123. #whOWNSpace
New York / DSGN AGNC
#whOWNSpace was founded in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York when activists occupied Zuccotti Park, a privately owned public space (POPS). Initiated by design and research collaborative DSGN AGNC—along with Change Administration, Not An Alternative, and other like-minded groups—this grassroots collective teaches, researches, and broadcasts issues surrounding the democratic use of public space. #whOWNSpace has conducted public workshops to map these sites, and when they find illegal restrictions to access, the group pressures building owners to remove them. “Understanding what privatization is doing to our cities and open spaces is ultimately about understanding the role of space in a society,” explains lead instigator Quilian Riano, who advocates a more critical activist use of space in the city.
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