“Of course, the extreme crisis of Constitución, the rallying cry for this massive Urbanist project, isn’t generally the condition upon which most developed nations’ urban renewals begin. As Dan Hill notes: “our crises are generally of the slow, creeping variety (climate change, ageing population, emerging social issues) rather than the focus-pull of natural disaster. So how do we create the sense of urgency?”
It’s a good question, but I think there’s a better one: how do we create the sense of ability?
From citizens stenciling bike lanes to reclaiming intersections as plazas, DIY Urbanism shows us that community members become engaged when they feel it is in their power to make a difference. In the context of an internet-rich environment, technology could be the tool to engage citizens in a dialogue about their community, cultivate trust with architects/developers, and legitimize the role of the citizen in tackling these complex Urban dilemmas.
But how? What would these technologies look like? Sites like Neighborland, ChangebyUs, and Spacehive all attempt to provide citizens resources to connect to funding, community leaders and/or non-profits who can help make their ideas reality. But where are the architects in this dialogue? Where is the design?”