First Edition | Connecting Ideas For Change.
A F F I X Urban Design | Planning | Culture | People
Welcome to the very first issue of Affix Magazine
THE TEAM …
Contributors Alex Antoniadis - Urban Designer Sam Sawaya - Urban Planner Bryony Simcox - Student Architect Marc Freestone - Botanist Dylan Smith - Travel Writer Annie Seo - Illustration Katie Ruther - Photography Jessica Totino - Photography Adrian Morris - Photography Lucy Allardice - Communications
Contact Editorial & Contributions - info@affixmag.com Stockists & Advertising - abbie@affixmag.com
Website www.affixmag.com
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Affix Magazine is produced by Editor - Abbie Freestone. Printed in Melbourne, by 100% carbon neutral Impact Digital, on FSC accredited recycled stock. Affix Magazine™ is an independent, biannual publication. The ownership of each article contributed, is copyright. This copyright belongs with the contributor of the respective article, which is stated here & beneath the respective articles. All other ideas expressed in affix are put forward, with the intention to stimulate discussion, to share ideas & to tell the stories, which we think deserve to be heard. The opinions published in Affix belong to the respective authors of each article, which do not necessarily represent the views of the publishers & editorial team. The content in this magazine may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent from Affix Magazine © 2015. Affix Magazine reserves the right to accept, reject or edit any material submitted by contributors prior to publishing the magazine.
A bit about us‌
first of all, thank you. Thank you so very much for picking up the first ever issue of Affix Magazine! We are absolutely delighted to be able to bring this introductory issue to you. If you’re curious about who we are and what we stand for, then have a flick through! Perhaps you are also globally minded and interested in hearing about creative, innovative and sustainable initiatives from around the world? If so then Affix will be of interest to you. We are focussed on sharing the best ideas on urban design, city and regional planning, as well as cultural issues of interest and hearing the stories of creative, inspiring individuals and communities. Combine all of this with a collection of great photographs, opinion pieces, illustrations and stimulating articles and there you have it. Affix is about connecting ideas and people to one another whilst also working towards fixing, some pressing issues surrounding rapid urbanisation and climate change. We want to keep it fun and interesting however, as these topics can often be talked about in a quite mundane and depressing manner. We vow to bring you nothing but positive stories, inspiring and optimistic ways at looking at the issues, which we think need to be talked about. After all, the concepts and mindsets around sustainable and social development, fundamentally, are buried in optimism. So let’s get started!
Welcome to the introductory issue of Affix Magazine. We hope you find some inspiration and value in the ideas expressed within these pages. The concept behind Affix was inspired by a passion for urban design & town planning, yet with this interest, we have also combined cultural & grass-roots ideas to help connect the dots on successful, community place-making. Incorporated with these concepts comes stimulating imagery & relevant citations. Ultimately, this debut issue of Affix is a demonstrative example of what is yet to come. Throughout 2015, we will be publishing Affix on a biannual basis, with the look to producing a series of quaterly issues throughout 2016 and beyond. Fundamentally Affix is consumed with connecting ideas to one another and thus working towards fixing pressing problems related to urban, social and sustainable development.
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Stephen Wiltshire
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Rwanda: Paving The Way For Future Waste Management
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Sarajevo Roses: And Symbolic Urbanism
CHT Architects - Leading By Example In Aged Care Design
Company Profile: Toms
A Czech & a Pole Walk Into a Bar & All They do Is....Drink.
Temporary Urbanism
Haas & Hahn Favela Painting
Chamonix Mont Blanc
Street Art Saving Street Sleepers
Where Do We Put The Plants?
Rent The World - Project Rental Agreement Tenants Are Present
Copenhagen Denmark
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Sustainable Active Transport Cycling
What’s on?
Connecting Ideas For Change.
STEPHEN WILTSHIRE An illustrative perception of the city.
You may have heard the name before, or at least the story. Stephen Wiltshire is the talented artist who is perhaps best known for his detailed and to scale, panoramic illustrations of city skylines. Born in 1974, the 40 year old from London is one of today’s most talented illustrators. His perceptions of the city are vivid interpretations of intricate detail that both bring about a sense of wonder and curiosity as to just how Wiltshire could document such illustrations from memory. From a very early age Wiltshire, has communicated through putting pencil to paper. Similarly to Picasso Wiltshire’s first words were in fact ‘paper’ and ‘pencil’. This passion has since remained and it is certainly evident in his extensive illustrative work. The grain of the city is so very rarely captured in this type of expanding perspective, which makes Wiltshire’s illustrations even more unique. It is no wonder then that Wiltshire is sought after internationally, as in 2005 he was commissioned to draw his signature panoramic views of 10 different cities around the world. This began with an illustration of Tokyo, which is the largest of his career to date. However the depictions of the city not only appear in a sprawling longitudinal panorama, but Wiltshire has also experimented with creating spherical depictions of our dense urban landscapes. As pictured, the globe of imagination really does make you think. Think about what city it could possibly be… is it London or Paris with the river Thames or the Seine to the left, or maybe it is New York with Manhattan’s skyscrapers and Central Park on the bottom right. Do all these cities really seem so similar? Could it be all of them and yet none at the same time? Wiltshire’s imaginative depiction of the city here, not only makes the city seem familiar and unfamiliar at the same time, but it does reflect the way in which life so often seems to revolve around the immediately context that surrounds us. The city we find ourselves in can so easily seem as though the entire earth revolves around just that one urban or suburban setting, but here Wiltshire captures just how scary that idea can be. As these urban environments begin to appear like ceaseless landscapes, it isn’t difficult to forget there is more beyond these horizons. There is one thing for sure however, the sheer mass and depth of these existing landscapes, is put into perspective by Wiltshire’s ‘Globe of Imagination’.
“ Wiltshire’s perceptions of the city are vivid interpretations of intricate detail that both bring about a sense of wonder and curiosity as to just how Wiltshire could document such illustrations from memory. ”
“ The sheer mass and depth of these existing landscapes, is put into perspective by Wiltshire’s ‘Globe of Imagination’. ”
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Globe of imagination 2013
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“ Wiltshire’s work offers a great point of reflection, stimulating a discussion of how these landscapes are perceived in both the real and imaginative realities. ”
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Stephen’s travel to different cities has influenced his work for the better and it only makes us wonder where his talent and passion will take him next. These thought provoking illustrations are not only a remarkable depiction of the metropolis’ that so many of us call home, but Wiltshire’s work offers a great point of reflection, stimulating a discussion of how these landscapes are perceived in both the real and imaginative realities. In a day and age where such imagery would still be difficult to capture through digital means, it is refreshing to see that Wiltshire really is a modern day visual artist, creating sketches of great authenticity, intricate detail and thought-provoking perspective.
Stephen is based in London and sells a range of work to the public. He can be found via www.stephenwiltshire.co.uk
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Photographer Katie Ruther is exploring and working with developing communities with her camera in hand. These beautiful images taken in Haiti as a part of her World Race trip capture the vibrancy & life amidst challenging conditions. However, the energy and resilience of these children, speaks for itself in Katie’s photographs. You can support Katie’s work via.. www.katieruther.theworldrace.org + www.katieruther.com
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Did you know?
Sarajevo Roses
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and symbolic urbanism
In 1992, as the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina was blockaded and under siege from the surrounding hills, by the Bosnian Serb Army, the city of Sarajevo felt an unimaginable amount of destruction. Not only was the city devastated by the physical attacks inflicted upon it, but the deeper emotional repercussions that come with any warfare, evidently still lie in the urban fabric of Sarajevo today.
“ The Sarajevo Roses, are a symbolic memorial of the hardship faced in the time of war. ” Today, what are known as the Sarajevo Roses, are a symbolic memorial of the hardship faced in the time of war. Where shellfire has created cavities in the pavement, red resin now fills these crevices up. From above these historic sites now resemble a floral, roselike formation, hence their name, the Sarajevo Roses. One of the questions that remains today is concerned with the future of these subtle landmarks. What will become of these symbols of past conflicts? As the concrete roads and pathways are gradually replaced, the Sarajevo Roses are also being covered up, yet is this the way in which such sites should be approached? Some say that the roses are such an important part of the Sarajevo urban fabric as they are engrained in the very city itself, offering a form of resilience as life continues to go around them. Others say they are but a glitch in the pavement. A pothole, an oddity and an ugly side-effect of war that has every reason to be replaced and forgotten. Not knowing the answer is a familiar feeling for all planners and designers, but so long as these subtleties are considered, we are well on the road to reaching a more balanced solution. We can’t help but think there’s something so incredibly beautiful about moving forward, with the past still in sight, reminding us of how far we’ve come and why we continue to move in one direction over another.
Rwanda / Paving The Way For Future Waste Management
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There are many ways in which Rwanda and it’s capital city Kigali are still developing economies of scale and demonstrative urban development, but in the areas of sanitation and in particular waste management, Kigali is leading by example. In a country where plastic bags are illegal and it is mandatory to take part in a monthly rubbish pick up, Rwanda has a lot to teach the rest of the world about small initiatives, which can make an immense impact in improving the conventional approach to city waste disposal. Yes that’s right.
“ Kigali is not only bringing about a positive environmental change, but the community related benefits through socially engaging on a regular basis, are just as valuable and rewarding for the city as a whole. ”
On every third Saturday of the month it is compulsory to set aside a few hours to collect rubbish outside individual’s homes and businesses in Kigali. Even the President must take part in the clean-up This consequently brings about a sense of place and communal ownership of public spaces as Rwandans gain a sense of pride over their place within their community. It is not just rubbish collection that occurs on the third Saturday of the month, but a general clean up of grasslands, gardens and other local projects are also worked on by the community. In this locally driven approach, to maintaining the city, Kigali is not only bringing about a positive environmental change, but the community related benefits through socially engaging on a regular basis, are just as valuable and rewarding for the city as a whole. 22
CHT ARCHITECTS LEADING BY EXAMPLE IN AGED CARE DESIGN. This decade marks a significant milestone in shaping both the Australian population and many other nations internationally, as the ‘baby boomers’ generation reach retirement, the growing pressure on catering for this increased demand in residential aged care centres will only continue to grow. The ability to provide an impeccable quality of life for the elderly that is both affordable, sustainable and socially relevant continues to challenge governments, city planners, architects and the aged care providers themselves. We found one architecture practice however that is leading by example and changing the norm on conventional design for Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF’s). CHT Architects located in Melbourne, Australia & Penang, Malaysia are driving and funding primary research into the design of RACF’s. With a strong commitment to investigating emerging trends in the aged care sector, CHT is dedicated to defining this new paradigm and designing vibrant and liveable spaces that enhance the lives of the elderly, their families and the respective staff in the aged care industry. Their aim is to deinstitutionalise existing aged care models to create more stimulating environments, which harness and foster a healthy community with accessible and adequate support services. Since working closely with the Architectural Research Consultancy ‘arc’, CHT Architects is continuing to undertake research, to ensure that innovative and creative thinking can be applied throughout the design process for aged care residences.
“ CHT is dedicated to defining this new paradigm and designing vibrant and liveable spaces that enhance the lives of the elderly ... ” With new trends pointing towards enabling people to ‘age in place’ that is to remain living in an environment that is familiar and homely for as long as possible, aged care dwellings should be designed with this in mind. With similar findings found in a valuable connection to green spaces, activity and people, palliative care and the role that a careful and considerate design approach can play in falls prevention, demonstrates the essential role that aged care architectural specialists will play in the future approach, to both new and existing RACF’s. It is by example that CHT Architects are approaching the future design of RACF’s and it is hoped that others in the industry will follow suit. Any research based design that aims to improve the quality of life for the elderly, is an effort that should be welcomed and encouraged by urban designers, planners, architects and the like. Here’s to growing old peacefully, in a purpose-built housing strategy that offers the utmost quality of life, for those in their final stages of life itself.
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“ New York is the biggest collection of villages in the world. � - Alistair Cooke
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‘From Village to Village’ Illustration by Annie Seo | www.annieseo.com 25
STREET ART
SAVING STREET SLEEPERS Street Stories | East London
The street art and graffiti movement is no stranger to the streets of most contemporary urban landscapes, however the phenomenon in the East London Street Art scene is changing the norm yet again, of the already unconventional culture. The collection of creative game-changers behind ‘Street Stories’ enlisted by Depaul, UK a youth homeless charity have organised talented graffiti artists, to donate their skills and time to tell the stories of the homeless and help to get them off the streets.
‘ Don’t let their stories end on the street ’ Through an artistic narrative, the stories often dictate how the individual has come to sleep on the streets. These realities are extremely confronting, as cases of domestic violence, drug, alcohol and sexual abuse, become evident through the artwork. It is not only the stories of hardship that the group want to tell however, as they are working towards bringing about a positive change in the life of the homeless society. The group reiterate; ‘Don’t let their stories end on the street’. They work towards this by posting a url link on the walled murals, so the public can purchase an original print of the painting itself. The money hence raised, funds five nights accommodation for a young homeless person. It also helps promote the artist who has donated their time, as a description of them appears online under the link to purchase the print! It is helped further by organisations such as: Street Art London who organise walking tours for the public to view the best and latest graffiti in the city .
www.streetstories.org.uk
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RENT THE WORLD. Project Rental Agreement | Tenants Are Present
Ever experienced life in a share-house? The unavoidable drama ensuring that each housemate pay their rent on time or pay up at all, is an all too familiar scenario for most share-houses. But aren’t we all residents of earth in itself, calling the forests, the cities, beaches and mountains our own? Sure, we pay taxes in our cities for the use of pubic space, utilities and the like, but I sure agree with NGO Rent The World in that we should all pay a ‘rent’ back to earth for the sheer space we take up on it. Rent The World founder Laura Ballantyne-Brodie was inspired by this concept when she met a wise lady called Jean who believed “You must pay rent for the space you take on this earth. The only way you can do that is by doing good deeds in your community.”
“You must pay rent for the space you take on this earth. The only way you can do that is by doing good deeds in your community.” The projects and campaigns run by Rent The World help to foster and increase the public’s awareness over this notion and similar concepts, orientated around environmental and civic action. The latest campaign called ‘Project Rental Agreement: Tenants Are Present’, which will be installed in the Sustainable Living Festival in Melbourne from February 10th15th, aims to educate the public over their energy consumption and subsequent actions to be taken to ameliorate the impact of one’s carbon footprint. Through getting the public to sign the Rental
Rent The World took to the streets in New York City to get people to sign the Project Rental Agreement for ShareHouse Earth.
Agreement, one can then commit to making a positive environmental change in their lives, or otherwise paying the calculated rent to the earth as a result of one’s respective resource consumption. In the words of Rent The World:
‘ShareHouse Earth is a shared home to 7 billion and counting. We don’t own our space here, we rent it from future generations.’ 2015 has already been a busy year for the organisation after launching the ‘Project Rental Agreement: Tenants Are Present’ campaign and this will only continue as the movement and organisation build. Rent The World is hoping to end the year at the UN Climate Change talks in Paris. It is hoped that through captivating campaigns and raising awareness, Rent The World can help to educate and engage with the public on pressing environmental issues.
Stay up to date with the latest from Rent The World online | renttotheworld.org
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Tokyo’s Harajuku is one of the most mesmerising urban districts to explore & experience. With an abundance of contrasting surprises, Harajuku is one of the most unique shopping destinations in the world.
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The spirituality of a city is so often what defines one urban landscape from another &Tokyo’s culture is so very invested in it’s history’s intricate detail, with ancient traditions still frequently practiced and relevant today.
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C
openhagen, Denmark -
The city of bikes, parks, models and most importantly urban planning. In July of last year, I took three months to explore Europe and made sure that this glorious city was the first to tick off my bucket list. Cop-en-ha-gen is vibrant, diverse and current and truly represents how a city should function. Whether it is the abundance of green space, bustling streets of dinging bike bells or the colours of the infamous Nyhaven, you can't help but fall for it's opulent charm. If your a greenie, foodie, bikie (not the gang type) or even a hippy who wants to be stuck in a time warp, the city will cater to your needs. It is the walkability and diversity of the city that will enchant your mind to spiral into a whirl of unexpectedness. Urban beaches, hidden parks, industrial wonders and streets dedicated to us and by us I mean humans and not cars, you will always stumble across the most amazing treasures. I am not anti-car at all as that would be hypocritical for me to make out, but I do believe in giving up spaces for purely walking and riding. Some of the most bizarre stories came from people watching in the pedestrianised street 'Stroget' and it is the feeling of being in the moment, collectively experiencing the rawness of the city with strangers that makes it the most exhilarating experience. We as society are concerned with tomorrow but in moments like that you really live and feel for the now, the current, the physical present. Most of us don't experience those feelings often enough and when it happens it becomes a weird addiction. Hire a bike, feel the wind hit your face, fall off and don't be afraid - Copenhagen will catch you.
“ Hire a bike, feel the wind hit your face, fall off and don't be afraid. � One of the new gems of the city is the elevated bicycle pathway that is dedicated purely to cyclists. The red raw pathway cannot be missed as it stretches into the 'docklands' of Copenhagen and it is here you see a new beginning. As London and New York are seen as the muses of fashion, it is the same for us urban lovers with Copenhagen. Mark my words this form of movement and transport will become fashionable and by the time I am sixty - it may even be possible to ride from Paris to London via an elevated bike path. People are becoming more familiar with urban planning which finally saves me from explaining what it is I do. I created my own Instagram account @urban_fragments with the aim to create a community of urban lovers from all over the world! words + images | Alexander Antoniadis
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“ Design a thing by considering it in its larger context - a chair in a room, a room in a house, a house in a community, a community in a city. � - Eliel Saarinen
Photographer Adrian Morris captures unique settings in his travels far and wide. His beautiful and emotive imagery of Morocco is clearly visible here, in these reflective and colourful images.
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Adrian Morris | www.thisismowgli.com
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SUSTAINABLE ACTIVE TRANSPORT: CYCLING Lengthy, busy commutes to and from University during peak hour were never my favourite experience of student life. It is no secret that Melbourne’s public transport system has its flaws in comparison to international standards. Having experienced the London Underground while travelling and studying in Europe, it is fair to say our transport standards are a little behind in comparison. The lack of connectivity from my house made it inefficient for me to rely on a bus, train or tram to get to my classes on time. I was often driving to the train station, parking my car and catching a train into the city, then catching a bus from the train station to Uni. This lead to my commute experience including traffic congested roads, fights to squeeze onto overcrowded trains that were not always punctuate or reliable, being surrounded by the stench of bad body odour, and then lining up just to squeeze onto the bus.
“ I actually for the first time began to look forward to my formerly dreaded commutes. Thus began my passion for cycling. ” This was my mode of transport for a large portion of my first year at University. That is, until one of my Urban Planning subjects opened my eyes to a more reliable, sustainable, active means of transport. Cycling. At first I was reluctant at the thought of riding through the chill of a Melbourne morning, the physical exertion it would require, and the state I would be in once arriving. Although what did I have to lose? I decided it was time to try something a little different. I went out and purchased a road bike and committed myself to begin cycling to Uni. As I began to ride more often, my confidence grew and I became more and more attached to cycling. The 14km journey to Uni would roughly take me 45 minutes. I would shower once arriving on campus which allowed 1 hour from my house to classroom, or classroom to home, the same time it would take to drive or catch public transport, minus the petrol, car parking, public transport fare, and plus the physical exercise. It wasn’t hard or long before I began to see the many advantages associated with cycling, and became somewhat of an advocate of its perks. What I discovered in only a few weeks were; I was arriving to Uni faster than I was previously, I felt healthier and fitter than before, and I actually for the first time began to look forward to my formerly dreaded commutes. Thus began my passion for cycling. The individual health benefits, and environmental benefits associated with cycling far outweigh that of any other transport mode. According to the Better Health website, and approved by Bicycle Network Victoria, increased physical activity due to cycling leads to health benefits including a reduction in obesity risk, decreased stress levels, reduced anxiety and depression, and increased cardiovascular fitness. The Environmental benefits to cycling are significant in terms of a greener approach to transport. In comparison to other transportation methods, cycling burns no non-renewable fossil fuels, and produces no air pollution or other harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Thus a much more environmentally sustainable transport alternative. Cycling in Australia is growing, with Melbourne having the largest number of bicycle commuters in the country. However, there is much work to be done. According to the Cycle Promotion Fund and National Heart Foundation of Australia (2011), the most common reason for not riding a bicycle for transport involves reasons for safety such as unsafe road conditions, speed and volume of traffic, and lack of bicycle lanes or trails. As a cyclist I can relate to these sensations. One of my goals as an Urban Planner is to one day assist in making Melbourne a more bicycle friendly city. Improving the nature of bicycle infrastructure, dedicated bicycle lanes, trails and paths, and the general awareness for the safety of cyclists. Maybe one day Melbourne can compete with European bicycle friendly cities such as Copenhagen and Amsterdam? If there was anything I would like the readers of this article to take away with them, it is the thought that for their next journey to the local café, to University, or even to work, why not try jumping on the bike? It’s healthy, sustainable, cheap, time efficient, and you might just love it. Words | Sam Sawaya 38
COMPANY PROFILE
TOMS
In a day and age where socially minded companies, NGO’s and the like are on the rise it is both hopeful and encouraging to know that companies like Toms are successfully leading by example with a genuine compassion for helping others. The concept was founded in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie an American traveller who befriended children without any shoes in a village in Argentina. Toms was then created to match every pair of Toms shoes sold with a child in need, creating the now widely recognised ‘One for One’ concept. Toms has since given 35 million pairs of shoes to children in need, throughout 60 countries world wide and counting. But why stop at shoes when, there are people in need of eye wear and eye care as well. Since starting the Toms Eyewear range in 2011, 250,000 have had their sight restored. One of the most
inspiring initiatives to come from Toms Eyewear, amongst it’s provision of prescription glasses and medical treatment, are the sustainable, community-based eye care programs. Through helping to create and foster jobs in eye care training and education, with community volunteers, Toms is helping to facilitate long-term change in developing communities. The Toms philosophy makes us wonder what is next for the company and why there aren’t more organisations out there, stepping outside the box and proactively giving back to the community. Inspired by Toms, each issue of Affix Magazine will also give $1 to a selected charity, community or project in need, for each copy purchased. www.toms.com
A CZECH AND A POLE WALK INTO A BAR AND ALL THEY DO.. IS DRINK. Eastern Europe, the geopolitical and geographical area that borders the Russian Federation, is a delight for any traveller seeking historical saturation as well as multiple cultural shockwaves. These countries are less expensive than Australia and other parts of Europe, including Western Europe and Scandinavia, due to the continued recovery of economies since the collapse of the Soviet Union. During a recent trip through the region, I was taken aback by the presence of run down ruin buildings, confronting homelessness and poverty and a longing for greater education and life experience from the upcoming generations. What I also encountered was a sense of relief and a grasp on freedom not held by the elders of each of these countries. The students are the waitresses or the cashiers but, in their eyes, this is the determination to take advantage of this prosperous moment in time. The twenty-six to thirty-five demographic seems to be the happiest, having been born in a time of oppression and growing up motivated to work harder than others on the continent and now they are reaping the rewards. I met young Latvian professionals who had just returned from business trips to New York, profiting from the inaugural corporate excursion financially and on a personal level. A Polish man in Warsaw offered to accompany me to the Uprising Museum to help explain what his mother endured during the Nazi occupation, becoming emotional has he elaborated on his family’s involvement in the Polish Resistance during the 1944 uprising. People were making the most of their new opportunities but they never forgot their cultural heritage and made sure to enjoy time with family, friends and inquisitive Australian tourists.
“ What I also encountered was a sense of relief and a grasp on freedom not held by the elders of each of these countries. �
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“ The kindness was infinite. People who I had known for less than an hour welcomed me to birthday parties and treated me as a friend. ” On a social aspect, whilst walking around an industrial area of Kraków, Poland, looking for Oskar Schindler’s factory, now a museum detailing the occupation of Kraków during World War II and Schindler’s efforts to save the lives of his Jewish workers, I got very lost. It is unbelievably hard to find. Along with two English tourists who initially mistook me for a local, we stopped a Polish woman of about forty and asked her for directions. Clearly only recognising the name of the famous German industrialist and former spy in our request, she began walking the three of us to the museum. After about five minutes of walking, she asked another local, a man working on a construction site, for directions who proceeded to stop work to come out onto the road and indicate that the museum was around the corner. The generosity of strangers in Eastern Europe is something to be inspired by and a habit to be replicated. She could have pointed to a spot on the map and directed us with a hand gesture. She could have kept walking. The kindness was infinite. People who I had known for less than an hour welcomed me to birthday parties and treated me as a friend. Even in Russia, considered completely different to Eastern Europe, I was accompanied to my desired train platform by a Russian man without asking, as I was only consulting my map to reassure myself that I was headed in the right direction. Completely unwarranted, but he stopped nevertheless. The architecture in Eastern Europe, especially in the ubiquitous ’Old Towns’, are a memento of the beauty of the people and the culture. The remaining remnants of devastation and destruction from war, terror and horror are also a reminder than things could be, and once were, a lot worse. They realise that their specific language is difficult for English speakers, whether it be reading or speaking, so they understand the importance of helping out when they can. A part of them, I believe, also enjoys the brief encounter with someone from another land, usually ending the meeting with a hand shake or kind smile. It is safe, peaceful and enjoyable, all due to the interaction of welcoming locals. Words | Dylan Smith 41
A P ro j e c t o f R E N T T H E WO R L D a s p a r t o f t h e SUSTAINABLE L IV ING FESTIVAL 2015
Join us at CITY SQ, 67 SWANSTON ST, MELBOURNE • 9 TH -15 TH FEB, 11 AM - 4 PM
TENANTS are PRESENT Would you
a
?
RENTAL AGREEMENT
for living on
ShareHouse
EARTH
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Freelance Photographer - Jessica Totino of Loneography is a talented and spirited photographer, capturing some of New Zealand’s best untouched landscapes in these lightfilled images. www.loneography.com
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TEMPORARY URBANISM
& transforming the community through participation Temporary Urbanism is an alternative approach to traditional city-making by organising events, creating interventions and building spaces to solve problems or address issues linked to the quality of everyday life. It can be initiated, led, owned and used by individuals, collectives or institutions, and occurs in ‘cracks’ in the city (places otherwise unused, misused or disused) that bring with them their own qualities. These projects allow for unexpected and unique outcomes due to their informal, and often unplanned nature, and their truly participatory processes, leading to the strengthening of the community and in turn a better city with happier inhabitants. Temporary Urbanism is presented here as a platform for those processes and a catalyst for social change. One of Temporary Urbanism’s greatest strengths is its ability to make big change in a quiet, unassuming way, by appearing as ‘harmless intervention’ - ’things that would be unbearable over the long term can still be perceived as valuable for the short term’. This is ‘Urbanism light’, which focuses on minimum intervention for maximum change, and can act as a catalyst; either leading to a permanent future, or at least highlighting previously hidden needs and desires of the city’s unheard voices.
“Temporary uses are seen as tools of empowerment: revealing the possibilities of space” - HAYDN, FLORIAN AND TEMEL
Despite the associated risk of projects with an unknown future, it is noted that ‘the uncertainty and openness attract and inspire’. An indeterminate timeframe brings with it a flexibility regarding outcome and method, and challenges conventional ways of thinking through an alternative ‘trial and error’ approach. The powerful effect of this practice is that there is room for experimentation, and the sites of urban interventions become laboratories for testing ideas, leading to unenvisaged outcomes and even lasting programmes. The range of propositions put in place in response to the aforementioned triggers vary immensely: large scale exam48
ples with short timeframes range from festivals and cultural events such as street parties, music concerts and craft fairs, which contrast with minute physical interventions of varied duration as in the case of the ‘Red Swing Project’. Whilst some proposals are focused on an activity, others fulfil needs such as that for visually stimulating green spaces or locally-produced food stocks through activities like ‘Guerrilla Gardening’ and the ‘Incredible Edible’ network. The city is a vast landscape of built layers, an urban environment driven by current trends, shifts in the economic arena and changes in the perceived requirements of its inhabitants. Running alongside this cyclical development, there will always be pinpoints of friction within the city which go unattended and unnoticed the majority of the time. However, these non-spaces and dead spaces are occasionally the focus of a quiet revolution in urban development, becoming the sites for temporary intervention.
“Disarray and deterioration invite people to take the initiative in imagining and creating their own arrangements of space and finding alternative uses” - KAREN FRANCK AND QUENTIN STEVENS
Another effect of the developing city is the emergence of ‘residual spaces’, where there is no longer a distinction between public and private. These pockets are the focus of ‘Everyday Urbanism’ - looking ‘to the quotidian, to spaces between residential space, work space and institutions’ . Unique characteristics such as size, site history and surroundings give a place specificity; making it more complex but indeed more interesting to work with. In apparent contradiction to the loaded meaning of residual spaces, their neglected and underutilised nature sometimes leads them to be highly flexible in terms of use. These ‘spatial interstices’ of the city are left devoid of definition; resisting normalisation and conserving ‘the potential of the city’s undefined and unspecified elements’. The site initially identified by Constantin Petcou and Doina Petrescu of practice aaa for their 2001 ECOBox project epitomises this classification - two plots of land in the La Chapelle area of Paris described as an ‘urban island’ consisting of undeveloped, abandoned and uncertain space which was ideal for ‘flexible, provisional community use’. ECOBox began in 2001 as a series of self-managed projects which value a ‘flexible and reversible use of space’. After collective consultation, residents, architects and educators worked together to establish a temporary garden formed from recycled pallets which was progressively extended, curated, and defined by its inclusion of users, employing the notion of ‘coproduction’. The scheme grew to include additions such as a library, kitchen, tool bank and radio station to accompany collective activities; tactically challenging stereotyped habits of everyday life. At the heart of aaa’s unique approach is what they term ‘Self-Managed’ Urbanism, whereby the architects allow themselves to relinquish control and become quiet observers. The users gradually take over the project, shifting from (passive) participants to (active) project stakeholders. This is a sharing methodology to increase creativity, and despite bringing with it the risk of ‘tensions, contradictions, oppositions and failures’, allows moments of ‘rebellious spontaneity' to be incorporated into the project by drawing upon inhabitants’ local knowledge.
“Participating in making the community itself, through discrete interventions” - DOINA PETRESCU 49
Public life is becoming increasingly privatised, and if the interaction of citizens and activity between buildings is missing, boundaries between isolation and contact become sharper. On the other hand, when opportunities to participate are presented, life between buildings is instead enriched. Fundamentally, the constructed environment must relate to its social context, and it is proven that happier residents originate from places that foster good social connections which enhance the attractiveness of living in a city. The ECOBox project draws its strengths from the various specialisms of those involved, and employs an ‘experimental weaving of specialised knowledge and shared experience’. This gives those involved a sense of empowerment, and rather than being opportunistic, allows others to take control over their own environment, taking partial responsibility within a larger scheme. The aspiration of this projects is that, beyond its lifespan, it may leave the legacy of a more cohesive future community, as a result of inhabitants’ direct engagement. Harnessing the community’s desires within a bottom-up approach as well as a long-term vision is key to success of Temporary Urbanism, as projects take time to grow roots. Most importantly though, perhaps the true vitality and transformative power of ‘The Right to the City’ can only be realised if the call for implementing it comes in the form of a demand from those currently excluded. If this is indeed true, it is the responsibility of the architect to relinquish control, and allow us To Change Ourselves by Changing the City. Words | Bryony Simcox *A longer version of this article & a full list of references can be viewed online at ’www.bit.ly/ToChangeOurselves’.
The White Night Melbourne event is a sensational way to celebrate the art, architecture, music and culture of the city as it comes to life on the 21st of February from 7pm to 7am.
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Haas & Hahn Favela Painting
When one thinks of Rio de Janeiro there are a multitude of ideas that come to mind, such as Rio Carnival and numerous other festive and cultural activities. An unfortunate association however, are the city’s widely recognised favelas most commonly known for their poor standard of living, consistent violence and drug wars. These modest settlements have been the subject of social and spatial analysis for years, in an effort to try and ameliorate the standard of living for their respective communities. But these informal communities, often referred to as slums, have been built by their own accord. With no master plan, these communities have evolved organically, from the bottom up with the only means available to them. It therefore makes sense that for any type of design or planning based intervention to be successful within the favelas, it should be approached in this same way.
“ Residents didn’t like the facades painted in a plain blue as it was the same colour as the police station. ” Which brings us the dutch duo Jeroen Koolhaas (Haas) and Dre Urhahn (Hahn), who in 2005 began working together in the Villa Cruzeiro favela, - a community of roughly 60,000 inhabitants, located in Penha, in Rio’s North zone. The pair began 10 years ago after arriving in Rio to shoot a documentary on life in the favelas. This then evolved into the plastering and painting of
numerous houses within the community. The first of which was a boy flying a kite, (after learning the hard way that residents didn’t like the facades painted in a plain blue as it was the same colour as the police station). While doing this Haas and Hahn integrated themselves into the community and began throwing barbeques, to help get to know everyone in the neighbourhood. However over time this proved to be just as rewarding as the painting of the favela itself, but still the painting continued. A vacant section of concrete that was distributed on one slope in the neighbourhood, (to prevent landslides) was even painted in a Japanese style, to reflect fish swimming upstream. It now represents a beautiful and colourful river flowing down the hill. Since Haas and Hahn’s story has spread, the pair have been able to work in a similar way in other communities internationally. One of the poorest communities in North Philly in the U.S. was approached in the same way, after the duo were asked if they could somehow translate their favela painting success in North Philly. It is hoped that more community interventions and artwork installations can help continue to make a positive change in many more developing communities throughout the world. Just like Affix donating $1 from the purchase of this very magazine, you too can make a donation to help fund the ongoing projects of Haas and Hahn via | www.favelapainting.com 51
CHAMONIX -
MONT BLANC
Ever been somewhere so breathtakingly beautiful that you want to tell all your friends and family to drop everything and book a ticket to join you...mostly, just so that you can share the experience with them…only to reminisce ten years later, about that one time you went to, yes, Chamonix. Whether it’s the incredible train journey there from Martigney, Switzerland - or the very reasonable pricing of everything, compared to anything in the Swiss Alps. Chamonix is something special. However it is more than just a luxurious holiday destination. It serves to remind us that there are communities and villages that exist in the world, where waking up each day and strolling to buy your morning pastry, whilst admiring the surrounding scenery, encapsulated by soaring mountain peaks, is a very real reality, and it is enough. There is nothing like an immersion in a natural setting to bring our heads out of the clouds and remind us that in the scheme of things, we are but a speck of dust on the earth. As much as we love our cities, nothing will come close to the beauty and wonder of our natural environments.
“ ..admiring the surrounding scenery, encapsulated by soaring mountain peaks, is a very real reality, and it is enough. ” Alpine villages are marvellous and intriguing settlements, with climate & topography at odds with what commonly comprises a comfortable human existence. Chamonix, Mont Blanc is a classic example of this. The shear altitude and setting upon which the architectural triumph, the Arguille du Midi (at 3,842 m) was built, never ceases to amaze it’s thousands of visitors each year. Yet being at the summit of this human-made structure on the face of a mountain and looking down upon the alpine village, there is much to learn. Clusters of similar communities are scattered throughout the alps, and their resilience, history and the way of life of those who call the mountains home, brings us closer to realising that the conditions that make our environments so called ‘successful’ environments, is perhaps more about how the people adapt to the place. All we know is that Chamonix has got it right and perhaps the magnificent aesthetics of the surrounding landscape does have just a little bit to do with it. Just a little. 52
“ Alpine villages are marvelous and inriguing settlements, with climate & topography at odds with what commonly comprises a comfortable human existence. �
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Istanbul’s intrigue & beauty is plentiful, from the city’s relation with both continents Asia & Europe through to it’s exquisite, spiritual architecture.
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Paris by the Vélib (bike share) has to be one of the best ways to explore the city & get lost in it’s arrondissements. Through the numerous one way streets you’ll undoubtedly find yourself somewhere unexpected
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“ If the industrial era was about building things, the social era is about connecting things, people and ideas.� - Nilofer Merchant
WHERE DO WE PUT THE PLANTS? Considering the environment in urban planning
Melbourne is growing. The city’s population growth drives Victoria’s economy to a large extent, employing thousands of people in the construction industry. However, Melbourne’s preference for greenfield developments over infill projects has created an omnipotent urban sprawl that threatens some of the world’s most endangered species. Before the arrival of Europeans, western Victoria was clothed in a vast tract of native grassland. From Melbourne to the South Australian border, this treeless plain was our equivalent of Africa’s Serengeti. Hundreds of thousands of hectares of treeless country, dotted with wetlands and the occasional dormant volcanic hill. In the grass lived a diverse assemblage of animals. Bandicoots emerged at dusk to forage for food, Kangaroos roamed in large mobs and each wetland had a resident pair of Brolgas. Every summer, fires would break out, sparked either by lightning or indigenous people. And after fire, colour. Daisies, lilies and orchids covered the recently burnt grassland in a display to rival the wildflowers of Western Australia.
“ Melbourne’s preference for greenfield developments over infill projects has created an omnipotent urban sprawl that threatens some of the world’s most endangered species. ” But the fertile soil and reliable rainfall of the western Victorian volcanic plain caught the attention of European settlers. Under the hooves of sheep and the farmers plough, more than 99% of the native grasslands were lost. Paradoxically, the grasslands to the west of Melbourne were largely spared. Much of modernday St. Albans, Derrimut and Laverton was set aside to temporarily hold herds of sheep and cattle on their way to abattoirs in Melbourne and were grazed only lightly. Twenty years ago, suburbs the western suburbs of Melbourne held the largest grassland remnants. Unfortunately, most is now under the floors of houses and industrial sheds, lost to the irresistible urban sprawl. In response to the rapid loss of the last remnants of these endangered grasslands, the Victorian and Commonwealth governments introduced laws designed to protect the grasslands from extinction. Today, anyone wanting to clear native grasslands in Victoria needs a permit from Council under clause 52.17 of the Planning Scheme and, if the grasslands are of reasonable quality, a permit from the Commonwealth Government under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999). These laws require surveys to be undertaken for threatened plant and animal species, such as Spiny Rice-flower, Striped Legless Lizard and Golden Sun Moth. They can also require that some or all of the native grassland be protected and set aside in a reserve, particularly if it found to harbour threatened species. If grassland is permitted to be destroyed, offsets need to be purchased. An offset is where the developer pays a landowner to covenant and manage native grasslands on their property, which is supposed to compensate for the loss of grasslands at the development site. A grassland reserve can be a beautiful centrepiece of any new housing estate if planned and presented in the right way, and can increase the value of neighbouring lots. Grasslands need to be burnt every few years to encourage the wildflowers to flower. Therefore, surrounding the reserve with a road provides a safe buffer for nearby houses. Fencing is also a requisite, to prevent the inviting open space from being used to road test all the Commodores in the neighbourhood, and an attractive post and rail fence is effective and attractive. A grassland can appear to be a snake-infested fire hazard. The key to changing this attitude among local residents is education – signage is vital to fostering a sense of ownership and pride for the grassland among the landowners.
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“ A grassland reserve can be a beautiful centrepiece of any new housing estate if planned and presented in the right way, and can increase the value of neighbouring lots. ”
The idea of “sustainable development” is a buzz-word that is often preached and seldom practised. But when expert advice on the location and importance of ecological values is obtained at the beginning of the planning process, good town planning can avoid destroying an endangered native grassland ecosystem, instead incorporating it in a truly eco-sensitive development. Words | Marc Freestone
“ The idea of “sustainable development” is a buzz-word that is often preached and seldom practised. ”
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What’s on?
... and where would urbanists, environmentalists and optimists be without the occasional, heated discussion? We are fortunate enough to be a part of an industry and a movement, which encourages an ever-changing dialogue of thoughts and ideas. Listed below are a few upcoming short courses, seminars, festivals and forums on all things related to design, sustainability, innovation and cities.
Summer School Thinking City
The Summer School Thinking City, which will be taking place for the second year running will be held in Amsterdam, NL from the 4-16 of July. The 2 week intensive program brings students and professionals from all over the world to explore, discuss and develop the future of the city. Visit the Summer School Thinking City website for more details.. www.summerschoolthinkingcity.org
Strelka Institute Summer Program
The Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design in Moscow, RU has a range of public talks and events on in the city from May through to September. With lectures, workshops and exhibitions, the Strelka public summer program is a must for those in Moscow during the warmer months. www.strelka.com/en/summer
Sustainable Living Festival - Rent to The World
Australia’s biggest Sustainable Living Festival will be taking place in Melbourne, Au from the 7th of Feb till 1st of March. Through bringing together like minded organisations to engage with the public, it is hoped that wide-spread and far-reaching awareness around an array of environmental issues will be spread. You can get involved through volunteering for any number of grass-root campaigns or through coming along to support the festival throughout it’s duration. www.slfestival.org
Disc*02 - Design and Innovation for Sustainable Cities
The University of California, Berkley will be conducting a range of short, inetnsive summer programs around environmental, urban design and planning. This 5 week program running from July 6th to August the 5th wil be an engaging and rewarding experience for all who take part. See the below link for more details. www.ced.berkeley.edu/academics/summer-programs/discovery
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“ Urbanism works when it creates a journey as desirable as the destination. � - Paul Goldberger
Connecting ideas for change. www.affixmag.com