corridor conversations
Posted: February 17, 2011 Filed under: design, engagement, interventions, participation, process | Tags: drawing, Menzieshill, Phillip Joe, whiteboarding Leave a comment »
We had a workshop on ‘ninja whiteboarding’ from Phillip Joe yesterday. I’ve taken this quite literally because I was really taken with the idea of ‘corridor conversation’. Not only is his office filled with white board panels, but they spill out into the corridor, where he draws up ideas, leaves out some pens and ‘hijacks’ passing people for their input. Now I’ve been a fan of guerilla-style engagement for a while – serving up tea from the side of the road in exchange for some chat is one way, but to be perfectly honest, my tea trolley is not really that mobile. Yesterday’s workshop offered up a mobile prop par excellence in the form of magic whiteboard. I’m wondering whether I can stick this magic stuff in various locations around Menzieshill, get scribbling and see what happens…
2010 degree show
Posted: July 3, 2010 Filed under: community, cultural probe, design, interventions, mapping, participation, tea | Tags: degree show 2010, drawing, Dundee, engagement, map, tea Leave a comment »
Better late than never – some pictures from my degree show. It was an interactive exhibition with the map being the most popular – I was asking people to flag places in Dundee where you might find community. Some responses: “Nether Inn”, “Granny Lunch fri lunchtime”, “Dens park and Tannadice park, both with long traditions”, “The Parlour”, “Casa Helen and John” – to name a few. I also asked people to highlight what is missing that could strengthen a sense of community. This time folks mentioned outdoor cafe’s, activities for teenagers, police patrols…
I also had my trusty tea trolley and a smaller impromptu tea kit that can attach on to a lamp post for a spontaneous tea-gathering. Getting a real lamp post turned out to be a bit tricky so one had to be cobbled together in the workshop. I also had on display small booklets that I had left around Dundee and people had picked up, filled in and posted back to me. They had been completed beautifully, but unfortunately the ‘Pick me up’ instruction was followed at the degree show too and I lost most of them.
Community cameras
Posted: March 19, 2010 Filed under: city, cultural probe, design, interventions, participation | Tags: cameras, Dundee, engagement, guerilla tactics, kits, photography, stamps Leave a comment »
I released a set of ‘community cameras’ in Dundee today – asking the finders to photograph the things that represent community to them… fingers crossed I see some of them back x
This is a city I want to visit.
Posted: March 18, 2010 Filed under: city, community, design, interventions, sustainability | Tags: Brazil, Curitiba, innovation, Jaime Lerner, public transport, recycling, urban acupuncture Leave a comment »
I’ve just been reading about Jaime Lerner, the mayor of Curitiba, Brazil who coined the term ‘urban acupuncture’. He believes that change can’t be implemented by central government, but instead must come from the municipal level, so he uses ‘pinpoint interventions’ that create a ripple effect throughout the city – subtle changes to reclaim dead urban space that can quickly be accomplished by local people. The city has an amazing integrated bus system, the highest recycling rate in the world and is a city that 99% of its inhabitants want to live in. He says “Never underestimate the innovative capabilities of the community which is crucial if you want to get something done that really makes a difference”. Love it. Cities for people has more information about this interesting city: http://www.citiesforpeople.net/cities/curitiba.html
Bus stop at Hunter Street
Posted: February 18, 2010 Filed under: art, community, design, interventions, participation, recycling, social space | Tags: Australia, bus stop, Jo Vaughan, Newcastle, public transport, shelter, Victoria Lobregat Leave a comment »
