Design Observer :: Join the Discussion http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/ en-us Design Observer Group 2011-03-07T11:14:36-05:00 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/1.0
One thing really missing in this piece, though, is any comment on the theme-based built environment. I was hoping to go to 'Metropolis', thinking it would generate some intentionally architectural works, but all the images I have seen are cartoons of architectural environments -- boxy, unsophisticated stereotypes of buildings, graffiti, Venturi-era decorated sheds. Is this what we -- architects, urban designers -- think a metropolis is? And do we have more to say about the burning city? The great moments in Burning Man are certainly the crazy towers climbable pieces, the parts that remind us all of the scaffolding we like sometimes better than the building behind it. But what does that mean for the design profession? It is the next generation of Ant Farm and Archigram, but we have only hinted at building THAT on the playa.

]]> LSamuels http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-03-07T11:14:36-05:00 roissy http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-30T16:59:55-05:00
Which is in stark contrast, unfortunately to our permanent cities. More and more I find myself engaging zoning rules that mandate inefficient, wasteful, and lifeless designs. We've become so uptight and fearful of our citizens (not the crazy Burners, but the everyday working-folk) that our cities are becoming commercial-only entertainment zones instead of fostering community (interaction) and personal investment. Easements get wider, so that the public works staff can get lazier, street lanes get wider so that distracted drivers have more room to wander (and less incentive to stop texting), building setbacks get bigger to accomodate more parking, and the poor occupant/resident/taxpayer gets the shaft, or at least a much less livable city. I think all of our cities could learn some lessons from the really remarkably sane and people-centered design of Burning Man.]]> Jeff Ericson http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-30T15:09:13-05:00 B. L. Chooljian http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-27T17:48:20-05:00 The inspiration you get from all the creativity and good energy around you is overwhelming, and quite frankly, addicting.
Everyone has their own approach to the burn, and everyone has their own experiences.
For some people it's the pure generosity and happiness, mixed with the playa dust that the wind blows around your head. For others it's spiritual and relaxing. For me, it also is a wake-up call once a year, reminding me what is is important in life: community, love and laughter.
If 50,000 people can live in peace in a desert under those harsh conditions , why can't we as humans manage to live together in what we call a technologically advanced age?
]]> Mercurial http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-20T19:29:44-05:00
Few other surfaces could put up with the beating that 50,000 people can deal out and recover in weeks rather than years. Not to mention that the leave no trace and greywater policies that are enforced by the BLM on the Playa would be quite tricky to manage in a temperate environment.

That said, there are a lot of regional Burns that are in different environments that manage quite well with lesser numbers. :)]]> Murphy http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-19T02:21:21-05:00 Dick Harrah http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-18T13:54:31-05:00 Proforma http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-18T12:26:42-05:00 Diana http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-18T03:08:52-05:00 Burntcoco http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-18T02:21:44-05:00 Leslie http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-17T23:17:46-05:00 Novia http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-17T22:36:33-05:00 Vic http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-17T21:38:06-05:00
@ Ari: Sorry about your feet, though it sounds like you had fun. Were you barefoot? Bad idea, as delightful as the playa feels between your toes in the short term. In my camp we had vinegar footbaths available for counter-acting the alkali dust. Not one case of playa-foot for 200 people.

@ Jat: Yes, people actually pay money for this. What do *you* pay money for> ]]> Corvus http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-14T10:58:27-05:00
The art was very cool, including the burn of a giant waffle. I got blown away in a dust storm while rollerskating. I met a honey and we rocked the van. The neighbors smiled and applauded.

The best advise I followed was "take risks." And get out and meet people at many camps and events. Go ahead guys and wear a dress.]]> kai http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-13T20:52:04-05:00
Yes it is short-lived, yes it can be hot, dry, dusty and cold. At times some may want to pull back and just observe; stay up all night, go to sleep early, just chill, read a book; all the things we do in life. But the experience it like no other. It is very much worth the time and the effort!!]]> onlyme http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-13T17:15:45-05:00 Jat http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-13T16:35:07-05:00
People have barely begun to ask this kind of question, and hats off to Nate for his fascinating article.]]> Michael E. Smith http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-13T14:31:29-05:00
My feet hurt for weeks afterwards from all the pedaling my ride across the dusty, fiery playa, walking around seeing incredibly beautiful and artistic things while making tons of new friends giving and receiving gifts of every imaginable type, and the worst part - dancing into the daylight hours. I hate it there. ]]> Ari http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-13T14:30:13-05:00 Nancy http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-12T10:47:28-05:00
As Lovebug mentions, the non-commercial aspect is really the beating heart of Burningman. You can't spend any money (other than on coffee and ice), no-one is selling anything/ you aren't being marketed which is an incredibly welcome change. And the resulting spirit of generosity in Black Rock City is absolutely mind-blowing. People toil out in the desert to build and operate their art so that the community at large can enjoy it; you will witness incredible acts of generosity taking place literally everywhere, at all times. It is the most friendly place I have ever been.

Burningman is the greatest party on earth (nothing even comes close) but it is also a whole lot more. ]]> Oliver Harris http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-12T03:58:38-05:00 ]]> Carole Chooljian http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-11T22:55:00-05:00
It sets BRC apart immediately and, by virtue of where it is and the planning one makes to burn well for a full week, results in sureminded exultation of each day together with the expectation of continuous amazement that is often unreachable in the default world.

Depite the apparent erosion of the 'happening' that engendered it, Burning Man is still a transcendent cultural event. It is people doing 'people things' for most of the attendees. The lack of money, commercialism, politics, pollution, religious dogma and -for the most part -rules cleanses, inspires, re-energizes and resets like nothing else.

Despite all the 'stuff' that is there: it is the people that make it. No-one tells them how or what or why. The 'citizens' of BRC choose to do because they want to do. ]]> Issimo http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-11T22:06:00-05:00 As she tells it she started going by accident...She had driven across the country on her motorcycle after having a hard time with her personal life in New York and needing to get away.She met some people who said she would love it there.She took their advice and After that ...She went every single year sacrificing her career and her personal life.. She needed to get there because she wanted to help the others.....this community that worked for a whole month in August ahead of time together to provide a good experience for the people who came to Burning Man the first week in Sept.....She helped to bring stuff to the desert and made thousands of friends
.Sooo I went and it was exciting...The art, the people, the music ,the generosity, the uniqueness ....and I will never forget it...and it was my daughter who discovered it for me... ]]> deizei http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-11T21:05:45-05:00 jodywysteria http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-11T19:12:58-05:00 lalanalla http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-11T18:26:09-05:00 Let the so called "anti-fascists" believe whatever they want. Don't invite them. Who cares, keep them away. They will suck the life out of everyone which is why they can't have any fun. Please go back to Detroit or Florida, or whatever shit hole life you want to perpetuate.

I've never registered my camera btw... cuz I'll do whatever I want!]]> janet http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-11T17:53:19-05:00
"Having to register your camera, and walk around with a numbered tag while you take a picture is totally FASCIST."

This is to protect the art, artist and participant from commercial (ab)use. http://www.burningman.com/press/pressRandR.html

"Its a mini club scene with VIPs and special rooms and venues for special people."

Make your own camp with its own VIP section and allow everyone to come in. Whhhaaaa...

"BUT there is a Starbucks cappuccino joint right in the center where they rake in thousands of DOLLARS because thats the only thing they can sell and ICE...."

Like @Ron's Log said, the money goes to charity. Here is where the money went:
http://blog.burningman.com/news/burning-mans-charitable-donations-for-2010/

"It costs way too much to live for 7 days."

It costs a lot to rent BLM land, portapotties, and all the logistical infrastructure to set up an entire city.

"After a chore like that you realize a nice vacation in Hawaii is worth about ten times more than that place. "

Apples to Oranges. Burning Man is an experience that one should go to at least once. Hawaii is pretty nice too!

]]> monkey http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-11T13:33:13-05:00
I personally find the Burning Man city design fascinating: how telling and natural that the city, while representing a "slice of life" would have grown up as a circle. Naturally, the community has such a deliberate commitment to engagement with others in the surroundings, that no other shape would compete.

And the whole Burning Man experience seems to me to be like an enforced inspirational exercise. The creative process requires trading off between two extremes of mental exercise: pushing oneself outside of one's means while also being rooted squarely within one's known locus of experience. When you successfully flicker between the two, you reveal your own assumptions and expectations, as well as question and broaden them. And breadth of ideas is surely the main ingredient for inspiration. Burning man, you are an intellectual exercise in design thinking. And what's more exciting, you're also a beautifully separate, temporary experiment. The experience has been set up to free us up from the hesitation we might have about truly expressing our ideas in our "default" lives. Freedom is the other key ingredient in the design process, for it emboldens us to really think differently. ]]> Shelly Ronen, Design Research Associate, Eleven LLC http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-11T13:21:06-05:00
And, in response to xpez2000's post: If you are a member of the press or a commercial photographer, you must register your camera and get a tag. This is to protect the privacy of participants and to ensure that Burning Man images will not be used commercially. And, if you shoot video for any purpose, likewise you need to tag your camera. They are strict with their image usage, but for good reason. ]]> Lovebug http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-11T13:14:35-05:00 Ron's Log http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-10T21:10:07-05:00 Its a mini club scene with VIPs and special rooms and venues for special people. Everyone loves the idea of embodying some kind of utopian ideals, with no money allowed. BUT there is a Starbucks cappuccino joint right in the center where they rake in thousands of DOLLARS because thats the only thing they can sell and ICE.... Sure somethings are fun, like dancing, getting loaded with friends, checking out some ACID ART and riding a bike across the playa, but over all its more like a carnival in Panama City, FL. With an endless parade of BOzoS and drunks. It costs way too much to live for 7 days. After a chore like that you realize a nice vacation in Hawaii is worth about ten times more than that place. ]]> xpez2000 http://places.designobserver.com/feature/burning-man-and-the-metropolis/23848/#comments 2011-01-10T17:05:23-05:00