME 2! During the fall of 2010 I traveled
toNewOrleanstotakepartinaretreatwithmyfriendsandcolleagueswhosometimes
self-identify as the Next Generation of NewUrbanists.While staying
there in theMarigny, I
sharedmynotesonanumberofseeminglyunrelated,butsimilarsmall-scale
initiatives happening in the streets ofNewYork,
SanFrancisco,Portland,andDallas.Perusual,theychallengedmetobetterarticulatemyideasandofferedtohelp.
Tactical Urbanism: Short-term Action, Long-term Change, Volume
1wasthenassembledduringthespringof2011anduploadedfrom38,000feetwhileflyingtoBangkokasinspirationalacityasanyforthetacticalurbanist.Theintentof
thepublicationwas toplace anumbrellaover a growingnumber of
short-term, often self-funded efforts that
weredemonstrablyleadingtolong-termchange. The term tactical
urbanism is inspired by a June2010 faslanycblogpost thatdiscusses
thepedestrianizationofTimes Square. In the introduction the author
describesthe DOTs efforts as tactical interventions, and
hacks.Itwasmy first exposure to such terms applied to the
builtenvironmentanditseemedtoperfectlydescribenotjusttheGreenlightforBroadwayproject,butagroundswellofotherlow-cost,un-semi-andfully-sanctionedinterventions.
Volume 1 was uploaded to my companys
websiteandtothePatternCitiesblog.Inlessthantwomonthsthedocument was
downloaded more than 10,000 times, themaximumnumberallowedwithour
freeSCRIBDaccount.Weknew that thepublication struck a chordwith
awholenewgenerationofcitymakers. Sensing aneed to furtherdiscuss
and share tacticalinitiatives from across the country, we partnered
withnumerousorganizationsinthefallof2011toproducethefirstTactical
Urbanism Salon. Approximately 150 people fromaround the country
(and Canada) discussed their
projects,listenedtoothers,anddrankfreebeer.PriortotheSalonwepromisedattendeesthatwedreleaseVolumeII.However,withseveralotherprojects
in theworks, thatpromise
turnedouttobeabittooambitious.Nonetheless,fromWeedBombingandDepave,toAd-BustingandCamps,TacticalUrbanismVolume
2 presents updated information, new insights,
newphotos,and12additionalshort-termactionsinspiringlong-termchange.Ihopeyoufindtheinitiativespresentedhereinasinspirationalastheyarepractical.
MIKE LYDONEditor / Author
The Street Plans CollaborativeMarch 2, 2012
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TacticalURBANISM
1
THE CHALLENGE
Citiesareinaconstantstateofflux,whichmayexplainweplannersareoftenpreoccupiedwithcontrol.Large-scale
transformations, such as stadiums,
muse-ums,largewaterfrontparks,andconventioncentersareall big-ticket
items with measurable curb appeal (forsome). Yet, such projects
require a substantial
invest-mentoftime,aswellasadeepreserveofpolitical,social,andfiscalcapital.Moreover,thelong-termeconomicorsocialbenefitcannotbeguaranteed.
Inthepursuitofequitableprogress,citizensaretypicallyinvitedtoengageinaprocessthatisfundamen-tally
broken: rather than being asked to contribute
toincrementalchangeattheneighborhoodorblocklevel,residentsareaskedtoreacttoproposalstheyoftendontunderstand,andatascaleforwhichtheyhavelittlecon-trol.Forbetterorworse,thisoftenresultsinNIMBYismoftheworstkind.Surmountingthechallengesinherentto
these public processes continues to prove
difficult.Fortunately,citieswerenotalwaysmadethisway.Wedohavealternatives.
TACTICAL URBANISM Improvingthe livabilityofour
townsandcitiescommonly starts at the street, block, or building
scale.Whilelargerscaleeffortsdohavetheirplace,incremen-tal,small-scaleimprovementsareincreasinglyseenasawaytostagemoresubstantialinvestments.Thisapproachallowsahostoflocalactorstotestnewconceptsbeforemakingsubstantialpoliticalandfinancialcommitments.Sometimessanctioned,sometimesnot,theseactionsarecommonly
referred to as guerilla urbanism,
pop-upurbanism,cityrepair,orD.I.Y.urbanism. Whileexhibiting
severaloverlappingcharacter-stics,tacticalurbanism,isadeliberateapproachtocity-makingthatfeaturesthefollowingfivecharacteristics:
Adeliberate,phasedapproachtoinstigatingchange; An offering of
local ideas for local planning chal-
lenges; Short-termcommitmentandrealisticexpectations;
Low-risks,withapossiblyahighreward;and Thedevelopmentof social
capitalbetweencitizens,
andthebuildingoforganizationalcapacitybetween
PARK(ing) Day participants temporarily reclaim an on-street
parking space for a more productive use. Credit: Parking Day flickr
pool
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TacticalURBANISM
2
public/private institutions, non-profit/NGOs,
andtheirconstituents.
EXPERIMENTATION INFORMS DESIGN Case studies
fromacrossNorthAmerica
revealthebenefitoftakinganincrementalapproachtothepro-cessofcitybuildinglong-termchangeoftenstartswithtrying
something small. Upon implementation,
resultsmaybeobservedandmeasuredinrealtime.Inthisway,tacticalurbanismprojectsintentionallycreatealaborato-ryforexperimentation.Or,toparaphraseprofessorNa-beelHamdi,theyallowforthemakingofplanswithoutthepreponderanceofplanning.
Whensuchexperimentsaredoneinexpensively,and with flexibility,
adjustments may be made
beforemovingforwardwithlargecapitalexpenditures.Indeed,thereisrealmeritinamunicipalityordeveloperspending$30,000ontemporaryplazabeforeinvesting$3,000,000inchangesthatarepermanent.Iftheprojectdoesntworkasplanned,theentirebudgetisnotexhaustedandfuturedesignsmaybecalibratedtoabsorbthelessonslearnedfromwhatissurelyaparticularanddynamiccontext.Ifdonewell,
such small-scale changesmay be conceivedas thefirststep inrealizing
lastingchange.Thus,
tacti-calurbanismismosteffectivewhenusedinconjunctionwithlong-termplanningeffortsthatmarrytheurgencyofnowwiththewisdomofpatientcapital.
Ifincludedaspartofapublicplanningprocess,tacticalurbanismmaymorequicklybuildtrustamongstdisparateinterestgroupsandcommunityleaders.Indeed,ifthepublicisabletophysicallyparticipateintheim-provement
of the city, nomatterhow small the
effort,thereisanincreasedlikelihoodofgainingincreasedpub-licsupport
formorepermanentchange
later.Involvingthepublicinthephysicaltestingofideasmayalsoyielduniqueinsightsintotheexpectationsoffutureusersandthetypesofdesignfeaturesforwhichtheyyearn;trulyparticipatoryplanningmustgobeyonddrawingonflipchartsandmaps.
Finally,usingtacticalurbanismtoactivatethoseplans already sittingon
the shelfmay recover
themo-mentumgainedduringtheactualplanningprocessandmovesomeofthemostrealisticorexcitingideasclosertofruition.
Tactical urbanism can be used to simply buildpublicawareness, to
identifyasmallbutpressingissue.Recently inBaltimore,Maryland
aguerilla
crosswalkwaspaintedacrossabusystreetwithinexpensivewhitepaint and
rollers. Although the city typically
removesunauthorizedsignsandpavementmarkingsinshortor-
der,thetemporaryimprovementdirectlycommunicatedtheneed,andarealdesirefromthepublicforbetterpe-destrianinfrastructure.Thecrosswalkhassincebecomepermanent.
Similarly,theToronto-basedUrbanRepairSquadmaintainsawebsitethatgathersimagesofD.I.Y.urbanrepairsinthecityspublicspaces.Theyrecentlyfeaturedimagesofbicyclesymbolspaintedonstreetsindicatingtheneedforfutureextensionsofthecitysbicyclenet-work.
Inanincreasingnumberofinstances,municipali-tiesfollowtheleadoftheircitizensbymorepermanentlyimplementingtheshort-term,low-budgetlivabilityim-provementsinitiatedbycitizen-activists.Inothercases,thoseworkingwithincityhallaretakingthelead.WHY
NOW? While many of the tactics profiled herein
arenew,thecity-andplace-makingprocesswenowcalltac-ticalurbanismisnot(seepgs.4-5).Indeed,thedevelop-mentofhumansettlementshasalways
included,
ifnotrequiredincrementalandself-directedactionaimedto-wardsincreasingsocialcapital,commercialopportunity,andurbanlivability.Inmanydevelopingcitiesandcoun-tries,thisremainstheonlywayforward.
Itisonlyrecentlythatthetriumvirateofcheapoil,easyfinancing,andgovernmentregulations,likeEuclid-eanzoning,hasdulledthespiritoftheNorthAmericantacticalurbanist.Weattribute
thenewwaveof
tacticalprojects,whichrunalongacontinuumofunsanctionedto sanctioned
efforts (see pgs. 7), to three recent andoverlappingtrends:
1.TheGreatRecession2.Shiftingdemographics
Temporary experiments can test physical improvements prior to
implementation. Credit: Edward Erfurt IV
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TacticalURBANISM
3
3.TheInternetasatoolforbuildingtheciviceconomy
First,abenefitoftherecessionisthatitslowedthe North American
growth machine.This
effectivelyforcedcitizens,citydepartments,anddeveloperstotakematters
into theirownhands,get creativewithprojectfunding, and
concentrateon smaller,more incrementalefforts.
Thishasoccurredwhilemoreandmorepeopleespeciallytheyoungandwelleducatedhavecontinuedtomoveintoonceforlornwalkableneighborhoods.Thiscohort
includes retirees, who are also interested in
re-makingtheirchosenneighborhoods.Interestingly,someoftheseyoungpeoplearealsomovingintogovernmentleadershippositionsasthebabyboomersretire.
Finally,
thecultureofsharingtacticsonlinehasgrowntremendouslyandisbecomingmoresophisticat-ed.Thankstoweb-basedtools,abloggercansharesome-thingtacticalinDallasandhaveitre-blogged,tweeted,facebookedetc.
indozensofcitieswithinminutes.Themostindustrioustacticalurbanists,suchasTeamBetterBlock,Rebar,andDepave,areusingthewebasaplat-formforsharingfreehow-tomanualsaimedathelpingyoubringtheirtacticstoyourtown.SuchatrendisanexampleofwhatBritainsNationalEndowmentforSci-ence,TechnologyandtheArts(NESTA)callstheciviceconomy
the spirit of entrepreneurship
combinedwiththeaspirationofcivicrenewal.
WHY HERE AND NOT THERE?
Theoretically,tacticalurbanismcanbeappliedtothe arterials, parking
lots, and cul-de-sacs
ofAmerica.Yet,thebestexamplesareconsistentlyfoundincompacttownsandcitiesfeaturinganundervalued/underutilizedsupplyofwalkableurbanfabric.Webelievethiscallsat-tentiontothelimitedsocial,economic,andphysicalre-
The Great Recession
Shifting Demographics
The Internet as a Tool for
Building the Civic Economy
TacticalURBANISM
siliency found in
sprawling,auto-centricenvironments.Itseemsthathuman-scaledplaces,wheresocialcapitaland
creativity aremost easily catalyzed, are a pre-req-uisite for
tactical urbanism.The largermoves and
de-signtechniques,suchasthosehighlightedintheSprawl Repair
ManualandRetrofitting
SuburbiamightprovidemoreappropriatefirstmovesindealingwithAmericasunwalkablesuburbs.
The rise in tactical urbanism may be attributed to three recent
and overlapping trends.
Can this be chairbombed? How does a parklet add value if there
is no on-street parking or sidewalks? Can you build a better block
if there is no coherent block structure? Credit: Unknown
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TacticalURBANISM
4
PatternCITIES
Ahandfulof cities continually establishurbandevelopment
paradigms that others readily
follow.Thesecities,whichwecallPatternCities,arentalwaysthe
progenitors of innovation, nor are they
necessarilyGlobalCities.Rather, they are the first to adapt
ideas
1914 NYClaunchesthePlayStreetsprogram1950
PlayStreetsspreadtoLondon,England1965
SeattlestartsfirstOpenStreetsinitiative1970
SanFranciscoartistBonnieOraSherkintroduces
PortableArchitectureproject,aforeunnerof Park(ing)Day1973
GuerillaGardeningeffortsstartinNYC1997
CityRepairadoptintersectionsinPortland2001
FirstPop-UpRetaileventheldinLondon2005
Park(ing)DaydevelopsinSanFrancisco2006
Programmed,Bogot-styledOpenStreets
initativesspreadtoNorthAmerica2006
PavementtoPlazasprogramstartsinNYC2007
DepaveprogramlaunchedinPortland,OR2007
SitePre-VitalizationusedforHerculesMarketin Hercules,CA
Tactical TIMELINESelect Patterns of Influence
2007 SaoPaulo,Brazilbansbillboards,inspiresAd-
Bustersaroundtheworld2009 PavementtoParksbeginsinSanFrancisco2010
BuildaBetterBlockstartedinDallas2010
DoTankChairBombstheStreetsofBrooklyn2010
NYCrebrandsSanFransPavementtoParksas Pop-UpCafes2011
CityPointdevelopersuseSitePre-
VitalizationatBrooklynsDekalbMarket2011
GuggenheimMuseumopensitstravelingT TownHall,theGuggenheimLab2011
SanFranciscolaunchestheParkmobile2011
ActivistsbeginWeedBombingMiamistreets2012
GrandCentralPark,BiscayneParkwaybring
insta-parkstodowntownMiami
atameaningfulscaleand/ortimeinhistory.Intheageof the Internet,
new patterns spread faster than
everbefore.Tacticalurbanismisbutonepatternanditsbeingadopted in
cities across theUnitedStates
andbeyond.Learnmoreathttp://patterncities.com
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TacticalURBANISM
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TacticalURBANISM
40
1500s TravelingBookSellersbeginsettingupinfor-
malpop-upshopsalongtheSeine1649
BooksellersbannedatPontNeufe,laterrein- stated1789
BouquinisteappearsinFrenchdictionary1859
CitypermitsBouquinistesatfixedpointsalong
theSeine,regulatesamountofspaceallowed, chargesregistrationfee1930s
Boxdimensionsarefixed,regulatedbyCity1993
JacqueChiracsignslawstandardizingnewbox size2007
DeclaredUNESCOWorldHeritagesite2012
300,000books,900boxes,240sellers,along
3kmofprimeSeinerealestate
Tactical TIMELINELes Bouquinistes
LesBouquinistesinParis,France,demonstratethattacticalurbanismisnothingnew.Beginninginthe16thcentury,unsanctionedbooksellersbegancongregat-ingalongthebanksoftheSeinetohawkthelatestbest-sellers.
However, much like brick and mortar restau-rants denounce todays
food trucks, physical
bookshopownerscomplainedloudlyenoughtohavethebooksell-ersbannedin1649.Nottobedeterred,lesbouquinistesprovedsopopularthatthecityhadtoeventuallyallow,their
presence.However, regulations confined them tospecific locations
and stipulated that each shopmustcollapseintoaboxatdaysend. In2007
theareaoccupiedbyLesBouquinisteswas designated as a UNESCO World
Heritage site,whichmakes this tactic one of the slowest, if not
themostlauded,examplesoftacticalurbanism.
Les Bouquinistes. Credit: Charles Simond, La vie parisienne
travers le XIXe sicle, Paris, E. Plon, Nourrit et cie, 1900, p.
458.
What began as an unsanctioned use of public space in the 16th
century has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Credit:
EventSeekr.com
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TacticalURBANISM
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The boxes of Les Bouquinistes. Credit: Acscosta via
Wikipedia
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TacticalURBANISM
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Unsanctioned
TacticalUrbanism
Sanctioned
Park( ing) Day
Pop-Up Shops
Food Car ts /Trucks
Mobi le Vendors
S i te Pre-Vi ta l izat ion
Temporary Reta i l
Pop-Up Civ ic Forum
In tersect ion Repai r
B ike Park ing
Bui ld a Bet ter B lock
Guer i l la Gardening
Chai rbombing
Ad Bust ing
Local Act iv is ts -Comuni ty Groups -
Ar t is ts -
Open Streets
Pavement to Plazas
P lay Streets
St reet Fai rs
Pop-Up Cafes
Ci ty Agencies -Mayor s Of f ice -
BIDs -
Hybrid
Non-prof i ts - Entrepreuners -
Developers -
Tact ics
tact
icia
ns
THE TACTICAL URBANISM SPECTRUM Tactical urbanism projects can be
placed
alongaspectrumofunsanctionedtosanctionedefforts.Manyexamplesinthisguidebeganasunsanctionedgrassrootsinterventions
that proved so successful that they
soonbecamesanctionedorpermanent.TheDepaveprogram,forexample,beganwithneighborhoodactivistsbuthastransformed
into a non-profit funded by the City ofPortland and the EPA.This is
how short-term
actioncreateslong-termchange.Thisistacticalurbanism.
VOLUME 2
Twodozentacticsareincludedinthis,thesecondsurveyoftacticalurbanismprojects.Whilenotcompre-hensive,andmostlylimitedtotheNorthAmericancon-text,
theworkdescribedhereinpresentsnumerousop-portunitiestotransformourtownsandcitiesintobetterplacestooccupytogether.Ifyouhaveadditionaltacticstoadd,[email protected]
Brainstorming the tactical spectrum at the Project Lodge.Credit:
Payton Chung
The Project Lodge at CNU 19 in Madison, WI.Credit: Aurash
Khawarzad
TacticalURBANISM
42
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Because there should be one... Credit: Team Better Block
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TacticsOPEN STREETS
PLAY STREETS
BUILD A BETTER BLOCK
PARK(ING) DAY
GUERILLA GARDENING
POP-UP RETAIL
PAVEMENT TO PLAZAS
PAVEMENT TO PARKS
POP-UP CAFES
DEPAVE
CHAIR BOMBING
FOOD CARTS/TRUCKS
SITE PRE-VITALIZATION
POP-UP TOWN HALL
INFORMAL BIKE PARKING
INTERSECTION REPAIR
AD-BUSTING
RECLAIMED SETBACKS
PARK MOBILE
WEED BOMBING
MOBILE VENDORS
MICRO-MIXING
PARK-MAKING
CAMPS
Ten
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Twenty
Twenty One
Twenty Two
Twenty Four
Twenty Six
Twenty Seven
Twenty Eight
Thirty
Thirty One
Thirty Two
Thirty Four
Thirty Five
Thirty Six
Thirty Eight
Thirty Nine
Forty
Forty Two
DoTa
nk
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TacticalURBANISM
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Savannah, GA
Winnipeg, MB
Cleveland, OH
Seattle, WA
OPEN STREETS SUMMARY MAP - 2005
OPEN STREETS SUMMARY MAP - 2011
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TacticalURBANISM
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open STREETSPURPOSE: Totemporarilyprovidesafespacesfor
walking,bicycling,skatingandsocial activities;promotelocaleconomic
development;andraiseawareness aboutthedetrimentaleffectsofthe
automobileonurbanliving.LEADERS: Citydepartments Politicians
Advocates Non-ProfitsSCALE: City||District||CorridorFACT:
50ofthe70knownNorthAmerican openstreetsinitiativesbeganwithin
thelastthreeyears.
OpenStreetsinitiativesareincreasinglycommonincitiesseekinginnovativewaystomeetenvironmental,social,
economic, andpublichealthgoals.Open
streetsareoftenreferredtoasciclova,whichinSpanishtrans-latesliterallyasbikepath.Theoriginislargelythoughtto
be Bogot, Colombia, a city known worldwide forbeing a leader of the
ciclova/open streets
movement.However,beforetherewasCiclovainBogot,therewasSeattleBicycleSundays,whichfirstlaunchedin1965,predatingBogotsciclovabynearlyadecade.
WhilethebenefitsofOpenStreetsinitiativesarewidelyrecognized,perhapsthemosttangiblebenefitisthesocialinteractionandactivitythatdevelopsthou-sands
of people of all ages, incomes, occupations,
reli-gions,andraceshavetheopportunitytomeetinthepub-licrealmwhilesharinginphysicalorsocialactivities.Indoingso,participantsdevelopawiderunderstandingoftheircity,eachother,andthepotentialformakingstreetsfriendlierforpeople.
The resulting vibrancy therefore enables
peopletoexperiencetheircityspublicrealminadifferentway,whichhelpsbuildbroaderpoliticalsupportforundertak-ingmorepermanentpedestrian,
bicycle, andother
liv-abilityimprovements.Inthisway,openstreetsareatoolforbuildingsocialandpoliticalcapital,whilehavingveryrealeconomicimpactsforbusinesses,vendors,andorga-nizationsalongthechosenroute.
PerhapsWaterloo,ONCityCouncilor,MelissaDurrell,saiditbestwhendescribinghercitysCarFreeSundayinitiative:Thisisaboutbringingpeopleintothecore.
Madison, Wisconsins Ride The Drive initiativeconsistently draws
20,000 - 25,000 participants. Credit: Mike Lydon
The Open Streets Project Guide. Credit: Street Plans and
Alliance for Biking & Walking
Atlantas Streets Alive! initiative brings people
together.Credit: Mike Lydon
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TacticalURBANISM
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Play STREETSPURPOSE: Tocreatesafespacesforpeopleofall
agestobesocialandactive.LEADERS: Neighborhood/BlockAssociations
Advocates CitydepartmentsSCALE: Street||BlockFACT:
Manycityneighborhoodslack adequateparkandopenspace.Play
Streetsfillthisneedbyprovidinga safespaceforrecreationand
communityinteraction.
Play streets, popular in New York City andLondon, re-purpose the
public right-of-way for
recre-ationalactivities.Inessence,playstreetscreateapublicplaygroundwithinaspaceformerlyusedforthemove-ment
and storage of private automobiles.They oftenoccur seasonally and
are typically located adjacent
toschoolsorinneighborhoodswhereopenspaceisscarce.Whenimplementedinlow-incomeneighborhoods,theymay
be paired with farmers markets or
underutilizedschoolplaygrounds,whichcanhaveamultipliereffect.
InNewYorkCity,aplaystreetismadepossiblewhen51%oftheresidentslivingonaone-wayresiden-tialblocksignapetitionandofferittotheirlocalpoliceandtransportationofficials,whothensendittothelo-calCommunityBoardforreview.Ifapproved,theCityprovidesyouthworkerstooverseetheprogram.Approxi-mately75%oftheseinitiativesareorganizedbytheNewYorkCityPoliceAthleticLeague,whichbeganorganiz-ingplaystreetsin1914.
NewYorksJacksonHeightsneighborhooddem-onstrateshowanincrementalapproachmaybringforthpermanentchange.In2008and2009asingleblockof78th
street (located next to a school, betweenNorth-ern Boulevard and
34th street) was closed to motor-ists on Sundays-only during the
spring, summer, andfall months. Instantly loved by community
members,theblockwasthenclosedinJulyandAugusttomotorvehicletrafficeverydayduringthefollowingyear.Suc-ceedingonceagain,theplaystreetexpandedtoincludethemonthofSeptember
in2011sothatpublichealthofficialscouldstudyhowthestreetclosureworkswhenschoolisinsession.IfdeemedsuccessfulbytheCity,thestreetwillbecomepermanentlyclosedtomotorvehicles,whileremainingfullyopentopeople.
A London play street.Credit: streetplaylondon.blogspot.com
In Jackson Heights, car-free space creates carefree play
space.Credit: Clarence Eckerson
Play streets create playgrounds where they dont currently exist
Credit: New York Times
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TacticalURBANISM
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PURPOSE: Topromotelivablestreetsand
neighborhoodvitality.LEADERS: LocalAdvocates LocalBusinessesSCALE:
Street||Block||BuildingFACT: FortWorthsBetterBlockProjectwas
builtusingonly$500worthof materials.Today,someofthechanges
proposedarebeingmadepermanent bytheCityofForthWorth.
Local communityactivists in
theDallasneigh-borhoodofOakClifflaunchedtheBuildaBetterBlockproject.SpearheadedbyGoOakCliff,theorganizationrelied
upon cheap or donatedmaterials, and theworkofmanyvolunteers to
transforma singleunderutilizedurbanblock. In short,Build
aBetterBlock encourages localactivists and property owners to
temporarily activatevacant storefronts andpublic space. InDallas,
thefirsteffort utilized food vendors and sidewalk cafe tablesas
places to congregate. New York style cycle trackspainted along the
curb pushed cars outward to
reducethenumberoftravellanes,whicheffectivelyslowedtraf-fic.Finally,nativelandscapingandstreetfurniturehelpedimprovetheblockssenseofplace.
Todate,theBuildaBetterBlockefforthashadasubstantialspin-offeffect:themomentumgainedfromtheprojectledtothepermanentuseofformerlyunder-utilizedretailspace.Additionally,theprocesshelpedad-vocatesinDallasandForthWorthgarneracommitmentfromtheir
leaderstopermanently implementcompletestreet improvements.
Ithasalsospurredanewconsul-tancyfirm,calledTeamBetterBlock.Theyarenowad-visingotherorganizationsandcitiestousethelow-cost,low-riskprocesstotoincitechange.
Asatouchstoneofthetacticalurbanismmove-ment, the Better Block
approach continues to
capturetheattentionofurbanistsandadvocates.SimilareffortshavenowtakenplaceinForthWorth,OklahomaCity,Philadelphia,Memphis,andbeyond.
InOysterBay,NY, a similar strategy
deployedbyDoTankandStreetPlansutilizedpop-upshopsandafarmersmarket,whichhavesincebecomepermanent.ThisincludesBillyJoels20thCenturyCycles,amotor-cycle
showroom that has become a regional draw. Joelparticipated in the
initial event andwas struck by
thepotentialofthespacehenowrents.
build a blockBETTER
The Fort Worth, TX Build a Better Block effort led to permanent
change. Credit: fortworthology.com
Before and after: Dallas Build a Better BlockCredit: Go Oak
Cliff
In Oyster Bay, Billy Joel rehabbed a vacant storefront for his
motorcycle collection, which is now a regional draw. Credit: Mike
Lydon
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TacticalURBANISM
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A street temporarily transformed. Credit: Art Monaco Portland
via my.parkingday.org
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TacticalURBANISM
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PARK ING DAY( )PURPOSE: Toreclaimspacedevotedto
automobiles,andtoincreasethe vitalityofstreetlifeLEADERS: Advocates
Non-Profits CommunityGroupsSCALE: Street||BlockFACT:
In2011,975on-streetparkingspaces weretemporarilyreclaimedin165
cities,35countries,andacrosssix continents. PARK(ing)Day is an
annual event where
on-streetparkingspacesareconvertedintopark-likepublicspaces.Theinitiativeisintendedtodrawattentiontothesheeramountofspacedevotedtothestorageofprivateautomobiles.
While its provenance is sometimes debatedamong advocates inNewYork
and San Francisco,
re-searchrevealsthatBonnieOraSherk,aSanFrancisco-based artist,
first began converting pavement to
parkswithher1970projectentitledPortableArchitecture. Nonetheless,
theoutwardmarketingof the
ini-tiativefirstoccurredin2005whentheinterdisciplinarydesign group
Rebar converted a single San Franciscoparking space into
amini-park.The group simply laiddown sod, added a bench and tree,
and fed themeterwith quarters. Instantly garnering national
attention,PARK(ing)Dayhasspreadrapidlyamongstlivablecityadvocates
and is thought to be the pre-cursor
toNewYorkandSanFranciscosparkletandpavementtoparksprograms.
Atitscore,PARK(ing)Dayencouragescollabo-ration amongst local
citizens to create thoughtful,
buttemporaryadditionstothepublicrealm.Oncereclaimed,parkingspacesareprogrammedinanynumberofways;manyfocusonlocal,national,orinternationaladvocacyissues,
while others adopt specific themes or activities.Thepossibilities
anddesigns are as endless as they arefun.
Whileparticipatingindividualsandorganizationsoperateindependently,theydofollowasetofestablishedguidelines.NewcomerscanpickupthePARK(ing)DayManifesto,whichcoversthebasicprinciplesandincludesahow-toimplementationguide.
A PARK(ing) Day installation. Credit: flickr user iomarch
In 2010 a group of non-profit and neighborhood organizations
hosted a pot-luck park(ing) day after party below the
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.
Credit: flickr user Brodowski
Bonnie Ora Sherks 1970 Portable Architecture project.Credit:
Bonnie Ora Sherk
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TacticalURBANISM
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Guerilla GARDENINGPURPOSE: Tointroducemoregreeneryand
gardeningintotheurbanenvironmentLEADERS:
NeighborhoodAdvocatesSCALE: Block||LotFACT:
GuerillaGardeningfirstbeganin1973 whenNewYorkCityactiviststhrew
condomswithlocalseeds,water,and fertilizerintovacantlots
FirstcoinedbyLizChristyandherGreenGuer-rillagroupin1973,guerillagardeningisnowaninter-nationalmovement.Althoughtherearemanypermuta-tions,guerrillagardeningistheactofgardeningonpublicorprivatelandwithoutpermission.Typically,thechosensitesarevacantorunderutilizedpropertiesinurbanareas.Thedirectre-purposingofthelandisoftenintendedtoraiseawarenessforamyriadofsocialandenvironmentalissues,includingsustainablefoodsystems,urbanstorm-watermanagement,improvingneighborhoodaesthetics,andthepowerofshort-term,collaborativelocalaction.
When applying the tactic to contested land,guerillagardenersoften
takeactionunder the
coverofnight,wherevegetablesmaybesowed,orflowergardensplantedandcaredforwithoutrunningtheriskofbeingcaught.
Guerillagardeningisanexcellenttacticforno-ticeablyimprovinganurbanneighborhood.Oftentimes,gardens
are cared for years after they are first
created,illegally.Indeed,thefirstgardenstartedinavacantNewYorkCity
lotby theGreenGuerillasbecame so lovedthat volunteers and
theNewYorkCityParksDepart-ment now maintain it.This exemplifies how
unsanc-tionedshort-termactioncreatessanctioned,long-termchange.
SanFranciscosSundayStreetsCredit:???
Guerilla Gardening offers an outlet for creative energy. Credit:
Loralee Edwards, Lethbridge Guerilla Gardening
Green Guerillas at work. Credit: Guerilla Gardening Development
Blog
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TacticalURBANISM
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POP UP RETAILPURPOSE: Topromotethetemporaryuseof
vacantretailspaceorlots.LEADERS: Developers LocalEntrepreneurs
Artists CorporationsSCALE: Street||BuildingFACT:
Pop-upretail,wascoined inlate2003bytrendwatching.com.
Theconceptofpop-upurban improvementinitiativeshassincebeen
appliedtodozensofothersimilar temporaryinterventions.
Apparel companies looking to generate
brandawarenessfirstutilizedthepop-upretailtactic.Atfirst,sucheffortsmadetemporaryuseofvacantretailspacesbycreatinganevent-likeatmosphereforalimitedtimesometimes
even justoneday.For retailers, the focus
isgenerallyonmarketingorproof-of-concept,ratherthanproducingsales.
Companieslargeandsmall,propertyowners,art-istsandcommunityorganizationsquicklyadoptedandcalibratedtheconceptforawiderangeofpurposes.Tobe
sure, pop-up retail is moving beyond the commonseasonal holiday
store and the trendy one-off
designerbrandsaleseventtobecomingasanctionedcommunityrevitalizationtechnique.Mainstreetswithvacantstorefronts,
oversizedparking lots,
andunderutilizedpublicspacesareincreasinglybeingusedaslocalincubatorsforaseeminglyendlessnumberoftemporarytopermanentcommercialandcommunityuses.
Forexample,
inOakland,CAanurbanplannerandrestaurantownerarecollaboratinginproducingPop-uphood,athree-blockstretchofshort-termleasepop-upstoresintendedtorevitalizethedowntownthroughnewbusiness
incubation. In thisway, the pop-up trend re-flects
theneweconomywherealigningthe
interestsofpropertyownersandlocalentrepreneursishappeninginamorenimbleandcreativeway.
Finally, the interest and public exposure
pop-upsgeneratebywayoftheirtemporarynatureprovideapowerfultoolforsparkinglong-termchange.Successfulpop-upstoresoftenearntherighttostay,creatingawin-winforthepropertyowner,occupant,andneighborhood.
Manifesto Bicycles is one of six stores in Oaklands
Popuphood.Credit: Oakland North
Melbournes Rebecca Walk features pop-up retail under a rail
Viaduct.Credit: Mike Lydon
The solar powered KiosKiosk is a pop-up store that can be setup
almost anywhere.
Credit: KiosKiosk
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TacticalURBANISM
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The iconic, but temporary changes in Times Square will be soon
be upgraded and made permanent.Credit: New York City Department of
Transportation
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TacticalURBANISM
19
PURPOSE: Toreclaimunderutilizedasphaltas
publicspacewithoutlargecapital expenditureLEADERS: CityDepartments
BusinessImprovementDistrictsSCALE: Street||BlockFACT:
Followingtheimplementationof theNewTimesSquarepedestrian
plaza,injuriestomotoristsandtheir
passengersdeclinedby63%.Similarly,
pedestrianinjuriesdecreased35%,even
whilepedestrianvolumesincreased
Pavement to Plaza programs,
popularizedrecentlyinNewYorkCity,butechoedincitieslikeSanFrancisco,seeminglydefinesanctionedtacticalurbanism.These
interventions typically start by using temporary,inexpensive
materials to re-assign excessive
motorvehiclespacefortheuseofpedestriansand/orbicyclists.Because
these efforts do not require a large outlay
ofcapital,publicspacesareabletoappearalmostovernight.While the city
funds the design and the
construction,partnersfromthelocalbusinessoradvocacycommunityareusuallyaskedtooperate,maintain,andmanagethenewplazas.
Following the immediate closure of
TimesSquare,thecenterpieceofNewYorkshighlysuccessfulGreenlightforMidtownstreetimprovementproject,TimTompkins
of theTimes SquareAlliance
realizedthatpeoplemightwanttositsomewhere.So,hebought376 folding
chairs for $10.74 each and instantly
millionsofpeoplehaveanewwayofenjoyingthecity. By taking this
experimental pilot projectapproach using temporary materials, the
City
andpublic-at-largeareabletotesttheperformanceofeachnewplazawithoutwastingscarcepublicresources.Whensuccessful,
theplazastransitionintoamorepermanentdesign and construction phase,
which is
happeningcurrentlyinmanyofNewYorkCitysfirstgenerationofpilotplazasandsustainablestreetprojects.
pavement plazas TO
Broadway at Columbus Circle: Before and after.Credit: New York
City Department of Transportation
Putnam Triangle
Putnam Triangle: Before and after.Credit: New York City
Department of Transportation
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TacticalURBANISM
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PURPOSE: Toreclaimunderutilizedasphaltas
publicspacewithoutlargecapital expenditureLEADERS: LocalRestaurants
Municipalities TransportationDepartments
BusinessImprovementDistrictsSCALE: Street||BlockFACT:
StartupcostsforaparkletinSan franciscoincludea$1,000application
fee,anda$650feefortheremovalof parkingmeters.A$221feeisthen
chargedannually.ParallelPark,a parkletinVancouver,BCcost
$18,000todesignandconstruct.
The similar Pavement to Plaza projects
carriedoutinNewYorkCityinspiredSanFranciscosPavementtoParksprogram.Usingmanyofthesametechniquesmoveabletablesandchairs,paintingasphalt,andthein-stallationofinexpensiveplantersandre-purposedstonebocks,municipalofficialswereabletoquicklyestablisha
formal program that increased the balance of publicspace.
ThePavement toParksprogram is a
collabora-tiveeffortbetweentheSanFranciscoMayorsOffice,theDepartmentofPublicWorks,thePlanningDepartment,and
the Municipal Transportation Agency. The
low-costparkletsarenowfoundinmorethan20locationsthroughoutthecity.
AsinNewYork,theCityviewseachparkletasa
laboratoryfortestingthepotentialofamoreperma-nentlydesignedpublicspace.Thematerialsaremeanttobetemporaryandthedesignmalleableshouldchangesbedesiredduringthetrialperiod.
Atypicalparkletconsistsofaplatformthatsitsflushwith the
sidewalk.Eachone isbuilt in theplaceof twoor threeparkingspaces.
Inmostcases, they
in-cludeseatingandvariousamountsofgreeneryandocca-sionallyincludebicycleparkingand/ortablestoserveasoutdoordiningareasfornearbyrestaurantsorcafes.Thecostofconstructingaparkletistypicallycoveredbyanindividualbusinessor
severalbusinesses that recognizethe ability to attract customers.
Privately sponsored
ornot,parkletsarepartofthepublicrealmandcompletelyopentothepublicatlarge.
pavement parksTO
Some parklets feature bicycle parking.Credit: flickr user Jeremy
Shaw
Vancouver, BCs Parallel Park.Credit: Facebook user Parallel
Park
One of San Franciscos many parklets.Credit: flickr user Jeremy
Shaw
(PARKLETS)
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TacticalURBANISM
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POP UP- CAFESPURPOSE: Topromoteoutdoorpublicseatingin
theparkinglane(duringthewarm months)andtopromotelocal
businessesLEADERS: CityDepartments LocalRestaurants
BusinessImprovementDistricts LocalDesignersSCALE:
Block||StreetFACT:: ParkingspacesusedforPop-UpCafes
inNYCareleasedfromthe DepartmentofTransportation
Inspired byNewYorkCitysPavement
toPla-zaprogram,SanFranciscobegan itsownPavement
toParkseffort,whichincludesparklets(page19).ThatriffontheconceptwastheimportedbacktoNewYorkanre-namedpop-upcafs,whichhavebecomespecializedtacticusedwherepublicoutdoorseatingissorelyneeded.
Similar to how things are set up in San
Fran-cisco,NewYorkCitysprogramrequires that
thebusi-nesssponsoringthecafemustagreetocoverthedesign,constructionandmaintenancecosts.
If
suchagreementisreached,theCitysDepartmentofTransportationpro-videstechnicalassistanceandmayevenmakestreetim-provements,suchasapplyingtrafficmarkingsorplacingsafetybollardsaroundthecafe.
Incitieswithashortsupplyofpublicspaceandaneedformorepubliclyaccessibleseating,pop-upcafsarefastbecomingavaluedadditiontothepublicrealm.When
successful, they act as placeholders for a
timewhencitysidewalkscanbepermanentlyexpanded.Out-sideofNewYorkCityandSanFrancisco,parkletsandpop-upcafsmaybefoundinLongBeach,LosAngeles,andVancouver.
A narrow sidewalk limits the possibility of outdoor
seating.Credit: DNAinfo.com
Trading parking space for outdoor seating improves the public
realm.Credit: DNAInfo.com
Pop-up cafes are sponsored by private businesses, but are public
spaces open to anyone
Credit: DNAinfo.com
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Depavers assess their work. Credit: Brent Wojahn/The
Oregonian
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TacticalURBANISM
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DEPAVEPURPOSE: Toreducestormwaterpollutionand
increasetheamountoflandavailable
forhabitatrestoration,urbanfarming,
treeplanting,nativevegetation,and socialgatheringLEADERS:
NeighborhoodActivists Non-ProfitsSCALE: Lot||BlockFACT:
Since2007,over700volunteer havereplacedmorethan94,100
squarefeetofunnecessaryasphalt withpermeablegardensand
communitygreenspace.Asaresult, 2,221,115gallonsofstormwateris
divertedannually.
Whileimpervioussurfacesareafactofurbanlife,thepavingofmillionsofacrescontributestonumerousenvironmental
problems, namely the polluting of
ourwaterwaysthroughstormwaterrunoff. Portlands all-volunteer Depave
organizationseeks to incrementally reduce stormwater pollution
bysurgically removing unnecessary pavement. To do so,Depave
transforms impervious driveways and
parkingintocommunitygreenspacesandgardensthatnaturallymitigatestormwaterrunoffpollution.
Depavebeganasanunsanctioned,self-organizedneighborhood effort in
2007, but has blossomed intoan
influentialnon-profitorganizationthathasreceivedgrants from
theU.S.Environmental ProtectionAgen-cy,
theOregonDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality,Patagonia, and
theMultnomah Soil andWater Con-servationDistricts. It is also
supported bymany
otherbusinesses,organizations,governmentdepartmentsandschools.Depave
therefore provides a great example ofhow short-term unsanctioned
initiatives can
becomesanctioned,long-termeffortswithinaveryshortamountoftime.
OverthepastfouryearsDepavehasturnednear-ly100,000thousandsquarefeetofparkinglotsintoex-panded
school yards, community gardens, food
forests,andpocketparks.Whilethisworkhasreducedmillionsofgallonsofstormwaterrunoff,
ithasalsobuiltstrongtiesbetweenneighborsandthecityinwhichtheylive.
Ifyouwantlearnmore,Depavewrittenahelpfulhow-toguidedescribingtheirprocess.
Clear instructions.Credit: Picasa user DepavePDX
Depaving in action.Credit: Picasa user DepavePDX
The Fargo Forest Garden replaced 3,000 square feet of
asphalt.Credit: Picasa user DepavePDX
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Chairbombing. Credit: Aurash Khawarzad
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TacticalURBANISM
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Chair BOMBINGPURPOSE: Toimprovethesocialwell-beingof
neighborhoodsbysalvagingwaste materialsandactivatingthepublic
realm.LEADERS: CommunityActivists LocalPropertyOwners
SmallBusinessesSCALE: Street||BuildingFACT:
Bytakingdiscardedshippingpallets andconvertingthemintoqualitypublic
seating,theurbanwastestreamcanbe reduced,andstreetsmademore
welcoming.
Whethertorest,socialize,ortosimplywatchtheworldgoby,
increasingthesupplyofpublicseatingal-mostalwaysmakesastreet,andbyextension,aneigh-borhood,morelivable.
Chairbombing is the act of removing
salvage-ablematerialfromthelocalwastestream,andusingittobuildpublicseating.Theentireprocessofbuildingandplacing
the chairs requires attention to thedesign
andconstruction,butalsoathoughtfulapproachastowheretheyareneededmost,andwheretheywouldbeabletosupportexistingsocialactivity,orserveasacatalystforcommunitygathering.
Ingeneral,chairbombingcallsattentionto thegeneral lack of public
seating in the urban environ-ment. Italso indicates locationswhere
furtherphysicalimprovementsmaybemadebyamunicipality,propertyowner,retailtenant,and/orotherchangeagents.
Chair placement begins by retrieving
discardedmaterialssuchasshippingpalletsfromdumpsters,con-struction
sites, or other locations where solid waste isfound.The pallets can
be disassembled and then reas-sembledforseating. DoTank, a
Brooklyn-based interdisciplinarycollective,hasplacedchairs insix
locationsthroughoutnorthernBrooklyn.Whilethebombingsareoftendoneinconjunctionwithoutdoorevents,
thefirst efforthasresulted inpermanentseatingatBlueBottleCoffee
inBrooklynsWilliamsburgneighborhood.
Collecting discarded shipping pallets.Credit: Ted Ulrich
Design
Chairs placed adjacent to Brooklyns Blue Bottle Coffee. Credit:
Aurash Khawarzad
Permanent seating added by Blue Bottle Coffee.Credit: Aurash
Khawarzad
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TacticalURBANISM
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food CARTS / TRUCKSPURPOSE: Toprovidelowcostfood,incubatesmall
businesses,andactivateundertutilized sites. LEADERS: Entrepreneurs
MunicipalitiesSCALE: Block||LotFACT:
Portlandsfoodcartsareregulatedas normalrestaurants,includingsemi-
annualinspections.Theyalsopayrentfor
theoff-streetparkingspotstheyoccupy. From construction sites to
industrial
parks,hospitalstolocalneighborhoodcenters,citieslargeandsmallcontinuetowitnessasurgeinstreetfoodvendingactivity.
Long before the Twitter-induced food
truckcraze,notedurbanistWilliamH.Whyteacknowledgedthatstreetfoodisamagnetforhumanactivity.Foodcartsand
trucks not only stimulate entrepreneurial
activity,theyserveacritical role in theactivationof thepublicrealm.
Indeed, few people knowwhere people tend
tocongregateaswellasagoodfoodvendor,ashisorhersuccess
reliesuponhighpedestrianvolumes. In turn,
agoodfoodvendor,orgroupsofvendorsquicklybecomeanadditionaldestinationwithinalreadysuccessfulplacesofcongregation.
InPortland,Oregon,foodcartstakeonauniquecharacter.Typicallyhousedinstationarytrailers,RVs,orself-madeshacks,theCityencouragesvendorstoclustertheir
fare.With each new arrival, each food vendorsprosperity often
increases. And because they
masksurfaceparkinglots,theyactivateotherwiseharshstreetedgesthatrepelhumanactivity.Inmanycases,porches,barstoolsandgardenseatingareadded,resultinginanevenmore
inviting streetscape.
Interestingly,Portlandsfoodcartsareregulatedasnormalrestaurants,includingsemi-annualinspections.Theyalsopayrentfortheoff-streetparkingspots
theyoccupy.Today,
thecitysmostsuccessfulfoodcartentrepreneursareabletomoveintomorepermanentlocations,whichallowsopportunityforthenextoperator
to take theirplace ina successionofsmallbusinessdevelopment. From
Los Angeles toMiami, smart cities notonly lower the barrier to
entry, but also nurture suchbusinesses because they reflect and
contribute to thestrength of the local economy, and enhance the
cityssenseofplace.
Food carts mask surface parking lots in downtown
Portland.Credit: Better Cities & Towns (New Urban Network)
Food carts line the central square in Seaside, FL. Credit: Mike
Lydon
Vendors activate a park edge in Brunswick, MECredit: Mike
Lydon
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TacticalURBANISM
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Site PRE-VITALIZATIONPURPOSE: Totemporarilyactivatea(re)develop-
mentsite.LEADERS: Municipalities Developers CitizenActivists
BusinessImprovementDistrictsSCALE: Block||Lot||BuildingFACT:
RedBarn,thedeveloperbehindthe temporaryHerculesMarketHall,sees
theprojectasmarketresearchonwhat peoplelookfor,whattheywanttoeat,
thegoodstheywant,andhowlong theywillstayforamorepermanent
projecttheycallMarketTown.
SitePre-vitalization is the temporary
re-activa-tionofapreviouslyinactive,underutilizedparcelofland.This
tactic brings a variety of art, food, and retail usesto a single
location.Typically, this is done to generateneededrevenue for the
landowner/developer, raise thecommunitys awareness about the sites
long-term po-tential,andtobuildcommunitywhilesupporting
localentrepreneurs. Site pre-vitalization uses often include
publicmarkets,artexhibitionsandstudios,communityfestivals,beer
gardens, micro-retail opportunities, flea
markets,andothertemporaryprogramscapableofpre-vitalizingasitebeforemorepermanentbuildingispossible.Byac-tivatingasiteduringtheplanning,approvals,andfinanc-ing
stages, avacant site can thereforeprovide
low-costcommunitybuildingandeconomicopportunitieswhileamoreformaltransitionoccurs,frominactiveparceloflandtoafullyredevelopedandprogrammedadditiontothetownorcity.
Site Pre-vitalization is a relatively new
tacticandonethatthatislargelyaprivatesectorresponsetothe
restrictive commercial lending standards now
im-posedbybanks.Thus,thetradeoffbetweenthetempo-raryusesmarkets,beergardens,ping-pong
tables,
artshows,vegetablegrowingetc.andtherealizationofthefinallong-termprivatedevelopmenthasnotyetbeenad-dressed.
Wellbewatchingthis
tacticcloselyasProxy,DekalbMarketandotherslikeitmovefromtemporaryinstallationstopermanentdevelopment.
The Dekalb Market entrance in downtown BrooklynCredit: Mike
Lydon
Proxy is a temporary placeholder for a long-term development
plan.Credit: Inside Scoop SF
Hercules Market.Credit: Dan Gregory
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TacticalURBANISM
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The BMW Guggenheim Lab, New York City. Credit: Bob Arihood
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TacticalURBANISM
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pop up TOWN HALL-PURPOSE: Toprovideatemporaryforumfor
discussionsofcivicimportanceLEADERS: Philanthropic Organizations
CommunityCoalitions ActivistsSCALE: Block||BuildingFACT:
TheGuggenheimLabwilltravelto ninemajorworldcitiesinsixyears.
Apop-uptownhallprovidesaninformal,non-governmentsponsoredvenueforseriouscivicdiscourseandtheexchangeofideas.Whilepop-uptownhallsoftenmake
use of underutilized city spaces, such as
vacantlotsorstorefronts,theycanalsobeheldinamyriadofother venues.
Pop-up town halls should capitalize onlocations where a healthy
dose of civic discussion
isalreadyoccurring;forinstance,somepop-uptownhallsare organized in
tandemwith conferences, exhibitions,festivalsandotherevents.
TheBMWGuggenheimLabcapturesthespiritofthistactic.TheLab,whichisdesignedtotemporarilyre-imagineanoverlookedcityspaceasacivicforum,isamigratorytownhallthatistravelingbetweenninedifferentcities.Thecarbonfiberstructureistobedisassembledandreassembledineachoftheninecitiesitissometimesreferredtoasatravelingtoolbox.
The objective is to provide a space that
bringspeopleofmanydisciplinestogetherbringsinadiscussiononthefutureoftheircity.TheorganizersoftheBMWGuggenheimLabcalltheirinventionparturbanthinkthank,partcommunitycenter,andpartpublicgatheringspacewhicharethebasiccharacteristicsofanypop-uptownhall.
The BMW Guggenheim Lab site before construction began, Credit:
wallpaper.com
Over 100 free events were hosted at the Lab.Credit: Mike
Lydon
A temporary cafe was built adjacent to the Lab.Credit: flickr
user archidose
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TacticalURBANISM
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informal BIKE PARKING
PURPOSE: Toincreasethesupplyofbicycle
parkingwhereneeded.LEADERS: CommunityActivists LocalBusinesses
PropertyOwnersSCALE: Street||Block||BuildingFACT:
Everyparkedbicyclebelongstoa potentialcustomer.
At the intersection of tactical urbanismand transportation
infrastructure is the creation andinstallationof informalbike
racks.The lackofparkingoptions in many cities is inspiring
activists,
includingprogressivebusinessesandenlightenedpropertyown-ers,totakeituponthemselvestoinstallvarioustypesoftemporaryandsemi-permanentsolutions.
Groups likeDoTank have built bike racks andtested them on lamp
posts inWilliamsburg, with theintent of providing bike parking
while also making
astatementaboutthecityslackofbicycleparking.Busi-nessessuchasPorQueNo?taqueriainPortland,havealsotakenituponthemselvestoinstallbikeparkinginfrontoftheirstoreasatacticforattractingandservic-ingcustomers
from the citysgrowingbicycle commu-nity. Finally, property owners,
such asGreenDesks inBrooklynsDUMBOneighborhood, have affixed
bikerailsdirectlyadjacenttotheentranceofthebuildingtomeetgrowingdemand.
While not all informal bike racks designs arepractical or secure
for long-term use, they do
indicatedemand.Smartcitieswillleavethewell-designedracksalone,whilereplacingthemorepoorlyconceivedtempo-rarysolutionswithhigherperformingcityracks.
To meet demand, this property owner installed a long bike
rail.Credit: Ronald Woudstra
Small bike rails provide bicycle parking at a popular beer
garden. Credit: Mike Lydon
Valet event parking by The Street Plans Collaborative.
Credit:Mike Lydon
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intersection REPAIR
PURPOSE: Torepurposeneighborhoodstreet
intersectionsascommunityspace.LEADERS: Neighbors Activists
CommunityOrganizations HomeOwnersAssociationsSCALE:
Street||BlockFACT: CityRepairandlocalresidentsrefer
tointersectionrepairasanexercise inVillageBuilding.
Intersectionrepairreclaimsneighborhoodstreetsas public gathering
places.The initiative first began inPortland, OR and continues to
be stewarded by CityRepair,alocalplacemakinggroup. While the
brightly painted
intersectionscommunicatetodriversthattheyareenteringaplaceofneighborhoodimportance,itstheprocessofmakingandmaintainingtherepairedintersectionsthatmattersmost.Indeed,
once the initial reclamation occurs, neighborsoften take itupon
themselves to further enhance theirnew public gathering place with
benches,
communitybulletinboards,gardensandartpositionedprominentlyat the
corners. In somecases, less
temporarypainthasgivenwaytobricksandcobblestones. While the design
elements are important,repaired intersectionsencourageneighbors to
interactmore frequently and give them a nearby place to
careaboutoutsidetheirhomes. Intersection repair provides another
greatexampleofhowtacticalurbanisminitiativesmovealongthe continuum,
from unsanctioned activity to a fullysanctioned program.
Unsurprisingly, Portlands Bureauof Transportation did not initially
allow
intersectionrepair.Regardless,communitiescontinuedtotransformimplement
them anyway. As is the case with manyunsanctioned tactics, theCity
no longer stands in
theway.Infact,theBureauofTransportationhasanofficialCity Repair
liaison.This liaison helps coordinate thepermitting, street
closures, and oversees some of
thedesignstoaidinthesuccessofeachproject.
IntersectionrepairprojectsmaynowbefoundincommunitiesacrosstheUnitedStates.
Intersection repair is a placemaking and community building
tactic.Credit: Flickr user Sara Dent
This is what an intersection repair master plan looks like.
Credit: Sara Dent
An intersection repair project in Los Angeles, CA.Credit: Los
Angeles Eco-Village Blog
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A billboard turned swingset. Credit: Broken City Lab
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ad - BUSTINGPURPOSE: Toreducevisualpollutionwithinthe
publicrealm.LEADERS: Activists MunicipalLeadersSCALE:
Corridor||Block||BuildingFACT: CitizensofSoPaulowereamazed
atthearchitectureoftheircityonce billboardsblockingbuildingfacades
wereremoved.
In2007,oneofBrazils largest cities adoptedaradical ban on
outdoor advertising. So Paulos
LeiCidadeLimpaorCleanCityLawwasaprojectledbymayorGilbertoKassabandgavetheworldanexampleofwhatamajorcitycouldlooklikewithoutbeingoverrunbyadvertising.
IntheUnitedStates,marketingandadvertisinghaspervadedthepublicrealmtosuchadegreethatac-tivistsandcivilservantshavebeguntodevelopandim-plementcreativetacticscombatingthedailyonslaughtofconsumerism.Whilethegoalofad-bustingistoimprovethe
aesthetic quality of public spaces, it also sends themessage that
thepublic realm shouldnot be
usedun-abashedlyforthesellingandconsumptionofcommer-cialproducts.
Groups such as the Public Ad Campaign andDoTank have developed
physical methods of alteringexisting ads to reflect a different
messageone
thathighlightslocalartand/orcommunityeventsandassets.DoTanks
digital community billboard project, calledWeSee.Us, allowed
passersby to anonymously
submitlivephotosfromtheirsmartphones.Thesubmittedpho-tosweredisplayed
in real-timeon an
emptybillboard,whichallowedindividualstosharetheirownvisualswiththecommunityatlarge.
The advertising content generated during theWeSee.Us
installationquicklybecame
communityori-ented,focusingonthepeopleandeventstakingplaceintheneighborhoodratherthanontheproductscorpora-tionsurgeustobuy.
The WeSee.Us installation. Credit: Aurash Khawarzad
Ad-busting.Credit:Credit: This is Not an Ad
What if...Credit: This is Not an Ad
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reclaimed SETBACKSPURPOSE: Tocreateamoreengagingstreetscape
byactivatingthespacebetweenthe structureandthesidewalk.LEADERS:
PropertyOwners Activists SCALE: LotFACT:
Mostmunicipalzoningcodesrequire setbacksbetweenthestreetandthe
primarystructure,whichoftencreates awkwardandunderutilizedsemi-
publicspaces.
Setback reclamations intentionally activate
theunderutilized,semi-publicspacefoundbetweenthepub-licright-of-way(typicallythesidewalk)andapropertyownersprincipalstructure.Thedistancesareuniformlymandatedinmunicipalzoningcodesandhomeowneras-sociationsoftenlimittheirusebeyondornament.Awk-wardsetbackdistancesof20feetormoreareespeciallycommoninsingle-familyneighborhoodsbuiltafterthe1920s.Increasedsetbackdistancesbrokethetraditionalrelationshipbetweenstreet,building,andbuildingowner.Asaresult,mostsocialactivityisfoundinthebackyard,notthefront.
Setback reclamations range from illegal
struc-tureextensionstotemporaryprogrammingtocommu-nitygardening.Suchtacticshelpdiminishtherealandperceiveddistancesfoundbetweenthestructureandthesidewalk.Ifdonewell,reclamationscaneffectivelycre-atesamoreengagingandsocialneighborhoodstreeten-vironment.
Free poems make for an engaging experience in this Streamboat,
CO neighborhood.
Credit: Mike Lydon
Front setbacks provide a perfect opportunity to grow food.
Credit: flickr user Shira Golding
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TacticalURBANISM
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park MOBILEPURPOSE: Toaddmoreneighborhoodgreen
spaceandtofurtheractivatestreets withpublicseating.LEADERS:
CityDepartments BusinessOwners BusinessImprovementDistricts
NeighborhoodOrganizationsSCALE: Street||BlockFACT:
Eachparkmobilecostsapproximately $6,000.
One of the most appropriate uses of tacti-cal urbanism is to
jumpstart the implementation
oflong-termvisionplans.Parkmobiles,designedbySanFranciso-based CMG
Landscape Architecture,
wereinstalledinthesummerof2011.Theyareadirectre-sponse to the
neighborhoods desire for more
greenspace,asvoicedinSanFranciscosYerbaBuenaStreetLifestrategicplan.Fashionedfromcustomdumpsters,eachparkmobilefitswithinasinglevehicularparkingspace
and contributes to a vision and roadmap
foranextgenerationofpublicspaceintheYerbaBuenaDistrict.Otherinitiativesfeaturedintheplanincludewidenedsidewalks,mid-blockcrossings,andthetacti-calconversionofalleysintoplazasorsharedstreets.
At present there are six parkmobiles beingmoved periodically around
the neighborhood.
Eachunitcontainsadifferenttypeofvegetation,includingTasmanianTreeFerns,StrawberryTrees,Yuccas,andshrubs
that attract birds and butterflies. In doing
so,theyhighlighttheimportanceofanagreeablepedes-trian experience
and recognize the importance thatvegetation and seating play in
creating an attractiveenvironmentforpedestrians. Overall, the
initiative pays homage to SanFranciscos longstanding tactical
traditionof
improv-ingthelargerurbanlandscapeinsmallandfluidways.
Parkmobiles are, well, mobile. Credit: Dwell via Miyoko
Ohtake
A parkmobile located outside of SPURs urban center.Credit: Dwell
via Miyoko Ohtake
A parkmobile working as intended.Credit: Mark Boster/Los Angeles
Times.
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TacticalURBANISM
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tactic NAMEFAST FACT: blahblahblah
LEADERS: blah,blah,blahSCALE: City||District||Corridor||
Street||Block||BuildingPURPOSE: blah,blah,blah
blah,blah,blah,blah,blah,blah,blah,blah,blah,blah,blah...
Weed bombing on an overgrown corner in downtown Miami (Not
photoshopped). Credit: Grant Stern
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TacticalURBANISM
37
weedPURPOSE: Todrawattentiontoblighted
neighborhoodsandtoinciteactionin cleaningthemup.LEADERS:
NeighborhoodAssociations Artists ActivistsSCALE: Street||BlockFACT:
WeedbombingbeganinMiami,FL underthecoverofdarkness,butsheds
lightonpublicandprivateproperty negligence.
Weedbombingistheactofconvertingovergrownweedsintoworksofstreetart.Inspiredbyotherformsof
tactical bombings, downtownMiami resident
andbusinessowner,BradKnoeflerenlistedotherneigborhoodactivistsandartiststospraypaintweedsinbrightcolors.Knoefler,whoisalsothefounderoftheOmniParkwestRedevelopmentAssociation(OPRA),isavocalcriticofthevariouslarge-scaleredevelopmentplansslatedforhisOmniParkwest,andthelackofmaintenanceefforts.Heis
also known to take action intohis ownhands. Weusedtocut
theweedsourselves, sayKnoefler,but
itsmuchmorebeneficialtobeautifythemandconvertthemintostreetart.Unliketraditionalgraffiti,weedbombingdoesnt
damage private or public property and
hasimmediatebenefitstoourqualityoflife.
WhileKnoeflerundertooktheeffortincreativeprotest, hes found little
resistance from the city
anddowntowndevelopmentauthority.Still,accordingtoonenewspaperarticle,Knoeflerplans
tokeepbombingtheweeds until amore concerted, sanctioned city effort
ismade.
BOMBING
Weed bombing can make overgrowth look more like flowers.Credit:
Kerry McLaney
A weed bomb just north of downtown Miami.Credit: Kerry
McLaney
Weed bombs highlight disparities in where public and private
maintenance dollars are spent.
Credit: Kerry McLaney
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TacticalURBANISM
38
Mobile VENDORSPURPOSE: Toofferneededcommercialservices,
activatepublicspaces,andhelpcitizens earnincome.LEADERS:
Micro-EntrepreneursSCALE: Street||BlockFACT:
StreetVendorsselllavarietyofgoods besidesfood,includingart,
photographs,clothingandvarious othermerchandise.Vendingisoftena
secondsourceofincomeforurban households.
There is nothing more tactical than
helpingsmall-scaleentrepreneursgetafootinginthelocalecon-omy.Aswithfoodcarts,small-scalestreetvendorsat-tractpeople,fill
small commercial voids,
andhelpgivelifetopublicspaces.Overseas,andincreasinglyinNorthAmericancities,inventivestreetvendorsareusingavari-etyoflow-costmobilemeanstotransportandselltheirwares.Bicyclesinparticularhavebecomequitepopularinsomecities.HiroyukiShinohara,aJapanesearchitecthasconductedastudyofthevariousrolesbicycle-basedvendingplaysinthestreetsofChinesecities.Hefoundthatbicycleswerebeingusedasmobilebookshops,
icecream vending stations,mobile garbage collectors,
andevenasmobilewatertanks.
Becausevendorsplayakeyroleinanimatingthevarious spacesof a
city,municipalgovernments shouldmake regulations simple, clear, and
readily available inmultiple languages.The Center for Urban
PedagogysVending Power! A Guide to Vending in New York Citydoesa
fantastic job explaining the citys confusing mobilevending
regulations to awide audience of current andfuturevendors.
The vendor stores his newstand in the basement entrance of a
nearby apartment building
Credit: Mike Lydon
Vending Power! A Guide to Street Vending in New York CityCredit:
Candy Chang/Center for Urban Pedagogy
This Brooklyn newspaper vendor sets up a mobile stand every
morning by the Clinton-Washington subway entrance on Fulton
Street.
Credit: Mike Lydon
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TacticalURBANISM
39
Micro- MIXINGPURPOSE: Tooincubatenewbusinessesand
sustainexistingonesthroughthe co-locationofmutuallysupportive uses.
LEADERS: Entrepreneurs PropertyOwners
BusinessImprovementDistrictsSCALE: Block||BuildingFACT:
Thesimplestformofretailmicro- mixingisthecoffeeshopinsidethe
bookstore,somethingcorporations figuredoutlongago.
Bymixingmultiplebusinesses in a single retailspace, micro-mixing
provides entrepreneurial shopowners an opportunity to mitigate the
high
overheadcostsassociatedwithopeninganewventure.Thistacticalretailing
technique combines complimentary uses
andactivitiesthatcanbeusedbyexistingretailersaswellascooperativeandstartupincubatorspaces.Thebestuseofthemicro-mixingtechniquecancreatesomeofthemostexcitingandmemorableshoppingexperiences.
The success of large format bookstores in the1990s and 2000s
illustrated the mutually beneficialrelationship that exists between
a coffee shop and abookstore.These two uses together, a latte and a
newbook,seemtofittogethernaturally. Today,more unconventional and
perhapsmoreexciting mixes are emerging. In Denver,
SalvagettiBicycleWorkshop has included an espresso bar on
itssalesfloor.InNewYork,Barbershopsaresellingclothing,andjewelrystoresaresellingVietnamesesandwiches.InProvidence,acraftco-opstoreisrunningagalleryoutofthebackofhousespaceandacoffeeshopissellingpottedplantsandgardeningsupplies.Alloftheseoperatorsarecreativelymaximizing
the return on their spaces
floorareabyworkingtogetherwithcomplimentaryretailers. At its core,
micro-mixing is a buddy
systemeconomicdevelopmentstrategythathelpssmallbusinessesgrowincrementally.Byusingclevermerchandisingandefficientspaceplanning,existingretailspacescanquicklybeadaptedtohandlemultipleusersorbusinesses.Thus,micro-mixingprovidesaneasyopportunitytotestnewideas.
If successful, micro-mixing tenants can one
daystrikeoutontheirown.
Salvagetti Bicycle WorkshopCredit: Panoramio user chachafish
Happy Coffee Espresso WindowCredit: Jonathan Shikes
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TacticalURBANISM
40
The construction of Grand Central Park took one month.Credit:
Grand Central Park
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TacticalURBANISM
41
Park- MAKINGPURPOSE: Toincreasethesupplyofpark space
byquicklyreclaiming undertutilizedparcelsofvacantland
andparkinglots. LEADERS: Activists Artists CityDepartments
BusinessImprovementDistricts NeighborhoodOrganizationsSCALE:
Lot||BlockFACT: MiamisGrandCentralParkisa
five-acreparkthatwasbuiltin 30days.
WhileitsexcitingthatthetacticofPARK(ing)Dayhasledtothedevelopmentofparkletsandpavementtoplazasprograms,largerpublicspacesarestillneededinmanyurbanneighborhoods.Anewresponse
to thischallengeisthetacticofpark-making,whichutilizesthetechniques
of PARK(ing)Day and deploys them at
alargerscale.InMiami,FL,localactivistsarepartneringwithprivatesectorcompaniesandgovernmententitiestotransformsomeofthecitysmostoverlookedopportunitysitesintosizeableparks.
The5-acreGrandCentralPark,picturedatleft,is the brainchild of
theMiamismostnotoriousWeedBomber, BradKnoefler (see pgs
36-37).Knoefler, andhis colleagues at the Omni Parkwest
RedevelopmentAssociation (OPRA) took it upon themselves totransform
the former Miami Arena site into a
muchneededparkspace.Aftersecuringalocalgrant,OPRAprocuredprobonolandscapedesignservicesandsignedamulti-yearleasewiththepropertyowner.Feesgeneratedfrom
programmed events, concerts, and food vendorswill sustain the
maintenance of the park and pay
theleaseobligation.Builtinearly2012,andinjust30days,theparkhasalreadybeenahugesuccess.
Building on this model is Bayfront Parkway,a one-week installation
led by Street Plans and theengineering firm C3TS. While several a
downtownplanshavecalledfortransformingBiscayneBoulevardsmedianparkinglotsintoagreendoorstepfordowntownMiami,actionhasneverbeentaken...untilnow.Atthetime
of publication, the one-block park interventionis currently
underway and generating support
fromstakeholderstofollowthroughwiththelong-termparkplan.
In Miami, Biscyane Boulevards medians are dedicated parking
lots.Credit: Ana Bikic
Biscayne Parkways exercise equipment is a popular
attraction.Credit: Ana Bikic
Biscayne Parkway transformed one parking lot into a park.
Credit: Ana Bikic
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CAMPSPURPOSE: Tocreateortakepartinthetemporary
occupationofspace,oftenwithaneye
towardcreatingpermanentchange.LEADERS: Activists Protesters
Refugees Government NGOsSCALE: Lot||Building||Block||District
FAST FACT: InhisbookCamps: A Guide to 21st Century
Space,authorCharlieHailey organizes103typesofcampsintothree
broadcategories:Autonomy,Control, andNeccessity. Whether for
protest,military action, recreation,or necessary shelter, camps
provide a ubiquitous
cross-culturalreference,andnotjustoneofoutdooroccupation.Whilepervasivetheculturalunderstandingofcampshiftsonanalmostdailybasis.ThemuchdebatedmeaningoftheOccupymovementisoneofourmostrecentexamples.
AccordingtoHailey,theprocessofurbanizationoftenbeginswith
informalcamps
thateventuallymovealongacontinuum,fromtemporarytopermanent,frombeingunsanctionedtosanctionedplacesofhabitation.Bytheirnature,
campscapablyadapt tovarious conditionsand therefore serve well in
the transitonal phases
ofdevelopment.Inthisway,theconnectionsbetweencampandcityisnothingnew.Indeed,manyoftheworldsgreatcitiesbeganasRomanmilitarycampoutposts,includingVienna,Barcelona,
andPrague. A less sexy example
isthatofthetrailerparkwherethepossibilityofmobilityisoftenamisnomermobilehomesdontusuallymove,theyevolveovertimeandverymuchstayrootedinplace.
Campsofall types,demonstratehowtheshort-termactionof
temporarilyoccupyingspace,often
leadstoincremental,permanentchange.
A park in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti before the earthquake.Credit:New
York Times.
Same park in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti as post-earth quake relief
camp.Credit: New York Times
Occupy Camp.Credit:Chuck Wolfe
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TacticalURBANISM
43
SHARE YOUR
TACTICS!Thistacticalurbanismsurveyincludesseveralstrategiesemployedbyindividuals,localcommunitygroups,andmunicipalities.However,itsbynomeansexhaustive.TheTacticalUrbanismProjectisonlygoingtogetbetterthroughreadercontributions.
IfyouorsomeoneyouknowhasanadditiontomakeorwouldliketoorganizeaTacticalUrbanismSalon,pleaseEMAIL
[email protected]
orshareitontheTacticalUrbansimFacebookpage.
The Tatical Urbanists decision tree. Credit: Fast Company
-
...in order to do something big, to think globally and act
globally, one starts with something small and one
starts where it counts. Practice, then, is about making the
ordinary special and the special more widely accessible expanding
the boundaries of understanding and possibility with vision and
common sense. It is about building densely
interconnected networks, crafting linkages between unlikely
partners and organizations, and making plans
without the usual preponderance of planning. It is about getting
it right for now and at the same time being tactical
and strategic about later. This is not about forecasting, nor
about making decisions about the future. But it is
about the long range, about making sure that one plus one equals
two or three, about being politically connected and grounded, and
about disturbing the order of things in the
interests of change.
- Nabeel HamdiAuthor, Small Change: About the Art of Practice
and the Limits of Planning in Cities
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TacticalURBANISM
45
TACTICAL
URBANISMTheStreetPlansCollaborativePatternCitiesTacticalUrbanismSalonTheInterventionistsToolkitTacticalUrbanismFacebookpageGristTheNewYorkTimesTheAtlanticCitiesMoreGristOPEN
STREETSTheOpenStreetsProjectPLAY
STREETSNYCPlayStreetsPlayStreetBecomesaSanctuaryReclaiming The
Residential StreetAsPlaySpacePARK(ING) DAYParkingday.orgBUILD A
BETTER
BLOCKBuildaBetterBlockFortWorthBetterBlockProjectANewFaceforanOldBroadGUERRILLA
GARDENINGGuerillaGardening.orgWikipediaPAVEMENT TO
PLAZASNYCPlazaProgramPAVEMENT TO PARKSPavementtoParksProgramPOP-UP
CAFESNYCDOTPop-UPCafesCHAIR BOMBINGDoTankPOP-UP
RETAILTrendwatchingDEPAVEDepaveStreetfilms:DepavingDay!
FOOD CARTSPortlandFoodCartsThe Architectural Maturation
ofPortlandFoodCarts
SITE PRE-VITALIZATIONDekalbMarketProxyHercules Market: What
ComesNext?BoxParkShoreditch
POP-UP TOWN HALLBMWGuggenheimLabINTERSECTION
REPAIRCityRepairStreetfilmAD-BUSTINGPublicAdCampaignPARK MOBILENew
Forms of Public Space:ParkmobileWEED BOMBINGWeedBombingMOBILE
VENDORSTheStreetVendorProjectCustomBikeUrbanismMICRO-MIXING
PARK-MAKINGBayfrontParkwayCAMPSCamps: A Guide to 21st
CenturySpace
Sources
-
TacticalURBANISM
46A project of Lockes Department of Urban Betterment.Credit:
Design Taxi
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TacticalURBANISM
47
Your Guide to
How to
1 Planning Site PlanCall Before You Digneighbors and
PermitsReuse and DisposalPossible Soil Contamination
2 Tool SeleCTion Safety FirstHand ToolsPower Tools
3 BReaking! Conventional Techniquesnatural Techniques
4 Soil ReHaBiliTaTion/ReSToRaTion Raised BedsRemoving and
Replacing SoilUtilizing Plants to Break up SoilPhytoremediation
5 PoRTlanD ReSoURCeS
THE PARK(ing) DAYMANUALA Primer on User-Generated Urbanism and
Temporary Tactics for Improving the Public Realm
Introduction: The Ideas Behind PARK(ing) Day
In urban centers around the world, inexpensive curbside parking
results in increased traffi c, wasted fuel and more pollution. The
strategies and values that generate these conditions are no longer
sustainable, nor do they promote a healthy, vibrant urban human
habitat.1 Its time to rethink the way streets are used and to
re-imagine the possibilities of the urban landscape!
A metered parking spot is an inexpensive short-term lease for a
plot of precious urban real estate. What is the range of
possibilities for creativity in a space usually dedicated to the
storage of a private vehicle?
Motivated by the desire to activate the metered parking space as
a site for creative experimentation, political and cultural
expression, and unscripted social interaction, Rebar offers
PARK(ing) Day as a prototype for open-source urban design,
accessible to all. In response, thousands of people around the
globeworking independently of Rebar but guided by common core
principleshave created hundreds of PARK installations and formed an
annual international event.
Urban inhabitants worldwide recognize the need for new
approaches to making the urban landscape, and realize that
converting small segments of the automobile infrastructureeven
temporarilycan alter the character of the city. From public parks
to free health clinics, from art galleries to demonstration
gardens, PARK(ing) Day participants have claimed the metered
parking space as a rich new territory for creative experimentation
and activism.
The event continues to expand virally, over the Internet and by
word of mouth. Since its inception in 2005, PARK(ing) Day has
blossomed into a global experiment in remixing, reclaiming and
reprogramming vehicular space for social exchange, recreation and
artistic expression. The project
1 See Donald Shoup, The High Cost of Free Parking, (Amer.
Planning Assn., 2011)
The vast majority of outdoor urban space is dedicated to the
private vehicle, while only a fraction of that land is allocated to
open space for people.
TacticalLIBRARY
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TacticalURBANISM
48
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PRESENTED BY
A SALON on OCTOBER 15TH 2011During the CONGRESS OF COLLECTIVESIn
LONG ISLAND CITY, NYC Flux Factory39-31 29th St., Queens NY
Short Term Action // Long Term Change
DESIGN BY SUPPORTED BY
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