informal urban practices

Guerilla Gardening from informal.urban on Vimeo.

Guerilla Gardening Groups are mostly Non-profit organisations run completely by volunteers and donations without permit or license, plant seeds and seedlings in neglected corners of public spaces.   They are passionate to design public spaces to raise awareness by example by beautifying the city without a big budget, without sponsors and without logos to bring life back to the street.  It is simply creating a space of “positive influence” for concerned citizens to get involved and participate.

Individual Guerilla Gardeners are creating opportunities for people to feel better as they pass by and promote positive human behaviour by using public spaces.

Guerilla Gardening from informal.urban on Vimeo.

GRAMEEN BANK

The Grameen Bank was set up by Muhammad Yunus, and provides credit to the poorest of the people living in Bangledesh. These loans may only be around $27, but this enables them to repay debts they may have, and often start small businesses that are sustainable income for them. His banking model has now been imitated, multiplying the positive social effect of the project.

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE LONDON

This is an organisation that, “works to unite, inspire and lead London’s social enterprise movement,” by connecting social enterprises and allowing them to assist each other, thus demonstrating that social enterprise is the future of business. It holds events and training sessions, offers a consultancy and many other services to social enterprises.

THE STREET VENDOR PROJECT

Working with the street vendors of New York as well as volunteers and graphic designers, the project strives to protect the rights of vendors and promote the beneficial nature of their practice. They educate the vendors and the public, as well as rally councils for fairer laws to allow vendors the opportunity to make a living. Although it is a not-for-profit organisation, it focuses on enabling the small businesses of others.

Lucy Fraser, Industrial Design

Research 3 different examples of ‘informal urban practice’ from cities outside Australia in your assigned topic area.

Explore the practice: What is fascinating about it? What is clever about it? What is of value in it? Summarise and communicate with ‘flair’.

Find a more detailed description and the list of practices here: 01_research project