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

Menu/Promotion in Laminated Paper

Railing at the entrance to a below ground level restaurant transformed into an oversize menu/promotion board with extensive use of tape and laminated paper.

Menu/Promotion in Laminated Paper
Menu/Promotion in Laminated Paper
Menu/Promotion in Laminated Paper
Menu/Promotion in Laminated Paper
Menu/Promotion in Laminated Paper
Menu/Promotion in Laminated Paper
Menu/Promotion in Laminated Paper

Materials: Laminated Paper, Railing, Tape
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Bicyle Parking Nameplates in Paper and Tape

Apartment bike parking, which is often free-space, ordered into fixed parking spaces with paper and tape.

Materials: Paper, Tape
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Bilingual Station Signage

Shinjuku station signage, bilingual in all the important places.

Bilingual Station Signage
Bilingual Station Signage
Bilingual Station Signage

Materials: Tape, Printed Labels
Location: Shinjuku Station, Tokyo

Emergency Kit Storage in Hook and Tape

Train station emergency kit stored on a hook and secured with tape.

Emergency Kit Storage in Hook and Tape
Emergency Kit Storage in Hook and Tape
Emergency Kit Storage in Hook and Tape

Materials: Hook, Tape
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Signage in Crate, Polystyrene, Tape, Markers

Lunchtime signage on polystrene food packaging lids – written in markers, stabilized with crate. Signage is attached to hinged board for easy storage/transport (see last image).

Signage in Crate, Polystyrene, Tape, Markers
Signage in Crate, Polystyrene, Tape, Markers
Signage in Crate, Polystyrene, Tape, Markers
Signage in Crate, Polystyrene, Tape, Markers

Materials: Crate, Markers, Polystyrene, Tape, Hinged Boards
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Lunchtime Signage Over Railing

Signs advertising local restaurants lined up and stabilized over pedestrial railing. A system which also keeps them off the thoroughfare. Stabilized with tape and string.

Lunchtime Signage Over Railing
Lunchtime Signage Over Railing
Lunchtime Signage Over Railing
Lunchtime Signage Over Railing
Lunchtime Signage Over Railing

Materials: Railing, String, Tape
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Night Use Prohibited

Laminated A4 signs affixed with tape proclaim night use of the park prohibited, and encourage people to call the police emergency line if they see anyone suspicious.

The signs are ambiguously official, being layed out in generic Excel style and signed with a simple ‘Akishima City’ or ‘Akishima City Park Authority’ – they look like they could have been made by anyone. I removed one as a test, and it was replaced promptly. When I placed my own sign (as part of the kokonohanashi project) it was promptly removed. So it appears the signs are official, or at least part of a dedicated campaign.

Night Use Prohibited
Night Use Prohibited
Night Use Prohibited
Night Use Prohibited
Night Use Prohibited
Night Use Prohibited

Materials: Laminated Paper, Tape
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Leaky Roof Fix in Plastic and Tape

Plastic sheeting, tubes and tape used to deal with a leaky roof in Shibuya station.

This work shows great skill and experience – from the placement and ‘give’ of the sheets to the way tape is used to adjust the angle of the tube and sheet to allow water to flow freely to the bucket placed at the bottom of the stairs.

I know that this type of construction is common in stations during rainy periods….anyone else have any photos?

Leaky Roof Fix in Plastic and Tape
Leaky Roof Fix in Plastic and Tape
Leaky Roof Fix in Plastic and Tape
Leaky Roof Fix in Plastic and Tape
Leaky Roof Fix in Plastic and Tape
Leaky Roof Fix in Plastic and Tape
Leaky Roof Fix in Plastic and Tape
Leaky Roof Fix in Plastic and Tape
Leaky Roof Fix in Plastic and Tape
Leaky Roof Fix in Plastic and Tape
Leaky Roof Fix in Plastic and Tape
Leaky Roof Fix in Plastic and Tape

Materials: Plastic Sheet, Plastic Tube, Tape
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

No One Home

Plastic and tape cover old name plate in unoccupied house.

No One Home

Materials: Plastic, Tape
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Graffiti Prevention in Laminated A4 and Tape

In an attempt to prevent graffiti this ‘official’ laminated A4 sign has been affixed with tape.



Materials: Tape, Laminated Paper
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Cardboard Box Storage in Tape and Board

Wooden board leant on airconditioner and affixed with tape completes the transformation of dead-space to storage space.
Cardboard Box Storage in Tape and Board
Cardboard Box Storage in Tape and Board
Cardboard Box Storage in Tape and Board

Materials: Wooden Board, Tape, Duct Tape
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Signage in Tape and String

‘Deliveries This Way’ signage constructed from A4 printed sign between perspex and secured to cone with duct tape.
Signage in Tape and String
Signage in Tape and String
Signage in Tape and String
Signage in Tape and String
Signage in Tape and String
Materials: Cone, Tape, String
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Waterproofing a Broken Light

Broken light waterproofed with a plastic back and tape.
P1170244
P1170243
P1170242
Materials: Tape, Plastic Bag
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Cigarette Butt Disposal Unit

Cigarette butt disposal unit constructed from used oil can, wire, wood, tape, and PET bottle. An open-bottomed (to prevent rainwater collecting in the bottom) receptacle is fashioned from a used oil can nailed/screwed to a wooden stake and painted red. The receptacle is attached to the signpost with duct tape or wire. A PET bottle filled with water is placed inside the receptacle for safe and semi-odorless cigarette butt disposal. To empty the disposal units (3 in the immediate vicinity) one has only to walk around, pick up the PET bottles, and pour the contents into the rubbish (or down the drain, or wherever…). Signage is made of laminated computer print-out.
P1160901
P1160904
P1160903
P1160906
P1160910
P1160911
P1160912
P1160914
Materials: Oil Can, Wire, Wood, Tape, PET bottle
Location: Nakano-Ku, 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

No One Home/Rooms for Rent

The practice of taping up post boxes in apartment complexes stops excess junk-mail and also serves as a signal as to which apartments may be available for rent.
P1110440
Materials: Tape
Location: Mitaka, Tokyo

Faucet in Hose Parts and Tape

Outdoor wet-space constructed from hose parts and made ‘watertight’ with tape. One spout fitted with hose connector for washing cars etc, one spout fitted with plastic piping for casual hand-washing and water-gathering. Tap/handle removed to prevent unauthorized use.
P1130802
Materials: Hose, Tape
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Piping Support in Tape

Piping on the side of apartment building attached to corrugated siding with electrical tape.

Materials: Electrical Tape
Location: Akishima, Tokyo

Blue Tape Waterproofing

Waterproofing an outdoor storage closet with blue tape.



Materials: Tape
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]