Every day cities across the globe are becoming more and more like one another. The swell of multinational chain stores and uninspired developments based on the same tired design templates are creating a world in which the built environment is devolving into a single standard backdrop, which leads to predictable experiences no matter where we are. This trend toward uniformity is threatening to undermine what makes cities the enticing places that have attracted residents and visitors for hundreds of years.
Despite the massive economic and regulatory forces pushing our cities in this direction, there are many people finding ways (often illegally) to redefine urban space in a manner that allows them to pursue their unique passions. It is essential to share the stories of these individuals in an effort to remind city dwellers and visitors not only what is possible, but also that there is still adventure hiding just underneath, or sometimes above, the surface of their daily routines.
Plasticity leads a tour through three unconventional uses of urban space in San Francisco: a rooftop apiary, an occasional restaurant, and a mobile pizzeria. Profiles include:
– Cameo Wood from Her Majesty’s Secret Beekeeper
– Anthony Myint from Mission Chinese
– Jeff Krupman from Pizza Hacker
