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

Oil Can Bin Construction

Several oil cans cut apart, joined together with duct tape and painted form a large commercial-use outdoor rubbish bin.

Tin Can Bin
Tin Can Bin
Tin Can Bin

Location: Nagoya
Materials: Duct Tape, Oil Can, Paint

Rubbish or Storage?

Plastic bags stuffed in gap in bicycle parking structure – rubbish or storage?


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.

Secondary Storage

Opaque balcony plates, rather than the usual metal grill create the (almost) perfect hiding/storage space for all that rubbish that you can’t be bothered throwing out. Secondary storage.

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.

Spray Cans, Lighters and Lightbulb Disposal

Overview of hand made + recycled and repurposed equipment collaged together to form a fine-grained recycling center. Focus on spray cans, lighter, and lightbulb disposal baskets with hand drawn signage.

Spray Cans, Lighters and Lightbulb Disposal

Spray Cans, Lighters and Lightbulb Disposal

Spray Cans, Lighters and Lightbulb Disposal

Materials: Baskets, Handdrawn Sign
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

Cardboard box recycling tower constructed from salvaged metal rack and wood block for stabilization. Stool for reaching upper levels.

Cardboard Box Recycling Tower
Cardboard Box Recycling Tower

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.

Disposing of Cardboard & Paper

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.

Disposing of Cardboard
Disposing of Cardboard

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.

Disposal Instructions for Glass

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.

Disposal Instructions for Glass
Disposal Instructions for Glass

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.

Recycling Station

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.

Recycling Station
Recycling Station

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.

Self Supporting Rubbish Sack System

Full nets support emptier ones waiting to be filled. Organic self-supporting structure.

Self Supporting Rubbish Sack System

Materials: Net Sacks
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.

Rubbish Center Instructions

Non-burnable rubbish sign and instructions.
How do the axillary instructions get proposed, formulated and approved? What is the flow of information? Who are the stakeholders and what do they value? What is given priority?

Rubbish Center Instructions
Rubbish Center Instructions

Materials: Laminated A4
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.

Taxi Driver Smoko Spot

Thick tar soup in generic paint can. Evidence of smoko time at the local taxi stand.

Taxi Driver Smoko Spot
Taxi Driver Smoko Spot
Taxi Driver Smoko Spot

Materials: Can
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Recycling Bottle Caps

Plastic basket secured to fence with peg provides a spot to place bottle caps to add recycling. Small tag attached with twist-tie makes purpose clear.

Recycling Bottle Caps
Recycling Bottle Caps
Recycling Bottle Caps
Recycling Bottle Caps

Location: Nagoya
Materials: Plastic Basket, Peg, Plastic Twist-Tie

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

Ashtray in Plastic Bag

Tree and plastic bag form an easily disposed of ashtray in a local park.

Ashtray in Plastic Bag
Ashtray in Plastic Bag
Ashtray in Plastic Bag

Materials: Plastic Bag, Tree
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Rubbish Bin in Tree

You feel like a litter bug dropping your empty can on the ground.
Not so if you leave it in a tree.

Rubbish Bin in Tree
Rubbish Bin in Tree

Materials: Tree
Location: Akabanebashi, Tokyo

Streetside Rubbish Net Storage

Streetside storage for net used on rubbish day.

Streetside Rubbish Net Storage
Streetside Rubbish Net Storage
Streetside Rubbish Net Storage
Streetside Rubbish Net Storage

Materials: Shopping Basket, Plastic Twine, S-Hook
Location: Akabanebashi, Tokyo

Smoko Spot in Can

Simple smoko spot constructed from can attached to roadside barrier with wire.

Smoko Spot in Can
Smoko Spot in Can
Smoko Spot in Can
Smoko Spot in Can

Materials: Can, Wire
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Tethered Rubbish Bin Lid

Rubbish bin lin tethered to body with rope.

Tethered Rubbish Bin Lid
Tethered Rubbish Bin Lid
Tethered Rubbish Bin Lid

Materials: Rope
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Outdoor Smoko Spot in Can and Plastic Twine

Banned from smoking in the newly built residence (the last one burnt down) the man of the house has created a smoking area in his outdoor sink with an opened empty beer can tied to the stand with plastic twine.

Outdoor Smoko Spot in Can and Plastic Twine
Outdoor Smoko Spot in Can and Plastic Twine
Outdoor Smoko Spot in Can and Plastic Twine
Outdoor Smoko Spot in Can and Plastic Twine

Materials: Beer Can, Plastic Twine
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Bottle Cap Receptacle

A bottle cap receptable (from recyclable PET bottles) attached to the apartment complex rubbish drop-off with a length of wire is a convenient community-use add-on.

Bottle Cap Receptacle
Bottle Cap Receptacle

Materials: Plastic Basket, Wire
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]