Is the Next National Grand Vision Color by Number?
Inspired by the actions of the Delfshaven borough in Rotterdam, I imagined a new method for cities to provide incentives for developers to redevelop derelict and abandoned property. First, the source that led me to think of Filene’s “Automatic Mark Down System.”
Tired of seeing blocks of buildings go unused and deteriorate, the borough of Delfshaven finally decided to address the problem. Having deduced that the solution lie in making these areas more visible to the city, planners, and developers, Delfshaven asked Florentijn Hofman to create a plan for increasing awareness.
Beukelsblauw, before and after, in the borough of Delfshaven in Rotterdam. Courtesy of the artist Florentijn Hofman.
The artist decided to treat the buildings as one big canvas with one big color, sky blue. So, how does this piece of art and Filene’s Basement address the problems of redevelopment?
First, imagine if Filene’s Basement were to take over the incentive structure for the redevelopment of abandoned buildings. They could apply their “Automatic Mark Down System” based on an item’s shelf life by painting entire buildings depending on how long they have been on the “selling floor.” They could be painted blue after 1 year, and discounted 25%; painted yellow after 3 years, and discounted 50%; painted red after 5 years, and discounted 75%; and finally painted white after 7 years, and given to charity.
Courtesy of CSMonitor.
Courtesy of ViewImages.
Local paint suppliers would receive tax incentives for donating paint. The labor could be covered by volunteers, or structured like the Adopt-a-Highway program. This would provide organizations with a less costly source of donating than the highway system.
Over time, the city would become a colorful mosaic. Each city could even have its own color combination. It could be based on the local sports teams, put to a public vote, or coded to the first four letters of the city’s name. Imagine an infrastructural network of color, where we would all be connected in our cities through a color code.
Courtesy of the artist Florentijn Hofman.
This could even make the research that goes into moving much easier. City newcomers would immediately be able to tell what parts of town they could move to, based on their affordability which would be read by larger concentrations of one color. Or for that matter, a lack of color.
Even more exciting though is to imagine flying over cities now. If you had a color legend, you could map out your flight route by identifying the city’s colors below you. Patterns in the landscape would be more than crop fields and agricultural divisions.
Courtesy of Francesca-Radcliffe.
If nothing else, this would definitely make the problem more noticeable as it has done in Rotterdam. However, I think it also makes the typically unsightly, rundown areas more beautiful and compelling. Who knows maybe the next grand national vision could be color by number.
Finally, to come full circle for those of you interested in Beukelsblauw, here are more pictures from Florentijn Hofman.
Courtesy of the artist Florentijn Hofman.
Courtesy of the artist Florentijn Hofman.
The borough of Delfshaven, Rotterdam, asked me to come up with a plan for a block of derelict buildings, which will eventually be demolished. The agreement with the neighbourhood is that the block will remain blue as long as there isn’t a new plan for the area. This was once one of the most unseen blocks of houses in Rotterdam, and by applying a layer of only 2 micron of blue paint onto it, it became Rotterdam’s most photographed one. By redecorating this block, which was built in the first years of the 20th century, people start looking again at what was and is there, and maybe think about what they will get in return.
It also puts in perspective blocks of houses as such, architectural ‘fashions’ and demographic processes like city migrations, by making those blocks look like toy houses or archetypal buildings on an architect’s maquette.
-Florentijn Hofman
Courtesy of the artist Florentijn Hofman.
via Planetizen
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Comments
Thanks for the update. It is nice to see this strategy has worked.
Although I have to admit, I’m kind of sad to hear that these blue buildings are no longer there. I enjoy the affect this has on the streetscape and the landscape. I’m curious to see what is rising in its place.
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Nice article! Just to inform you, I live a couple of blocks from these blue buildings and they are not there anymore. They tore them down and new houses are being build at the moment.