Community Involvement Influenced by Anarchy

This Big City team looks at "small places of anarchy" in Toyko that has taken root in DIY Gardening, Collaborative Mental Mapping and FIXing the Neighborhood.

1 minute read

September 7, 2011, 1:00 PM PDT

By Kristopher Fortin


Small places of anarchy can achieve the following:

"1) Replace state control with regards to an aspect of city life.

"2) Take away that aspect from the requirement of majority rule.

"3) Promote unimposed order as the style working."

Tokyo DIY Gardening's creativity brings nature into city in various ways

"It is an open sourcebook and resource for urban gardening on a personal level –'hands-on gardening for a crowded city'. It documents the objects and techniques of Tokyo's informal gardens – down-to-earth places and constructions which blend social norms, tradition, personal memory, community and friendship, frugal pleasures and practicality, beauty, and mutual independence between gardeners and plants."

The article uses photography and brief descriptions to show the three activities in action.

Friday, September 2, 2011 in This Big City

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

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