The Politics of Pop-ups

– Barnaby Bennet 2018

Barnaby is a friend and colleague of Gap Filler who wrote his PhD thesis (UTS Sydney) on the post-quake wave of public and temporary architecture in Christchurch. Barnaby is a writer, activist, architect, creative soul who isn’t afraid of critiquing the politics of city-making. Barnaby was involved in a number of post-quake creative projects in Christchurch as an organiser, writer, hammer swinger, dancer, provocateur and more! This piece is republished with Barnaby’s permission.

In this piece, Barnaby considers the impact of the abundance post-quake temporary projects and tactical urbanism on the city of Christchurch 8 years on from the quakes.

It has been almost eight years since a series of violent earthquakes struck the city of  Christchurch, New Zealand over an 18-month period between September 2010 and late 2011. The quakes killed 185 people, led to the demolition of 70% of the central city, and damaged most of the infrastructure and housing in the city. Much of the city is finally starting to move on from the trauma and chaos of those early years. But much of the damage caused by the quakes remains and their political impacts continue to affect the long and slow recovery.

Read the rest of the article here: Foreground (by the Australian Institute of Landscape Architecture)