Mikey Nitro shared with us his proposal for a people’s park in the financial district of Los Angeles; a Radical Urban Intervention that questions our public realm. It reshapes our humanistic and democratic ideals; to awake and avenge our dusted nation. he based the programs of this intervention by the essence of Los Angeles: City of Entertainment, City of Hybridity (Culture), City of Agriculture (Opportunity). Each program is porous and adaptable through different times of the day. Since downtown L.A. is a becoming a new trend for residency, this park will provide locals a place to exercise, walk their dogs, picnic, place for theater night life, and a community garden. More images and Nitro’s description after the break.
In the 1960’s Radical Architecture groups like Superstudio and Archigram claimed that modern architecture ignored social impact and our primary necessities . They rebelled, claiming that their society was overpowered with capitalistic values. Now today, corporate architecture is as monumental and powerful as ever. Our obsession of consumption, profit and greed has robbed and devalued our humanitarian rights. It misplaces our primary priorities… to live.
I also wanted to consider the existing workers around the district and provide them with more options to eat in the shade, out in the sun, or have a picnic in the grass. The city of Hybridity will provide a market place during the noon time to provide people with healthier and more cultural variety of food; mostly harvest from the garden in the City of Agriculture. The City of Entertainment will provide an outdoor theater where Angelino’s can have a picnic and embrace L.A’s theatrical essence. I also created graphical posters the spell out “UNIFY LA” that I wheat pasted around Los Angeles to help promote my message and work.
Values: we must question and rethink our values, or priorities, our happiness. Are materialistic values important? Public Realm: we must question our public space. Is it really our space? Can we have a voice? Can our voice and actions make a change? Death of Design: As designers, we need to reconsider our purpose for designing. Natalini from Superstudios wrote “…if design is merely an inducement to consume, then we must reject design; if architecture is merely the codifying of bourgeois model of ownership and society, then we must reject architecture; if architecture and town planning is merely the formalization of present unjust social divisions, then we must reject town planning and its cities, until all design activities are aimed towards meeting primary needs. Until then, design must disappear. We can live without architecture..”
Death of Architecture: Once a building is built and designed, it automatically sets its funeral. Buildings are being designed with monumental intention. We need to design more humanistic and porous; making structures adaptable for future development and culture shifts Cultural Emergence: Always consider and embrace your location: its culture, its politics, its soul. We need to consider the impact architecture will make in the city and its social impact.
A lot of theory and research was put into this project and I would want to give credit for inspiration from, Mike Davis, Michael Sorkins, Jane Jacobs, Reyner Banham, Richard Sennett, Superstudios, Occupy L.A., James Meraz, and Ali Modarres.
Designed and Project Description Written by: Mikey Nitro Location: Los Angeles, California, United States Date: Summer 2012
