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

Blue Tyre Bumpers

Cut-off tyres guard against parking mishaps.

Blue Tyre Bumpers
Blue Tyre Bumpers
Blue Tyre Bumpers
Blue Tyre Bumpers

Materials: Tyres
Location: Nagoya

Robust Homeless Village made of Refrigerators

This village constructed by homeless people took over a large part of Nagoya’s central Shirakawa Koen. As you can see, the defensive wall around the outside of the village was constructed from an array of broken down refrigerators and tree stumps. A very robust set-up that was unfortunately no match for the ‘city beautifiers’ who attempted to destroy what was left of Nagoya’s soul in the run up to the 2005 Aichi Expo.



Materials: Refrigerators, Tree stumps
Location: Shirakawa Park, Nagoya

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.

Ground Floor Planting

Lower level balcony garden blends in with planted grounds.

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.

Step-up in Breeze Blocks

Easier access step created with breeze block and concrete.

Step-up in Breeze Blocks
Step-up in Breeze Blocks
Step-up in Breeze Blocks

Materials: Breeze Block, Concrete
Location: Nagoya

Clotheshanger Storage in String

Clothes hangers stored outside on a piece of string hung from the rafters. Compact, convenient.

Clotheshanger Storage in String
Clotheshanger Storage in String
Clotheshanger Storage in String

Materials: String
Location: Nagoya

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

Entrance Markers

Ramshackle arrangement of pots mark the entrance to this shuttered store and workshop.

Entrance Markers
Entrance Markers
Entrance Markers

Location: Nagoya
Materials: Potplants

Parking Tape

Small space + oversize auto = reflective parking tape on a dangerous corner.

Parking Tape
Parking Tape
Parking Tape

Materials: Reflector Tape
Location: Akishima-shi, Tokyo

Privacy in Corrugated Plastic Scraps

Ground floor apartment balcony given privacy (for hanging out washing) through the arrangement of corrugated plastic scraps.

Material: Corrugated Plastic
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Pot Plant Space and BBQ seat

The boundary of a driveway modified as a pot plant display area and seat for outdoor BBQs.


Materials: Wood
Location: Akshima, Tokyo

Step Up

Breeze blocks even out too-large entry steps.

Materials: Breeze Blocks
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Packing Strap Drain Pipe Bracing

Packing straps bracing two drain pipes together. A bucket forms the repository.



Materials: Packing Strap, Bucket
Location: Tachikawa, Tokyo

No One Home

Plastic and tape cover old name plate in unoccupied house.

No One Home

Materials: Plastic, Tape
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

No One Home

Duct tape across post box signals an unoccupied house.

No One Home
No One Home

Materials: Duct Tape
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Gate in Wire and Rope

Rope barrier/gate reinforced, strengthened and given weight (helps stop it swinging in the breeze) with wire wrapped around its length.

Gate in Wire and Rope
Gate in Wire and Rope
Gate in Wire and Rope
Gate in Wire and Rope

Materials: Wire, Rope
Location: Tachikawa, Tokyo

Tree Supported Washing Line 002

Trees support a laundry pole construction in Tokyo’s Tachikawa suburbs.

Tree Supported Washing Line 002
Tree Supported Washing Line 002

Materials: Laundry Pole
Location: Tachikawa, Tokyo

Tree Supported Washing Line

Trees support a bamboo pole based washing line construction in Tokyo’s Tachikawa suburbs. I love the way the structure blends in with the surroundings – its temporary form touching lightly on the landscape.

A flexible, elegant and economical solution to a very domestic need.

Tree Supported Washing Line
Tree Supported Washing Line
Tree Supported Washing Line
Tree Supported Washing Line
Tree Supported Washing Line
Tree Supported Washing Line

Materials: Bamboo, Twine
Location: Tachikawa, Tokyo

Potplants Secured with Bricks

Potplants secured top their precarious wall-top position with bricks.

Potplants Secured with Bricks
Potplants Secured with Bricks
Potplants Secured with Bricks

Materials: Bricks
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]