FEED YOUR BRAIN

30 examples at street level

Some streets are impossible to walk…

…others are just plain boring.

Yet others offer visual vitality…

…that feed our psyche…

…and increase our motivation to walk.

EXAMPLES:

visual vitality

Take a seat! 1 Campus Martius, Detroit Robson St., Vancouver

outside Whitney Museum, Cardboard Beach, New York Toronto

“Nepenthes” Dan Corson Portland, Oregon

2 Solar-powered landmarks photo: Dan Corson website

“Urban Hydrology” (carved granite) Fernanda D'Agostino 6th Street Transit Mall, Portland, Oregon

Diatoms on the swales 3

Busker wildlife 4

none

BUSKER BAROMETER

ordinary

unique characters

The Violin Monster Zachary Storey Ann Arbor, Michigan

Mural by Uber5000 Kensington Market Toronto, Ontario

Crazy-happy laneway murals 5

“Inside/Out” temporary display from Detroit Institute of Arts on Liberty St., Ann Arbor, Michigan

Boundary-free art museums 6

Aspirational statements “Keep Portland Weird” Dante’s Portland, Oregon

7

“Woodpecker Column” Fastwurms Toronto Convention Centre

Supersized wildlife 8 “The Birds” (18’ sparrow) Myfanwy MacLeod Vancouver, British Columbia

“PAUSE” Exploratorium with Gehl Architects Market Street, San Francisco, CA

9 Experiments in interactivity

Portland, Oregon and Detroit, Michigan 10 Small business personalities

Milonga Al Fresco Michigan Argentine Tango Club Regent’s Plaza Ann Arbor, Michigan

11

12 Heidelberg Project Tyree Guyton & Friends Detroit, Michigan

Signature streets

Links to the past Plaza walkway on former industrial lands Olympic Village Site Vancouver, British Columbia 13

Temporary installations “Balloon Forest” 100in1day Toronto, Ontario 14

Supersized plant life “Sonic Bloom” Dan Corson Seattle, Washington

15 “The Silicon Forest” Brian Borello Portland, Oregon

Socio-economic reflection 16 Heidelberg Project Tyree Guyton Detroit , Michigan

Art from memories and detritus 17 Heidelberg Project Tyree Guyton Detroit , Michigan

artist: Moses Kofi Kensington Market Toronto, Ontario

Assembly-line escapees 18

Below grade parking Pearl District Portland, Oregon

Ventilation with vitality 19

20 Irresistible interactive sculpture “Endover” Tony Rosenthal Ann Arbor, Michigan

Designed by students of B. F. Day School Fremont, Seattle, Washington

Pavement patterns 21

Sea Life Skate Stops Rincon Park, Embarcadero San Francisco, California

Functional artistry 22

"Uniform Measure/Stack“ Stephen Cruise Spadina Avenue, Toronto, Ontario

District art 23

Bus Stop Seating Woodward Avenue, DDOT Detroit, Michigan

Gestures of civic kindness 24

Croft Lane Toronto, Ontario Garage door commentary 25

Faces in the ‘hood 26 Heidelberg Project Tyree Guyton Detroit , Michigan

“Man in the City” Project John Sauve Detroit, Michigan

Reasons to look up 27 blue bear of La Brea Avenue West Hollywood, CA

Mirvish Village Markham Street Toronto, Ontario

One of a kind streets 28

Astute architectural color 29 Dan Tel Aviv Hotel Yaacov Agam Tel Aviv, Israel

Detroit, Michigan and Toronto, Ontario Presence of youth 30

Is your walk mean…or motivating?

Nature is essential, but cities need art and artistry.

Could your street use more visual vitality…

to feed hungry brains?

Sharon VanderKaay

@svkaay

vanderpalette.com