street+furniture

//**Research statement**//

I have decided to make my research on street furniture, and try to determine to which extent it is helping the citizens of our city, as well as identify problems associated with it.

//**Background**//

During my research I walked down the area where I live, which is Don Mills and Sheppard. The area has a large number of apartment buildings as well as the library, large mall, subway station and 3 schools – all situated very close to each other. I was going to investigate other areas of Toronto, but, unfortunately I ran out of time and could visit only few other places briefly at night. Surprisingly Don Mills and Sheppard turned out to be both rich and poor with street furniture. While there was an absolute abundance of press boxes, bus stops and garbage bins, I was having a hard time finding any place to sit. Very importantly, one can instantly get a sense of to which extent the street furniture is commercialized.

//**Critical position**//

I came to the conclusion that Toronto greatly lacks street furniture that would be convenient for its citizens. The important role in such dramatic situation plays the fact that street furniture that we see in our city is highly commercialized.

//**Data collection and analysis**//

Before I went to do field investigation, I had made a big amount of research on street furniture in Toronto and that gave me a good insight into the issue. As the city of Toronto suffers from the lack of funding, public furniture, such as bus shelters, garbage bins and benches, was entrusted in the hands of advertising companies, such as EUCAN and Astral media. These companies were able to transform the city of Toronto into a colorful display of commercials, unfortunately, putting aside the considerations about the convenience of regular citizens. In my investigation I was aiming to identify the main problems associated with the street furniture, as well as to understand why these problems exist and try to find some examples of the solutions.

After the initial research I went on the streets with the camera trying to capture any relevant details.

On the other day I was able to visit downtown of Richmond Hill and noticed one striking difference. The benches were abundant on the streets of the town, possibly due to the proximity of housing for senior citizens.


 * //Opportunities//**

If I would have enough time, I would like to make a full scale research on the topic and visit the most of Toronto.


 * Concept Map**




 * Visual Essay** 20/20




 * //Resources//**

Duncan, D. //Street furniture contract receives an award of excellence.// **Spacing Toronto.** September 5, 2007. [|visit]

Blackett, M. //Some more thoughts on street furniture.// **Spacing Toronto.** May 1, 2007. [|visit]

Smith, M. //Street furniture fix is in. It's clear city 'crats can't get over addiction to crass curbside advertising.// **Now Toronto.** March 9-15, 2006. [|visit]

//Who's enforcing the conditions of advertising contracts at City Hall?// **Publicspace.ca.** [|visit]

//Heated bus shelters?// **CBC News.** September 28, 2000. [|visit]

//Solo Mobile bus stop ads let you talk to strangers.// **Textually.org.** April 26, 2007 [|visit]