I Know What I Want: Open Studio

Description:

Presented in collaboration with Other Sights for Artists’ Projects and 221A, I Know What I Want was a publicly-sited research intensive about the possible futures for the area of Vancouver where Kingsway, Broadway, and Main Street intersect—a major site that had seen a number of architectural and cultural shifts due to development. The process began by conducting interviews with local independent business people, cultural leaders, and members of local design and planning communities before hosting a multi-day open studio at Kingsgate Mall. Set up at a table near the east entrance to the mall, Other Sights invited the public to share their desires for the future of the neighbourhood. These ideas culminated in an aerial model of the Broadway-Kingsway intersection that was made using materials from the mall’s dollar store, and evolved as the public consultation progressed throughout the week. 

I Know What I Want sought to evaluate space using the tools that artists have at their disposal: networks and ideas. Central to this endeavour was the idea that everyday spaces possess creative potential beyond the familiar narrative of building up and over what exists, and the value of inviting artists, curators, architects, and community members to imagine these potentials. The research and materials generated throughout the project was compiled into a final report published by Other Sights.