Two artists from Katowice decided to creatively respond to a request from the authorities and residents of Gdynia, who complained about drivers permanently parking wildly on Wzgórze św. Maksymiliana. On the green area stood a colorful installation: ready-made urban furniture, which quickly dealt with the problem. The project was carried out as part of the ongoing Biennale of Design and Urban Art in Gdynia.
Wild parking is a common and intractable problem in cities, which has its origins in, among other things, an inadequately designed urban parking grid, too few parking spaces, but also high parking fees. It also happens - simply - as a result of drivers' ignorance of the rules in force. The effects are saddening: semi-wild green areas on the outskirts of cities or in their less guarded nooks and crannies of the city are destroyed, and people living near wild parking lots are frustrated by the permanent visits of uninvited guests.
This problem was experienced, among others, by residents of buildings located on the St. Lawrence Hill in Gdynia. Drivers parked illegally on the threshing floor under the buildings, devastating the surrounding greenery in the process. After reporting the recurring problem to city authorities, the search for a solution began. With help came the Traffic Design organization, active in the field of urban development, including art in the city, which together with students from the Gdansk University of Technology conducted a survey among the local community. The project was called "Pedestrian also human."
Surveyed male and female residents of the Hill were mostly bothered by badly parked cars, and spoke of the need for more greenery and meeting places, better visibility, the ability to walk on the sidewalk without acrobatics, etc. - Traffic Design activists write.
Our cities have been overrun by the car. It is everywhere. It is no longer just on the streets and parking lots. It usually stands in traffic jams or looks for free space to annex. It can be found on sidewalks, lawns, squares or squares. It seizes every bit and doesn't want to share-we read in Traffic Design's post dedicated to the project.
An installation inspired by road anti-aesthetics solved the problem
An astute and creative solution to the problem was proposed by artists from Katowice associated with urban art and working with Traffic Design. Michal Kubieniec and Grzegorz Layer created an installation of urban furniture, which are examples of ready-made art.
We created a system of elements limiting the entry of vehicles, which at the same time perform specific functions: a seat, a flowerbed or a toy, " explains Grzegorz Layer.
Urban furniture functions as flowerbeds, seating and toys
© Rafał Kołsut (Traffic Design)
He admits that the main inspiration for the installation was "road anti-aesthetics": signs, barriers, poles, etc.
We were inspired by all those mottled infrastructure elements that visually litter the space of our cities. We wanted to give them a different, slightly subversive meaning. The subject of parking spaces, or more broadly: the role of cars in the city, has aroused great emotions for years, hence among the elements was a "screamer" in which to defuse parking emotions , says the artist.
Screamer
© Rafał Kołsut (Traffic Design)
All this, although created with a wink, dealt with the problem and implanted a creative element into the neglected space.
The installation of urban furniture on St. Lawrence Hill was created as part of the Biennale of Design and Urban Art event, which runs through the fall of 2020. We also recently wrote about another project in urban Gdynia, carried out as part of the same event under the guidance of Traffic Design. These are " backyard forms" - sculptures, inspired by old playgrounds. They also stood on the St. Maximilian Hill.
