"TT: You recently founded Change Administration in which the motivations of your work seek to advocate the model of a post-Hipster City, what is this concept?
AK: The idea of the post-Hipster city, is a city where we are stopping DIY-displacement, and we're focusing on creating equitable communities. Society has been subjected to an incredible increase in the disparity in wealth -- a significant contributor to that is hipster-level consumption. I think we're now at the point where many of us, even hipsters, see that the disparity in wealth and rapid gentrification have brought the city to a tipping point in losing what makes it special, which is diversity and a healthy commons, among other things. Now is time to pull back, and focus on contributing to a better city, not only consuming it."

"When it comes to urban design, we know that markets are no longer the only sources of innovation and that citizens are capable of more than just voting during election time. The pioneering initiatives featured in The Enabling City attest to the power of community in stimulating the kind of innovative thinking needed to tackle complex issues ranging from participatory citizenship to urban livability.

The idea of pop-up democracy in turn is built on the notion that the trend in urban social design towards temporary, small-scale installations provides opportunities for expanding the dynamics and spaces of civic discourse in our communities. By doing so it is a tool for creating an increased "culture of participation." It also satisfies an urge among planning practitioners to envision impermanent solutions in unsure times, a form of development that allows for flexibility and change over time.

As part of York University's "City Seminar", our international discussants tackle questions of place-based creative problem-solving, tactical urbanism, pop-up interventions, well-being and livability."

popuhood curates, markets, and incubates retail to leverage creative assets and build vital and creative hyper-local mesh economies.

Streets repurposed as public markets. Parking spaces as parks. Vacant storefronts as temporary art galleries. It’s never been hotter.

"...raise funds for SIFA Fireside and Reach the People Charity Birmingham-based homeless services as well as offer homeless service users the opportunity to gain work experience and support into employment within the fashion-retail sector."

And the Reality Check [1.11]

"Han: Look, two parties of cool hipsters are sitting at tables near wall. [Referring to a group of four hipsters sitting next to two homeless men]
Max: You think those are six hipsters? Okay, let's go over this one more time. Hipster or homeless pop quiz, ready?
Han: Ready.
Max: Hipsters wear?
Han: Skinny jeans.
Max: Homeless wear?
Han: Dirty jeans.
Max: Hipsters listen to?
Han: Radiohead.
Max: Homeless listen to?
Han: The voices in their head.
Max: Hipsters have?
Han: Beard and a blog.
Max: Homeless have?
Han: Beard and so much sadness. I see sadness, there and there.
Max: I'll handle this. [Walks toward the group of hipsters] I told you before, I don't want your kind in here. Take a trendy hike. Better step it up. The Apple Store closes at ten.
Han: Max, why did you kick out the hipsters?
Max: 'Cause I could not be in the background of another Instagram photo."

"accredited interior design training, DIY workshops and upcycling courses to people who have experienced homelessnes"

By: ctvbc.ca

Date: Monday Aug. 29, 2011 5:15 PM PT

A fake beach set up in the heart of downtown Vancouver is attracting the wrong kind of sunbathers, according to local merchants who say they feel threatened by the growing presence of homeless people.

The pop-up park Picnurbia has been a magnet for lunch-time diners and weary tourists alike during its run in Robson Square this summer, but jewelry vendor Aroka Kushner says the undulating plush surface of the structure is also drawing in enough vagrants to become a sort of homeless camp.

"When they move far enough away, I can kind of ignore it, but when they come closer they're smoking pot -- they were drinking the other night. There's like a roughness, so it's not pleasant," she told CTV News.

"This morning I had one threatening me. I wanted him to move and he was so abusive -- I'm kind of shaking from it.... He said, ‘I'm going to make your life hell; I'm going to harass you all day.'"

Police officers come by in the morning to wake the campers up, but have told Kushner that's all they can do.

Those using the temporary park as a crash pad are defending themselves, saying they're not out to cause any trouble.

One woman, who gave her name as Laura, has been sleeping on the fake beach for a couple of nights while she looks for a place to live. She says that the homeless should be allowed to stay.

"Even the cops that have come here agree that it's pretty comfy and see why people would [sleep here],'" she said.

She estimates that about 20 people are sleeping in the park on a regular basis, and claims the informal community that's sprung up in Picnurbia takes responsibility for keeping the peace, forcing out undesirables.

"It's actually quite safe," she said.

"It's really nice because you get to meet so many cool people just chilling at this spot."

Picnurbia will be dismantled this weekend as Robson Square reopens to traffic, but the city hopes to make the area pedestrian-only again in the future and the pop-up park may be back.

"We have not determined future of Picnurbia yet, but are investigating potential ways to re-use it," Vancouver spokesman Alex Russell said in an email.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Lisa Rossington

"save shopping"

"Armchair Critics

Waste of Space has been a daring exercise in making use of all available space. Not only in a physical sense, by using empty shops in new and creative ways, but also in a political and enterprising sense, trying to weave “meanwhile spaces” into the fabric of local council, estate agents, land owners and retailers.

The notion of the shop is slowly changing whilst online shopping is growing year by year and overall consumer spending on goods and services is down. Experts indicate that retail spaces are rapidly changing function, where once we would go to buy our food, clothes, and meet with other local shoppers, now there is a shift towards café culture, entertainment and services such as hairdressers. But this is not enough to fill the void. 15% of all retail space in England remains vacant, and in many cases, rent and rates remain unaffordable given current trading conditions.

What is the future of the shop? How can we utilise empty spaces in the right way so to satisfy the community, estate agents and landlords? Is there more potential than we can see at first sight? And what impact will these changes have on our social habits?

Join artist Lorenza Ippolito and The Economic Development Team at Brighton and Hove City Council to investigate the nooks and crannies of the empty retail space."

what does it mean to occupy an already occupied country

asfalto, ‘asphalt’ or formal city//favela, or informal city

"My plan until I entered year seven was to marry someone that loved kids, and make the husband and children all live in a different house to me. The husband could visit on weekends, and I would see the kids on their birthdays. But in year seven I met a very street-wise girl who informed that I didn’t actually have to have children. You can’t even imagine the relief. It was like all my dreams had been answered. In fact, I would go so far as to say they had been. What she didn’t tell me was how other people would react to a girl that didn’t want to procreate."

frieze magazine is inviting entries for the Frieze Writer’s Prize 2012.

Frieze Writer’s Prize was established in 2006 and is presented annually. The aim of the prize is to discover, promote and encourage new critics from across the world, and many of the previous winners and commended entrants have gone on to contribute to frieze magazine.

Aspiring writers are invited to submit an unpublished 700-word review in English of a recent contemporary art exhibition. Applicants must be over 18 years old and must not have had more than three pieces of writing on art published in a newspaper or magazine. The closing date for entries is 20 July 2012 and the winner of the prize will be announced in September. The winner will be awarded £2,000 and commissioned to write a review for an upcoming issue of frieze.

Sam Thorne, Associate Editor of frieze commented: ‘With the seventh annual Frieze Writer’s Prize, we’re proud to continue our commitment to discovering and publishing new critical voices. This year I’m excited to be sharing judging duties with Negar Azimi and Brian Dillon, whose work as both editors and critics I admire. That so many previous Writer’s Prize entrants have gone on to become regular contributors to frieze, as well as to other publications, is testament to the initiative’s importance. I’m looking forward to the prospect of discovering new writing talent.’

"be the graffiti you want to see in the world." " all the places you'll find parking day you'll find tactical urbanism readers."...unsanctioned tactics that become official programs....tactical urbanism guy: internet meaning the other cities (less well known than SF, NY, LDN etc) can be influentialand share their ideals/models.

ARUSH: someone needs to do the initial spark, civil disobedience first for the innovation to happen... principles/critique of activism /// 1:01:46

?Artist-run initiatives have become realised as an important factor in urban regeneration, but what is the role of an ARI? And what are the differences that make these inititaives so unique and important to Sydney’s cultural life?"

More equivalence of 'empty' with 'violent'