Friday, May 30, 2014

Esta es una plaza, Dr. Forquet 24, Madrid

This is a rare space. Surrounded by tightly regulated space of very high economic value, this "plaza" doesn't cost anything to use, it can be used by any human being (regardless of how much money you have, your race, ideology, gender...etc.), anyone can take care of it, and there are no video cameras or advertisement. One can do pretty much anything they want here. 
How long will it last?
MediaLab in Madrid (a public-private entity) has provided the resources to try to legally keep this espacio autogestionado in the hands of the public. A group of advocates is trying to translate/articulate the importance of the space in written legal jargon in order to gain official approval from the Ayuntamiento (gov't of Madrid) to secure the space.
A difficulty, a wonderful one, that we have had thus far in trying to conceptualize the space within the current legal structure, is that it it doesn't fit into traditional legal jargon or categories.  It's not owned by any person or group of people.  It's not a garden or a plaza, not a park or a playground; it is a mixture of these places and much more. Those who have been informally maintaining the space don't want to define it as a definition would exclude future possibilities.


To be continued...