What Do Pop-Up Shops and Homelessness Reveal About Urban Land Use?

On the land use spectrum, pop-up shops and homelessness operate at very different ends and from disparate positions of power. Ann Deslandes investigates the commonalities that bind them.

1 minute read

February 16, 2012, 12:00 PM PST

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Sanctioned and celebrated, DIY (do-it-yourself) Urbanism such as pop-up shops and temporary studios are a response to the scarcity of accessible urban space. As is homelessness.

According to Deslandes, "DIY urbanists respond to the scarcity of urban space by opening it up to culture, community and the grassroots economy. The primary homeless demonstrate the scarcity of housing, social services and community resources in urban space by appearing in that space and using it for shelter and other necessities. So, whilst DIY urbanists and the primary homeless are responding to scarcity in very different orders, they share a reliance on marginal urban space."

Without providing solutions, Deslandes points out the relationship merely to bring it to the attention of those who control the means to address, "the conditions for achievement in an aggressively unequal society."

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 in The Global Urbanist

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

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

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Person on bike on small road in London with people eating at outdoor dining tables and pedestrians walking on either side.

Study: London Low-Traffic Neighborhoods See 35% Drop in Road Injuries

London’s effort to reduce speeds and limit vehicles in parts of the city are contributing to improved road safety.

30 minutes ago - Momentum Magazine

Interior of vacant/unfinished concrete open plan office building.

Dorm-Style Housing: A Solution for DC’s Vacant Office Buildings

Adapting office buildings to dorm-style housing with shared spaces is a much more affordable option than repurposing offices into apartments.

1 hour ago - Greater Greater Washington

Crosswalk in New York City with cars, bikes, and pedestrians.

Opinion: LOS has ‘No Redeeming Quality’

The commonly used Level of Service metric that grades intersections based on traffic speed rather than safety is a key contributor to dangerous roadways.

2 hours ago - Fast Company