burgerTech

Thanks for coming, kick off your shoes and have a seat. I’d get you a drink but my arms aren’t that long.

This is Head Acres, the ‘Land with Legs’ and you are all invited to put down some roots, for a nominal fee of course. I’m still figuring out the best way to organize this site so bear with me for a little while until we get it all smoothed out. But, do feel free to make comments and I will answer all questions in a speedy manner.

To start, this is the land itself with lot numbers:

These are the initial lot offerings, more roads and lots will be added as demand increases. Read this next section for further details:

HEAD ACRES

Introduction:
So at some point, I started thinking of my head as a landscape. Maybe it was how my thick and messy locks resembled a wild forest or how my dandruff looked like litter caught in roadside grasses, but the idea stuck with me. As I drove around the country, I noticed how areas of development, especially places scarred by industry, would be screened from view by a thin layer of foliage along the roadside, like a green combover. This analogy seemed quite appropriate to our treatment of the environment, ie. If we don’t see it then it’s OK.

Then I thought what a great idea it would be to push this analogy beyond just natural visual associations and explore what would happen socially if I opened up this land for development and leased lots to different people. What would people build? What would it feel like to walk around with a city on your head? What responses would I get from people on the street?

Goals:
At the very least lets have some fun.

While I am initiating this experiment and setting out some base parameters, I would like to let the community of landowners steer the development process. Just as in real life where building codes and zoning regulations are created in response to public opinion, this settlements direction will be decided by a collection of individuals

For my role in this, I hope to personalize our treatment of and attitude towards the land itself. I am also interested in participant’s motivation and solutions to this unique opportunity. And finally, there is the spectacle factor and the unpredictable outcome of initiating conversations with people who I encounter during my normal activities.

Technical:
There is an online forum where community members can pose questions, discuss issues, and keep track of their property via photos and streaming video. Go to: http://burgertech.com/wordpress/

Landowners will be given a lease agreement, which they will sign and return, and an official deed displaying the location of their property.

Lots are roughly one square inch in area. For those concerned about consistency of scale, this would be about one quarter acre per square inch.

Depending on circumstances there are various options for building.

You are welcome to:
Build your own structure, mail it, and I will install it
We can arrange a time to meet and you can build directly on my head
You can contract with myself of another individual to do the building (additional costs apply)

Structures should be sturdy if you expect them to remain attached and undamaged. Keep in mind that aside from sleeping and bathing, I will be wearing the city at all times, which includes say bike riding, working on a roof or on my car, etc. My head does get knocked around, so plan accordingly.

Also, give me some means to attach the structure with such as something to screw into or a wide area to glue.

Lots will be sold at various prices depending on location. See attached map

Lots will be sold through various outlets. Some are reserved for sale through Ebay, some are reserved already and others will remain open for immediate cash sale.

The duration of the lease will be from June 1st to June 30th and possibly longer.

Suggestions:
While I have little control over what eventually gets built here are some things that I’ve thought about that could be a conceptual starting point for builders.

Think of this as the actual earth, and how would you treat the land

Also think of this as somewhat of a mobile, traveling gallery

You might tailor your construction to respond in some way to our current condition on this planet as experienced by you.

Think about real life situations, what do we need in order to live? What would you like to see in your ideal world? Or is this an expression of dystopia?

This environment is rich for creative responses. Do you want to advertise, erect a billboard? You could develop the land and sublet. You could make a park, or preserve the land as open space. You could build a skyscraper. You could install a power plant and sell other people electricity. Every community needs a garbage dump. It could be your goal to make me look as ridiculous as possible.
I will facilitate development in whatever means possible, and I encourage participants to be as ambitious and provocative in their development as possible.

Contact:
Jon Taylor
PO Box 7260
New Bedford, MA
02742

508-951-7833

jontaylor@enjoinery.com