FIXES

Cut-off tyres guard against parking mishaps.

Materials: Tyres
Location: Nagoya

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

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

Materials: Reflector Tape
Location: Akishima-shi, Tokyo

Plastic bags protect tropical plants from the bitter Nagoya winter.

Materials: Plastic Bags
Location: Nagoya, Aichi

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

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….

Materials: Umbrellas
Location: Tachikawa, Tokyo

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

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

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

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

Materials: Netting, Pet Bottles
Location: Sendagaya, Tokyo

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)

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

Materials: Foam
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Newspaper and tape wrap around the edges of a new sign in a park, awaiting the official unveiling.



Materials: Tape, Newspaper
Location: Akishima, Tokyo