In the midst of current debates about the accessibility of public
spaces, resurfacing as a result of highly visible demonstrations
and occupations, this book illuminates an overlooked domain of
civic participation: the office, workshop, or building where
activist groups meet to organize and plan acts of political dissent
and collective participation. Author Nandini Bagchee examines three
re-purposed buildings on the Lower East Side that have been used by
activists to launch actions over the past forty years. The Peace
Pentagon was the headquarters of the anti-war movement, El Bohio
was a metaphoric "hut" that envisioned the Puerto Rican Community
as a steward of the environment, and ABC No Rio, appropriated from
a storefront sign with missing letters, was a catchy punk name that
appealed to the anarchistic sensibility of the artists that ran a
storefront gallery in a run-down tenement. In a captivating
discussion of buildings and urban settings as important components
of progressive struggles in New York City over more than a century,
Bagchee reveals how these collectively organized spaces have
provided a venue for political participation while existing as a
vital part of the city's civic infrastructure. The "counter
institution" explored in this book represents both a conceptual and
a literal struggle to create a space for civic action in a city
that is built upon real estate speculation. The author reveals the
fascinating tension between the impermanence of the insurgent
activist practices and the permanent but maintenance heavy aspects
of architecture. The actors she vividly describes-the war
resisters, the Puerto Rican organizers, the housing activists, the
punks and artists-all seized the opportunity to create what are
seen as "activist estates," at a time and in a place where urban
life itself was under attack. And now, when many such
self-organized "activist" buildings are imperiled by the
finance-driven real estate market that is New York City, this book
takes stock and provides visibility to these under recognized
citizens' initiatives. Counter Institution is an innovative work
that intersects architecture, urban design practices, and geography
(cartography) on the one hand, with history, politics, and
sociology on the other. It is a must-read for anyone interested in
the history of activism in New York City and how the city can
inspire and encourage political engagement. Through its beautifully
illustrated pages-where drawings, maps, timelines, and photographs
underline the connections between people, politics, and
space-readers will discover new ways to imagine buildings as a
critical part of the civic infrastructure and a vital resource for
the future.
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