Trolley underbelly provides space for instructions on its own use – in this case, for use only within the rubbish center area.
Materials: Marker
Location: Setagaya, Tokyo.
This example is a note for a pamphlet on “Hand Made Aspects of Mass Produced Housing”. Subscribe to my somewhat-frequent letter HERE if you want to keep in touch easily.
Fire extinguisher stored right in the most flammable area. Salvaged bath/shower stool put to use as stand.
Materials: Bath Stool
Location: Setagaya, Tokyo.
This example is a note for a pamphlet on “Hand Made Aspects of Mass Produced Housing”. Subscribe to my somewhat-frequent letter HERE if you want to keep in touch easily.
Cardboard box recycling tower constructed from salvaged metal rack and wood block for stabilization. Stool for reaching upper levels.
Materials: Metal Rack, Wood Block
Location: Setagaya, Tokyo.
This example is a note for a pamphlet on “Hand Made Aspects of Mass Produced Housing”. Subscribe to my somewhat-frequent letter HERE if you want to keep in touch easily.
Series of instructions regarding the disposal of paper and cardboard. Green laminated sign reads ‘paper’, hand written sign instructs residents to secure bundles of cardboard with string, typed sign notes instructions from the city.
Materials: Laminated Paper
Location: Setagaya, Tokyo.
This example is a note for a pamphlet on “Hand Made Aspects of Mass Produced Housing”. Subscribe to my somewhat-frequent letter HERE if you want to keep in touch easily.
Instructions on the disposal of glass bottles/jars – take the lid of first. Note emphasis over ‘lid’, cute portrait, and signature from the ‘Clean Trio’ who take care of the rubbish/recyling center.
Materials: Paper
Location: Setagaya, Tokyo.
This example is a note for a pamphlet on “Hand Made Aspects of Mass Produced Housing”. Subscribe to my somewhat-frequent letter HERE if you want to keep in touch easily.
Overview of can, glass bottle and plastic bottle recycling station. Full crates form structure and support for empty.
Cheerful handmade sign providing instruction on the correct way to recycle plastic bottles.
Materials: Plastic Crates, Coat Hanger
Location: Setagaya, Tokyo.
This example is a note for a pamphlet on “Hand Made Aspects of Mass Produced Housing”. Subscribe to my somewhat-frequent letter HERE if you want to keep in touch easily.
Sign collaged from reflective tape cautioning motorists to watch out for kids at play in suburban Tokyo.
Materials: Reflective Tape
Location: Akishima, Tokyo.
Park bench constructed from household seating and plastic twine.
See “Bus stop chairs are gifted, unmatched, and spontaneous” for an insightful take on the subject (on Tokyo Green Space).
Materials: Plastic Twine
Location: Akishima, Tokyo
Functional adaption of park tree for maintenance equipment storage in a run-down apartment complex just off the high-fashion avenue of Omotesando.
Materials: Tree
Location: Off Omotesando, Shibuya, Tokyo
(Originally posted on Tokyo-DIY-Gardening.org)
At night the climbing mound in the middle of the local playground is a spot for chatting, smoking, flirting, drinking……
Material: Playground
Location: Minami-ku, Nagoya
Hand made map showing shops and attractions in the center of Nagoya’s shopping district, Sakae.
Various fonts, paper, and hand written annotations, along with fading, wear and tear evoke the temporality of commerce.
I wonder what rules and regulations hold for the those allowed to add to the sign. What are the penalties for unauthorised editing?
Materials: Paper, Marker, Laminator
Location: Nagoya, Sakae
Another example of the hand made aspects of Japanese mass-made toilets. This time a large can that used to hold mosquito coils has been placed in a Nagoya public toilet by Mr./Ms. Migita?/Uda?.
Great to see the date of placement clearly written on the side of the can.
Materials: Can
Location: Sakae, Nagoya
Watch out for burglars! This frugal signage warns residents of ambient dangers.
Materials: Laminated Paper, Duct Tape
Location: Nagoya
Signage for a local kindgarten play-day makes use of a bush in a local park.
Materials: Laminated Paper, Plastic Twine, Tree
Location: Akishima, Tokyo
Tree and plastic bag form an easily disposed of ashtray in a local park.
Materials: Plastic Bag, Tree
Location: Akishima, Tokyo
This sign in Shibuya station illustrates how station employees have ‘fixed’ ticket gate signage at the request of users.
In this case, existing signage left passengers unclear as to whether the station could be exited from the ticket gate. This was fixed by installing two signs pointing to well known exits/meeting spots.
Materials: Laminated Paper
Location: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Street fire extinguisher storage secured with duct tape.
Materials: Duct Tape
Location: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Street map in Shibuya annotated with print labels.
Materials: Print Labels
Location: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Impromptu and hard to miss lost and found repository.
Materials: Post
Location: Akishima-shi, Tokyo
With the completion of a new rotary/taxi stand the route straight out of the station, to the convenience store and up the main street was cut off – necessitating a 2-3 minute detour around the side. For the time scarce suburban commuter this is not obviously not acceptable.
The state of the shrubbery is evidence of the foot-made solution – two well worn paths between the bushes leading in a straight line from the bottom of the stairs to the convenience store. Rule-abiding minds have attempted to discourage this use by placing traffic cones in the way, but to no avail…..
Materials:
Location: Akishima-shi, Tokyo
Signage requesting low volume usage of radio/CD players in the park.
Materials: Laminated A3
Location: Akabanebashi, Tokyo
Streetside storage for net used on rubbish day.
Materials: Shopping Basket, Plastic Twine, S-Hook
Location: Akabanebashi, Tokyo
Signage in subway station warning of purse-snatchers.
Materials: Duct Tape, Laminated A4
Location: Akabanebashi, Tokyo
Community saftey signage in subway station – watch out for purse snatchers, “Ore Ore” sagi, and break-ins.
Materials: Duct Tape, Laminated A4
Location: Akabanebashi, Tokyo
Pot plants along footpath used as bicycle parking.
Materials: Pot Plants
Location: Akabanebashi, Tokyo
