Organized by the Canadian Centre for Architecture, traveling exhibition Actions: What You Can Do with the City proposes 99 clever ways to revamp urban living and prompt positive change on your home turf.
The diverse “actions” encompass guerrilla gardening, savvy reuse of vacant spaces, clandestine civic improvements, and more playful ideas, such as creating temporary parks in metered parking spots. The best part is, it’s not just theoretical: most of the projects have been brought to life before in cities ranging from Tokyo to Toronto.
Check out the Actions toolkit online, buy the book
, visit the exhibit at Chicago’s Graham Foundation, accept the Actions Challenge for yourself, and visit the CCA’s website to learn more about the organizers.
#58: Outlaw Gardeners Beautify City
Stamford Street and Blackfriars Road, London, planted with sunflowers, 2008 © Richard Reynolds
#15: Cellphone Photos Save Trash from Going to Waste
Screen capture of Garbagescout.com, James Nachlin, 2008
#9: Group Harvests Public Fruit Trees
#60: Illicit Stencil Saves Cyclists
Rush hour bike lane, design 1, Bloor St. West, Toronto, 2006 © Martin Reis
#28: DIY Publicity Campaign Creates High Line Promenade
High Line Series, 2000. Canadian Centre for Architecture Collection, Montréal. © Joel Sternfeld
#38: Foamy Velour Suit Challenges Authority
Archisuit, Los Angeles, 2005 © Sarah Ross
#86: Parking Meter Makes for Temporary Park
#18: Software Maps Pedestrians’ “Paths of Least Surveillance”
iSee software from the Institute of Applied Autonomy
#12 Executive Dines in Dumpster
Edible food found in the garbage of a supermarket in New York, March 2007 © Lorenzo Morales