Illuminating Väsby

 In the ongoing Vasby Labs experiment, where we are testing ideas on how development can occur with the participation of the community, we began with workshops held in the areas' shopping mall.

after a series of these public workshops, we began identifying the project as a series of questions, interspersed with temporary public installations, which would measure and test the participation of the public. In the summer and early fall sessions, 

these included a pop-up grocery store, 
a temporary urban lab,

 a propaganda stand, a cafe and a carousel for kids.

 As darkness becomes a larger part of the day, we slowly begin to illuminate the area of Torget

Illuminations happens on two levels

one is a set of mobile street lights and lit objects, 

that will brighten the area during the dark winter months

Parallel to the light objects, a series of signs introduce and advertise a questionaire 

on the ways that the city can develop.

a set of string lights suggest a celebration or gathering. Benches are there to sit, and a sign asks whether people prefer public or private parks. These are perhaps questions with multiple answers, because privatising public space leads to better development but also more control on the part of investors. 

(invitation to the switching-on of Lights, on Monday 12th of November 2012)

So the questions are there simply to introduce the subject, 

and to make sure that decisions are well thought through.

later on, an ice-skating rink will operate with free entrance for the citizens of Vasby. 

The area of Torget, which we are illuminating, is in fact a construction site, that we are temporarily using to test urban planing ideas before construction begins,

the time before construction is traditionally spent inside boardrooms and municipal offices high above the city

instead, we are placing the discussion 

on the site where its results

will materialize.

www.vasbylabs.se

facebook.com/vasbylabs

Project Manager: Mia Lundstrom

Construction: Patrik Olin for www.olinevent.se

Graphic identity: Petter Johanson www.pjadad.com

Newspaper: Jan Aman, Petter Johanson, Anton Wigbrand

Design: Andreas Angelidakis
Images: Sotiris Vasiliou, Alexandra Syriou www.angelidakis.com