DIY Urbanim

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Urbanism can be seen as a testing ground for social innovation and an opportunity for social change instigated on grassroots level. Much discussed in American cities such as San Francisco, which since the onset of the recession in 2008 have struggled through a period of drastically reduced public resources, DIY Urbanism happens here in form of activating stalled construction sites, building temporary public spaces and parks, urban farming, etc. Berlin is another example with plenty of DIY urban initiatives. Here the specifically isolated location of the city has furthered diverse economies, an abundance of space and a spirit of do-it-yourself that has been tolerated by the authorities since the late 1980s. Although the context in Stockholm is entirely different, DIY initiatives such as the self-initiated cultural centre Cyklopen, Konsthall C and the activities around Slakthusområdet have sprung up in recent years. The City of Stockholm and Nacka have started to encourage certain forms of DIY urbanism, which taps into traditions of social entrepreneurship and activism. In this seminar, we will explore meeting grounds between bottom-up approaches of DIY urbanists and traditional top-down planning processes.

We will discuss i.e.: Who are the actors, supporters, critics, and beneficiaries of DIY urbanism? What are the long term-effects of DIY urbanism? What forms of social relations does DIY create and require?