Really interesting point about “neighbourhood character.” In my work on urban culture, I keep coming back to the question of who gets to define that character in the first place. A commissioned mural can quickly become part of a neighbourhood’s identity, while graffiti, posters and other informal interventions are often treated as disorder, even when they come from the people who actually live there.
We have started framing "Protecting Neighborhood Character" as locking your child in to be 10 years old the rest of their life. Yeah, kids are great at that age, but you'll never see what they can become. Cities, and neighborhoods, are living organisms, locking them down essentially kills them.
The Diamond Shreddies example is perfect for this. Pro-housing advocates have the emotionally resonant stories, they just keep leading with the policy.
Really interesting point about “neighbourhood character.” In my work on urban culture, I keep coming back to the question of who gets to define that character in the first place. A commissioned mural can quickly become part of a neighbourhood’s identity, while graffiti, posters and other informal interventions are often treated as disorder, even when they come from the people who actually live there.
We have started framing "Protecting Neighborhood Character" as locking your child in to be 10 years old the rest of their life. Yeah, kids are great at that age, but you'll never see what they can become. Cities, and neighborhoods, are living organisms, locking them down essentially kills them.
The Diamond Shreddies example is perfect for this. Pro-housing advocates have the emotionally resonant stories, they just keep leading with the policy.
Right? It's so frustrating!
Great examples