I am loving benches right now… I keep thinking it would be easier to just build some benches from salvaged wood for some of the busier bus stops with more space, and then look what I found CLICK HERE
These guys are dealing with a fairly less receptive audience than I am, but I love what they’re doing.
Just got finished reading this fantastic NY Times piece about how people are exercising their power to make Cairo what they want it to be, post-revolution. In the absence of a governing body, the citizens of Cairo built their own on-ramp to get on their freeway and cut down wait times – out of trash and dirt.
As Omar Nagati, a young Egyptian architect and planner says “This was always a revolution about unjust urban conditions and about public space. The ramp is just one example. People now realize they have the right to determine what happens on their own streets, to their own neighborhoods…”
For urban planning/public space geeks like me this is SO interesting
Give it a read yourself by clicking HERE
GOOD magazine is one of my favorite print publications. I probably check their website 2x a day just to make sure I’m not missing anything important. They share all things “good” : ideas, projects, initiatives, doodles… you name it.
I found this recent POST to be particularly enlightening!
I think the next step for SIT may include some picnic tables…
phew… got out there today to put up the last of the chairs from Winter Park’s Earth Day in the Park. So that’s one last pile of things in my office that I can trip over!
I tried a number of different spots today that I’ve never gone to before. All of them have locks paid for by donations, so I’m hoping they’ll be around for a while. I actually got to visit one of the longest lasting chairs I’ve put out too… I think its been there for almost a year! It definitely needs some love… but I liked the contrast for the photo of the old and new side by side.
I’ve definitely got the chair planting bug right now. Putting out ten chairs in 2 days was a good way to jump start the SIT passion again. After that last glut was gone in a 24 hour span it affected me a little bit. I always tell people it doesn’t really bother me when the chairs ultimately vanish from the curb, but for that many to go all at once kind of made me question the project.
So cross your toes my friends, I hope these ones make it.
So like I said in the last post, I was lucky enough to get a donation from a local arts patron just in time for Earth Day in the Park in Winter Park Florida (Which I coincidentally coordinated for the City as part of my job with Keep Winter Park Beautiful).
The chairs were arranged in the center of the park in front of the stage all day so people could chill and listen to the amazing music provided by the FANTASTIC Legendary JC’s.
After work today I loaded up a few of the newbies and set out to some areas of town where I’ve noticed a lot of people waiting for buses but with nowhere to put their butts. Here’s a few photos of where I put them!
I recently had the opportunity to sit in on a crazy podcast party by the “Rational Crank: The Lake Night Snack”, to talk about art, art process, and crazy things like paper bag mushrooms.
I had great fun recording it so I’m thinking some of you may find it fun to listen to as well!
Check out some of the other ones too they’re good for a laugh AND a think or two
http://rationalcrank.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-late-night-snack-015.html
I am loving me some www.streatseats.org
Is anyone else following these guys? I believe its run by the Tactical Urbanism folks which should be no surprise as I’m a huge fan of theirs too.
Have any favorite street seats out there?
Saw this on Robinson Street the other day. I love seeing other people taking ownership of their neighborhoods. I get a lot of emails from people asking me to put a chair at their bus stop, and I always ask them why they don’t do it themselves? haha and that’s not from any sort of laziness on my end, but the whole point of this project is to show that citizens can have an impact on their community.
Take ownership Sitters!
Thanks to the lovely donation of Mr. Wilson, this chair has a new home on Mills Avenue in front of the CFE credit union.
Much love to you Mr. Wilson!
We just received a wonderful surprise donation from a Mr. Scot Wilson.
Thank you Mr. Wilson for your contribution. Merry Holidays to you sir! We’ll be putting your chair out in the next couple of days.