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

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

Protecting the Flowers in Plastic Bags

Plastic bags protect tropical plants from the bitter Nagoya winter.

Protecting the Flowers in Plastic Bags
Protecting the Flowers in Plastic Bags

Materials: Plastic Bags
Location: Nagoya, Aichi

“No Dumping” in Plastic

A warning to all dog walkers – no dumping on this piece of earth peeking up through the cracked concrete. Plastic covering as protection and signage.



Materials: Plastic
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Tomato Shade in Umbrellas

A row of tomato vines protected from the harsh Tokyo summer with a whole lot of umbrellas.

Japan’s annual umbrella consumption is estimated to be around 130 million (more than one per person, per year) [ref] (324,102 were lost and turned over to the police lost-and-found in Tokyo, 2001 [ref]). Now you know where part of that ends up….
Shade for Tomatoes
Shade for Tomatoes
Shade for Tomatoes

Materials: Umbrellas
Location: Tachikawa, Tokyo

Cat Deterrent in PET Bottles and Plastic

Cats are persuaded to choose another spot for their nightly activities with water-filled PET bottles and spiked plastic mats.

Cat Deterrent in PET Bottles and Plastic
Cat Deterrent in PET Bottles and Plastic
Cat Deterrent in PET Bottles and Plastic

Materials: PET Bottles, Spiked Plastic Mat
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Security? Stray Cat Repellent?

A particularly aggressive brick wall covered in barbed wire between buildings Sendagaya, Tokyo. When all other adjacent walls are without this sharp alteration, it is hard to imagine what it’s purpose might be… Perhaps it is to deter intruders who intend to escape down the gap between the buildings, perhaps it is to deter stray cats…..




Material: Barbed Wire
Location: Sendagaya, Tokyo

Seedling Protection in Net and Pet Bottles

Seedlings protected from urban predators with netting supported by pet bottles filled with water.

Seedling Protection in Net and Pet Bottles

Materials: Netting, Pet Bottles
Location: Sendagaya, Tokyo

Seedling Protection in Laundry Net

Simple and effective use of a 100 Yen laundry net to protect seedlings from insects, birds and whatever other dangerous elements the street may bring.

This solution is a great illustration of the inventive and strongly practical use/reuse of a familiar and cheap mass-produced item in urban gardening.



Materials: Laundry Net
Location: Nakano, Tokyo

(Originally posted on Tokyo-DIY-Gardening)

Parking Protection in Foam

Building protection from errant parkers made of foam affixed to wall. Obviously well placed (see last photo).
Parking Protection in Foam
Parking Protection in Foam
Parking Protection in Foam

Materials: Foam
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Temporary Protection in Newspaper and Tape

Newspaper and tape wrap around the edges of a new sign in a park, awaiting the official unveiling.
P1140670
P1140671
P1140672
Materials: Tape, Newspaper
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]