Post Burn

I made it back from Black Rock City in one piece, despite the 20+ hr drive home! Since I was last there in 2003, a few things have changed but the overall atmosphere of community still exists. The sense of community at Burning Man comes from an element of acceptance and of survival. You are not judged for material things, you simply get to be who you are. Feeling welcome and comfortable breeds a sense of community. You also get a feeling that everyone is in it together. You are all exposed to the 100+ degree days, the 40 degree nights and the whiteouts. If you look hot, someone invites you into the shade, or offers a mist or cold drink. If you need a ride, an art car will pick you up.

I don’t see Burning Man as an example of a sustainable city environment, despite the number of bikes and pedestrians, but more of a social experiment that can teach us some lessons for urban planning. From an Urban Planning perspective, what is interesting is that they have the chance to do it all over again each year, to adapt and evolve and react to lessons learned. One of the biggest changes since I was last at Burning Man was exactly that, a reaction to a lesson learned.

What was the problem?

They found that their zoning was actually doing the opposite of what they intended, it was segregating and creating isolation among the population. The design of the city was causing there to be a “have” and “have not” group.

How did this happen?

Historically, theme camps were placed on the Esplanade, closest to the man. As the city grew, these theme camps formed a sort of barrier, and those that were not part of one, particularly newcomers, were pushed to the outskirts of the city.

What was their solution?

They did two things, first they dispersed the theme camps throughout the city. This way campers and theme campers were more broadly spread out, encouraging interaction. Secondly, they added public plazas. Where before the entire focus was on the esplanade, now it was dispersed throughout. I camped at 9:15 and Hanoi, where historically you had to bike for 10 minutes before getting to any kind of large gathering. This year, the Distrikt, a public plaza, was a central gathering place just a block away. The place was hoppin! It even drew art cars off the esplanade and back into the community. Was there a lesson learned? Even a place whose sole purpose is participation, can create isolation. Burning Man planners learned that there is a balance to segregating uses. While they still have designated areas for loud music, kids camps etc., they now allow for more integration of uses within the larger framework of these areas. Burning Man is a great canvas to try new ideas and witness their evolution.