Candy Chang / Civic Center

I Wish This Was

New Orleans and anywhere

2010 to present

Vacant storefronts are an urban mainstay. But while passersby may dream of what they wish would fill the void, rarely do they get any say in the matter. Combining street art and city planning, I Wish This Was is an interactive public art project that invites residents to voice their ideas about improving the neighborhood. Trained in architecture, graphic design, and urban planning, Candy Chang posts grids of blank stickers on vacant buildings so that residents can write their thoughts on future use, provid- ing a fun, low-barrier tool to spark civic engagement and a way to showcase the city’s collective imagination. The project was launched in New Orleans, but stickers are available online and have been appearing in cities around the world.

Community, Economy, Information, Pleasure
150 – 500 stickers, 20 permanent markers and poster putty
4 weeks – posting stickers, documenting responses, adding stickers, posting responses online
1
Problem - disengaged public with unmet needs
Solution - stickers for sharing desires on vacant storefronts