Kelly Chan explores how temporary architecture is changing our relationship to the built environment, and asks "how permanent is our current fascination for the temporary?"
As the trend in temporary urbanism moves from the streets to the corridors of power, a new "triad of virtues: the light, the quick, and the cheap" (LQC) are hastening the replacement of the classical Vitruvian virtues of utility, durability, and beauty, observes Chan.
"Because of its low cost, modest appearance, and community-driven spirit,
LQC architecture is often seen as a reflection of our times: this
sudden infatuation for the temporary can be read as a pragmatic response
to economic downturn as well as a material expression of the slow
democratization of our cities. But if and when current circumstances
change, will cities abandon the temporary for more traditional
solutions?"
"That is a difficult question to answer, as our conceptions of
architecture are becoming increasingly unfixed. It seems that today's
architects, planners, and city dwellers are actively redefining the
binary that distinguishes the temporary and the permanent."
FULL STORY: Pop-Up Populism: How the Temporary Architecture Craze is Changing Our Relationship to the Built Environment
Guerilla Urbanism Spurs Action From Cities
Rather than take a hostile approach to DIY urbanism, some cities are using guerilla efforts as an opportunity to understand critical infrastructure gaps.
Tactical Urbanism Makes Strides in L.A.
A DIY urbanism group in Los Angeles has successfully prompted the city to install permanent crosswalks at dangerous intersections, despite the city’s insistence that the group’s do-it-yourself work is illegal.
How Tactical Urbanism Succeeds Where Bureaucracy Fails
Making the case for do-it-yourself infrastructure.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
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Downtown Los Angeles on the Rise: A Promising 2025
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Report: Transportation Equity Requires More Than Electrification
Lower-income households often lack the resources to buy electric cars, signaling a need for a more holistic approach to improving mobility and lowering transportation costs.
Supporting Indigenous Land Reclamation Through Design
Harvard students collaborated with the Sac and Fox Nation to develop strategies for reclaiming and co-managing ancestral lands in Illinois, supporting Indigenous sovereignty through design, cultural storytelling, and economic planning.
A Plan to Expand Tree Canopy Across Dayton
Dayton is developing an urban forest master plan, using a $2 million grant to expand its tree canopy, address decades of tree loss, and enhance environmental equity across the city.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research