Tag Archives: Public Space
ChonGae Canal Restoration Project by Mikyoung Kim
The transformation of the historical ChonGae River from a polluted and covered canal into a 7-mile green corridor is one example of Seoul’s efforts to create more public landscapes for the bustling city of South Korea. As an international design competition, the main requirement was to show the future reunification of North and South Korea. […]
High Line, Low Line, and the Lines In Between
The 1903, unused, and long neglected Delancey Street subway station of New York City is getting a light-lift. Located in the heart of New York’s Lower East Side, this proposed park takes NYC High Line park to a whole new level, the lower level through the development of an underground park system. Using NASA crafted […]
“Drinking Water Running Through the Streets”
“We wanted to say that water is NECESSARY for life and that the fountains that we use for refreshment are much more necessary and beautiful than things that are merely ornamental.”
Jaume Plensa
Jaume Plensa is a spanish sculpture artist who makes eteral and serene head and human figures, who have a beautiful presence in several varieties of open space. Whether they live on a green in realtion to a 18th century castle or are snug among the skyscrapers and street trees, they use their scale and lightness to add a whimsical distraction.
Candy Chang Part III: I Wish This Was
When redeveloping parts of cities one of the more daunting tasks is determining what the community needs. A lot of work goes into research and analysis, but Candy seems to have found a very simple way to figure it out in addition to fostering they ever elusive ‘sense of community.’ This project originally began in New Orleans and was inspired by vacant storefronts.
Candy Chang Part II: Sidewalk Psychiatry
Pedestrians in the city often find themselves walking in deep thought. A routine trip can prompt reflections on everything from future goals to last night’s dinner conversation. Sidewalk Psychiatry encourages self-evaluation in transit by posing critical questions on the pavements of New York City with stencils and temporary spray chalk. Now your daily ponderings and emotional problems can be prodded and treated on the go – and, best of all, it’s free of charge!
Candy Chang Part I: Before I Die…
Candy Chang is an artist, designer and urban planner (BFA in Graphic Design, BS in Architecture and Masters in Urban Planning). Most of her projects center on public space, facilitating a bottom up voice for the community. She has received lots of recognition for her work (including from the almighty Oprah), which is more than well deserved. While there are many, many projects, I’ve selected 3 to show on DD in a 3-part post: Before I Die, Sidewalk Psychiatry, and I Wish This Was.
Detroit’s Capitol Park: History lost in sterile design
Addressing the urban blight of Detroit raises so many issues that it’s probably best left for someone’s thesis. Although I’m sure the city has been trying everything it can to bring people back to its urban core for quite some time, the last decade or so has given room for some serious redevelopment, and for the […]
The Green Guerrilla
“I think that our distance from nature is already a cliché. City dwellers often have no relationship with animals or greenery. As a public artist I feel a sense of duty to draw attention to deficiencies in our everyday life” – Edina Tokodi (of Mosstika) Whether you call it green graffiti, guerrilla gardening, guerrilla art or […]
Perseverance: David and the Developer
When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. – Franklin D. Roosevelt This story begins with an all too familiar ring: A developer has plans to build something grand, buys out all the homes, and a community disappears. Back in 2004, down in the southwestern corner of China, […]
Didactic Discourse 