FIXES

Non-Intentional Design: Investigating alterations of space/objects at the public/private boundary in suburban Tokyo, Japan. A resource by a-small-lab.com. Contact: Chris Berthelsen chris@a-small-lab.com

Keeping Onions Tasty

Simple hanger made of Tokyo DIY essentials plastic twine and s-hooks (Tokyo’s superglue) keeps onions tasty in early autumn.


Materials: Plastic Twine, Hooks
Location: Akishima-shi, Tokyo

A Clothesline at the Right Height (2)

All apartments are fitted with built-in washing lines which are below the line of the railing. Unfortunately, these are too low, meaning that sheets and futons have to be hung carefully to prevent them from resting on the balcony floor. This resident has erected his own (more common style of) washing line at a more practical height.


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.

A Clothesline at the Right Height

All apartments are fitted with built-in washing lines which are below the line of the railing. Unfortunately, these are too low, meaning that sheets and futons have to be hung carefully to prevent them from resting on the balcony floor. This resident has erected his own (more common style of) washing line at a more practical height.


Materials: Plastic Line
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.

Drying System for Rags

Clothes rack repaired with tape and repurposed as a drying + storage system for rags used by rubbish center staff.

Drying System for Rags
Drying System for Rags
Drying System for Rags

Materials: Clothes Rack, Coat Hanger, Duct Tape, Bags
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.

Clothesline in String

Apartment structure and door frame form two posts for a clothesline made of string right in front of the washing machine.

Clothesline in String
Clothesline in String

Materials: String
Location: Nagoya

Drying To Recycle in Pegs and Hangers

To recycle your plastic, you need to dry it. To dry it you need pegs and clothes hangers.

Drying To Recycle in Pegs and Hangers
Drying To Recycle in Pegs and Hangers
Drying To Recycle in Pegs and Hangers

Materials: Pegs, Clothes Hangers
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Umbrella Drying

Umbrella drying on a stairway railing (courtesy of Tokyo-based designer Edith Prakoso)

Green Complements Green

Materials: Stair Railing
Location: Itabashi-honcho, Tokyo

Umbrella Drying

Umbrellas drying on apartment balcony (courtesy of Tokyo-based designer Edith Prakoso)

Umbrella Drying

Materials: Railing
Location: Nogizaka, Tokyo

Storing Cabbages, Drying Shoes

Metal window ledge provides ample space for both storing cabbages and drying shoes.

Storing Cabbages, Drying Shoes
Storing Cabbages, Drying Shoes
Storing Cabbages, Drying Shoes
Storing Cabbages, Drying Shoes

Materials: Window Ledge
Location: Nagoya, Aichi

Rubbish Bin Drying With Bicycle

Rubbish bin cleaned and out to dry on a spare bicycle.

Rubbish Bin Drying With Bicycle
Rubbish Bin Drying With Bicycle

Materials: Bicycle
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Clothes Hanger Garden

Using hooks and modified clothes hangers, this suburban car port has been transformed into a hanging garden.
(Note: This garden is also multifunctional, with the upturned ends of the clothes hangers used to dry shoes and store slippers – see here)

Clothes Hanger Garden
Clothes Hanger Garden
Clothes Hanger Garden

Materials: Clothes Hangers, Hooks
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

(Originally posted on Tokyo-DIY-Gardening)

Drying Shoes on the Wall

Block wall used for drying shoes.

Drying Shoes on the Wall
Drying Shoes on the Wall

Materials: Wall
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Extra drying space in carport fork

Laundry pole in fork of carport provides extra drying space for towels.

Extra drying space in carport fork
Extra drying space in carport fork
Extra drying space in carport fork

Materials: Laundry Pole, Carport
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Glove Drying/Storage in Hanger and Potplant

Two types of gloves out to dry on a clothes hanger and garden rods.
Glove Drying/Storage in Hanger and Potplant
Glove Drying/Storage in Hanger and Potplant
Glove Drying/Storage in Hanger and Potplant

Materials: Clothes Hanger, Garden Rods
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Chopping Board Drying

Chopping boards leaning on the wall to dry outside a soba shop.

Chopping Board Drying
Chopping Board Drying
Chopping Board Drying

Material: Air Conditioner
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Mega-Cities: Design Anthropology and Urban Landscapes
I'm delighted and honoured to have my FIXES work included in Jared Braiterman's Tokyo University graduate seminar on mega-cities.
You can download the syllabus [HERE]


Thanks to the URBAN DESIGN Lab 西村・北沢・窪田 都市デザイン研究室, Department of Urban Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo for making this a featured resource of their lab [LINK]

Vision Plus 2010
Thanks to the organizers of the conference for selecting this project as a featured resource, even though I was not able to attend.




Article: Small Places of Anarchy in the City: Three Investigations in Tokyo on This Big City

Article: The Non-Intentional Landscape of Tokyo - read at This Big City

Article: Framework for Neighbourhood Creative Climate - read at This Big City

Tokyo Green Space from Jared Braiterman is a great inspiration [LINK]

Urban Bricolage by @ehooge is an inspiring site on a related theme [LINK]

Treepolis by Christoph Rupprecht inspires me with investigations into informal green space, cities, and urban ecology with a focus on Australia and Japan [LINK]

Everyday Structures by @alanwiig is another fine site in the same vein [LINK]