Limitations of the Temporary

Abstract

Vacant land invites occupation, both by ruderal vegetation and spontaneous human intervention. This active engagement—taking the form of art installations, cultivated plots, or domestic appropriations—is often unplanned and temporary. Capable of existing outside of market forces, the projects are realized efficiently, but without long-term durability. Their short-term value is undeniable but so is their vulnerability. This is especially true of landscape projects on abandoned lands. The limitations of temporary projects are elaborated across diverse occupation types, including guerilla activities, pop-up projects, design collaborative work, and short-term land leases. The argument is structured around four main points. First, public space needs to be unregulated and diverse, not just on a temporary basis in leftover spaces. Second, landscape projects require time to develop to perform culturally and ecologically. Third, temporary projects can be placeholders that limit the need for long-term re-visioning. Finally, cities with large inventories of abandoned land require greater restructuring than the temporary can promote. The temporary functions well as programmatic overlay or an event landscape to activate an existing, clearly articulated, often vibrant, space rather than as a catalyst for systemic urban change in places of disinvestment.