How to Begin a Critical Look at Tactical Urbanism

In reaction to large scaled strategies that serve the city’s economic bottom line, but not individual residents, more decentralized and informal methods of city building have emerged at the turn of the 21st century. These informal city design initiatives seek to combat urban stagnation through the collaborative action of local stakeholders who are affected by such circumstances and seek to reverse or alter them. In the past decade, these actions often fall under the moniker of Tactical Urbanism. In the same manner that open-source software code is available to anyone who wishes to contribute, alter or customize a program, tactical urbanism begins with the initiative of public participants rather than from officially sanctioned protocols. Current literature focuses on methods and case studies for the implementation of the “informal” city; but there is scant study of the efficacy of these practices for neighborhoods seeking more permanent outcomes. What happens after the project is done (and perhaps gone)? This study seeks to begin to address that issue by using a MOMA exhibition on the topic to frame the discussion.

https://doi.org/10.35483/ACSA.AM.108.144

Volume Editors

ISBN
978-1-944214-26-5