For the People, By the People: A Visual Story of the DIY City.

09/07/2012. by Afaina de Jong [VIDEO-TRAILER] by Ultra de la Rue.
metalocus, LUIS TERRAIN

For the People, By the People: A visual story on the DIY City is a publication by Afaina de Jong is a visual story about how people influence change in the city. The collapse of faith in top-down planning has been followed by a renewed interest in the self-generating wisdom of bottom-up urban initiatives. What does it mean when people act as the urban change agents that direct the life and death of the world's cities? Fusing her photography with a manifesto-like text, architect Afaina de Jong marks the people in the streets as the starting point of all urban trends and cultural innovation. And calls upon us all to become architects of our environment.

© ultra de la rue - pages from the book.

Afaina de Jong is an Amsterdam-based architect who firmly believes that the practice of her craft should go beyond just making buildings. Her newest book, dubbed For the People, By the People; and published by ultra de la rue, is a visual story on how people influence urban development and change. The 148-page hardcover book aims to shed a new light on what architecture and the city could be like in the 21st century if a d.i.y. approach would be the departure point of the urban development process.

The book was simultaneously launched on sat - jun 16 [3pm-9pm] with and at publisher Ultra da la Rue's new creative space in Amsterdam's infamous Red Light District. Formerly occupied by prostitutes, the venue is now dedicated to the themes presented in the book through film screenings, lectures, creative sessions and exhibitions. Location: Oudekerksplein 30 [Centrum].