Festival of Ideas for the New City

by baad lamb

This portable plastic people container was developed by the architecture and urbanism group raumlabor berlin. They were invited by New York's own Storefront for Art and Architecture to explore the restrictions and the possibilities of temporary collective use spaces in New York City and other highly urbanized areas. (I took this picture on that original visit, when they were setting up in the Meat Packing District in April, 2009).

The Spacebuster will be only one of the very many events, projects, and symposiums that make up the Festival of Ideas for the New City, today through Sunday. The Festival's base is the Lower East Side neighborhood, especially in the streets around the Bowery near the New Museum, although the extensive list is dotted with locations all over the city. On their website, their mission states that "the Festival will harness the power of the creative community to imagine the future city and explore the ideas destined to shape it".

There will be drawing and dance, art and architecture, food and films, music, rooftop gardens (on buildings AND busses), as well as a "truck farm". Truly, the list is endless and a majority of the attractions are free. Plus, there is a streetfest that promises to NOT follow the standard formula: funnel cakes, tube socks, refrigerator magnets, repeat. Instead, expect booths by Brooklyn Flea Food, Local Artists of Etsy, a solar powered film tent, and the new Van Alen Reading Room (yes, that Van Alen).

Finally, back to the category of creative people-containers: in addition to the Spacebuster, be on the lookout for Worms.