For our project UTOPS (Utopian Transformation of Public Spaces), we took on the persona of an urban planning firm performing a charrette at Oakland's Oscar Grant/Frank Ogawa/City Hall Plaza during the May 1 protests the Spring after the destruction of the Occupy Oakland camp at that plaza. During this community brainstorming session, we invited participants to answer questionnaires and/or draw on a communal plan of the area, telling us what they want and need from their city center.
In this picture, Steve Damewood mans the table.
Steve Damewood hands a participant a survey.
Participants complete surveys.
A participant completes a survey.
Jesse Kauppila Boardman and Steve Damewood man the table while a participant fills out the survey.
Participants fill out surveys.
Cait Quinlivan and Jesse Boardman Kauppila laugh while chatting with participants.
Cait Quinlivan talks to a participant.
Jesse Kauppila Boardman talks to a participant.
View of the communal plan after participants added to it.
A UTOPS nametag.