Fake Facades

Cincinnati is in the beginning processes of cleaning up the city and revitalizing the old, vacant, run-down, historic, red-brick buildings that make up such a large portion of the city. (Obviously, this is causing gentrification issues, but that is not the point of this post). However, there is still a lot of vacant, ugly, scary, and potentially dangerous (health hazard/falling objects) buildings and lots. To help begin revitalizing these areas, a local organization has started a project called Future Blooms that paints fake windows and doors onto the plywood boarding. At a quick glance, the paint blends in so well that an observer might not even notice that the components are fake. But even if you do notice, this simple act makes the area feel much more complete and natural and a lot less intimidating for pedestrians walking by (because our culture has taught us that boarded up = dangerous). The fake façade projects an image of occupation, enlivening the city’s current dead zones. The group also has filled many vacant lots with gardens, brightening up dead space with new life. Simple acts such as these help to create a homey feel in neglected parts of the city, reshaping the urban environment, both physically and psychologically. David Harvey states in his article that the built environment is created to support capitalism, but this is an example where the collective shapes the environment, especially when capitalism is lacking.