Design Ignites Change - Projects

Kansas City Art Institute

Planting Beauty is a guerrilla beautification project, based on guerrilla gardening. The goal is to encourage beautification of the neighborhood through decorative plants rather than urban farming. The project is aimed towards the youth in the Ivanhoe neighborhood in Kansas City. It strives to educate teens about plants, as well as teach skills for their future. Everything will be kept secretive, staying true to the guerrilla beautification concept, which adds the sense of fun and excitement to the activity.

Vi Pham
vpham@kcai.edu

Ivanhoe Neighborhood

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November 7, 2012

Leave behind artifacts for the beautified lots. Signs are planted in front to inform viewers who did it. Plant tags are provided for kids to learn about the plants and to make the plants their own.

All artifacts include a poster, postcard, door hanger, leave behind sign, and plant tags. Teens can find the postcard at the neighborhood council informing them about the program and where to sign up.

The poster will be the first interaction with the program for teens. These will be found outside of the neighborhood in places such as libraries or schools.

Keeping up with the secretive concept, door hangers will be used to inform volunteers when and where beautification will happen. Information can be written on the back and hung accordingly.

Rapid prototyping with Council members about possible perennial plants and native grasses to be included in lots and homes.

The Ivanhoe neighborhood is striving for revitalization. The neighborhood contains over 1000 vacant lots and homes due to residents leaving the neighborhood. Planting Beauty aims to beautify the lots and revitalize the neighborhood, hoping to bring in new residents and teach the youth life skills.

The system of events would encourage teens to participate in the activity of beautification. The events will take place once every two weeks in random, empty lots around the neighborhood. There will be an adult supervisor that will educate the youth about plants and gardening. (something more about design rather than event)

Planting Beauty

Kansas City Art Institute

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