Care and Maintenance Instructions for Urban Infrastructure

Morgan Clendaniel reports on a Minneapolis artistic intervention, Urban Plant Tags, that call attention to often overlooked amenities in the built environment.

1 minute read

May 6, 2012, 11:00 AM PDT

By jerinbrent


Urban Plant Tags, a project of Minneapolis-based Carmichael Collective, are designed to look like oversized versions of the tags that accompany potted plants. These tags, however, are placed next to amenities such as street lights and park benches. Care instructions serve as a reminder that the infrastructure that populates your neighborhood doesn't take care of itself.

"Change light bulb annually", and "Occasionally wipe clean" are among the descriptions of care required. Clendaniel believes the tags serve as a creative reminder, while also connecting people to their neighborhood in a new way. From his point of view, "the project does help foster a sense that things like fire hydrants or stop signs don't simply sprout from the ground at random, and that to create a sense of place and community, we should all be a little mindful of what makes up the place where we live."

Thanks to Jessica Brent

Friday, May 4, 2012 in Fast Co.Exisit

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