As the world locked down due
to the pandemic,
there were some strange scenes
that appeared on the empty streets.
Across the globe,
teddy bears
started appearing in windows, in gardens
and hanging from fences.
And it became an informal teddy bear hunt
for people
out on their socially distanced walks.
And this wasn't a project
organized by a company, a government,
or any kind of central organization
Instead, it was a community
initiative that gained momentum
and spread around the world.
And it's far from the only example
of local creativity,
from chalk drawings for the Scarecrows
Community Gardens to sports.
There's a growing desire for people
to actively shape the spaces around them.
The traditional way
that cities changed was very top down
governments, planners, designers,
engineers and building owners
would have the power to shape a city.
But it turns out there's
an alternative out there.
A grassroots approach known
as tactical urbanism
This is a low cost, often temporary way
of reshaping an urban space,
generally land
by neighborhoods and communities
from pop up spaces or closing streets off
for markets and events.
They're often DIY and people focused.
They're often
the first step in testing an idea
that might become permanent.
For example, pedestrian
only areas
or temporary
bike paths that might later
become permanent infrastructure.
People like being creative,
and art is one way to make your community
feel more welcoming.
Yan bombing or my preferred term
Guerrilla Knitting
is a project in which people knit
or crochet items
in a public space
covering bridges
or benches
or even bicycles in colorful wool.
This was a project
that started by a few creative
individuals
and has become a worldwide
global phenomenon.
Dr. Natalie Osborne
from Griffith University
has been involved in a series
of tactical urbanism projects.
Guerrilla gardening
can sometimes seem a bit innocuous,
kitschy, apolitical,
or even part of hipster
friendly gentrification.
However, it can also
be deeply knitted into struggles
for urban space and spatial justice.
Growing forward, for example,
came together during the pandemic
to supply food to those
who was struggling.
They used neglected
urban space to grow food,
which they distribute
to recently released refugees
and local free
kitchens, while actively
resisting gentrification
and fighting for affordable housing.
And it's not just art
that can be shared, but also knowledge.
One of the most delightful forms
of tactical urbanism
is known as the street
library, or little library.
The way it works.
Someone sets up a box for books.
And from there, it's made available
to the community.
And people can take a book
or leave a book.
There's no signing it out.
Once you've got it, you can read it.
Pass it on to a friend. Or return it.
And this is a project
that, again, is spread around the world
with thousands of these libraries
made available and mapped online.
Going beyond what can be added to
the streetscape is a bigger question
about how the streets themselves
are used.
Within cities,
an enormous amount of space
has been handed over to cars
and depending on the city.
Around 30% of the area is used for roads
and another ten to 20%
being used for parking.
That's a lot of space
being given up for a single use.
And the question is increasingly
being asked
how else can these spaces be used?
Due to the pandemic and a desire
to have more outdoor spaces,
there's been a huge rise
in the number of 'parklets'
That is
car parks being handed over
for restaurant,
outdoor dining and recreation spaces.
But whole streets have been given
a new use.
Play Streets is a program
where streets are blocked off for cars
and instead is handed
over to the community
for outdoor activities
with kids and families to play.
This is a great neighborhood
led community building initiative
that promotes outdoor education
activity and health among kids,
builds community
and has a fun side effect
of turning an out of bounds area
into something filled with sports
and games.
One of the most powerful parts
of these temporary initiatives
is that it shows an alternative
and people have responded
incredibly positively.
Taking cars out of urban spaces
reduces noise emissions
and makes places more pleasant.
So much
so that is happening around the world.
And cities are doing it en masse.
The world famous Johns, Alisa is becoming
car free and being turned into a garden
after a successful pilot.
People live in cities.
These are homes for millions of people,
and it's no surprise
they want to shape the world around them.
Tactical urbanism or urban placemaking
is a great chance
to unlock this creativity
and bring some joy into the urban jungle.