Hijacking space: how public is the public space in your city?

source: space hijackers

Have you ever asked yourself how public is the public space in your city? I recently came across a very interesting (and somehow crazy) initiative that tries to highlight and criticise the increasing influence that institutions and corporations have towards the way in which many public spaces are being developed and managed. In many cases, such influence has led to the restriction of activities and users in public spaces or condition its use based on consumption (an example of this last is the growing café culture that is present in many cities today).

Space Hijackers is the name of the initiative. It has its “headquarters” in London, organizing activities that attempt to raise awareness of issues within public spaces and trying to change how these spaces are used and perceived in the future. Activities are done in very creative ways, somehow crazy/theatrical, daring and of course highly visible and fun. Among their hijacking activates are cricket matches in highly restricted public spaces, parties in London’s subway, removing advertisement from bus and train stations, guerrilla benching, among others (full list of projects).

By hijacking public paces they aim at unmasking the disguised privatization and commodification of these spaces and claim back their public ownership. They also strive for public spaces that respond to the needs and demands of communities and emphasis the need of making communities highly involved in their production. One (fun) way of doing this last is by inviting people to become a Space Hijacker Agent. After you become an agent you will be given top secret information that will allow you to contribute in “making life hell for town planners, architectural dictators and hierarchical organisations around the world”.

I recommend a visit to their site especially to their James Bond kind of space hijacking top secret equipment 

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