Imagine this but specifically for architects and city planners. You'll be able to do a small scale test run on layout concepts without government red tape and all that crap. I feel like there's sim engines for that but the human element would provide a ton of insight you might miss otherwise.
Yeah that would be very cool. Quite a few architects and urban planners do go there for research! Even Paul romer, the Nobel prize winning economist went there to model his case studies!
we have a lot! we even have a whole research department, newspaper, radio, an airport, census teams! if you would like to participate in any of those you don’t even need to have attended the event, those teams are super important and they inform our decisions when planning. if the big burning man is too expensive or hard to attend, look out for your regional network, we have events of all sizes all over the world.
@@DamiLeeArch Bjarke Ingels brought an 85ft diameter mirrored orb in 2018. It was almost immediately coated in a layer of dust (despite efforts to prevent this) that ruined the mirrored effect.
One big criticism of Burning Man that I don't hear discussed enough is how artificial it is. For the week long event, it is leave no trace, as soon as people leave Black Rock City though, it is a free for all to see who can leave the biggest mess in the surrounding communities. I've seen places have to hire guards to stop Burners from just dumping all their trash and leaving the local property owner to clean it up. My husband used to work at a U-Haul in Sparks NV and burners would routinely return their trucks (which, technically weren't supposed to be taken to Burning Man in the first place according to their rental contract) completely full of trash, one time with trash that was literally a smoldering fire. For the week long event, it is about radical inclusivity, but as soon as participants leave and go home, they are still the type of people who show up to town hall meetings to oppose affordable housing being built in their community. For locals in Northern Nevada, the event has become the one week a year that wealthy Silicon Valley types can come and cosplay as egalitarian and eco friendly people before making a mess and going right back to what they were doing before Burning Man, so full of confidence that because they pretended for a week, they don't have to worry about the next 51 weeks of the year. It's a shame, because a lot of us who have lived here our whole lives remember when it truly was a place for people who truly believed in the mission and vision of Burning Man who used the event as a way to experiment on how they could apply those values and would go home genuinely changed by the experience and try to do better. It would be great if it could go back to that again.
As a local, hearing your perspective in this comments section makes me feel happy. Every year it feels like the surrounding pass through towns are left behind in all the coverage.
A lot like people who go to church every Sunday without fail. The rest of the week, they are so confident of themselves because they never miss a Sunday worship and go out and become annoying bell ends the rest of the week.
I’ve loved this channel for a while and don’t know how I missed this video when it first came out. I was surprised when a friend pointed out that I am in it (0:38) - that footage is from 2015 when I designed the Temple of Promise which is the building on fire at the end of your video (15:38-15:44). This is one of the best videos I’ve seen from a non-burner in terms of capturing the spirit of the city and you really should experience it in person. I’d be happy to help you get out there but I’ll warn you that if you go you’ll come back wanting to build art of your own in the middle of nowhere! Also a great way to go is to get involved with a major art project - I’d be happy to point you in the right direction on that
I can’t imagine having your job. Basically it sounds like your job is the absolute pinnacle of “one accident ruins it for the rest of us” such as when one person in a company does something reeeeeally dumb, policies are changed and the rest of the employees suffer. You make all of these types of things surrounding buildings and cities so much more understandable with your videos so thank you for that!!
Despite the good intentions of the founders and participants, building and disassembling an entire city in one of the least hospitable microclimates on Earth is one of the most wasteful and single least sustainable experiments ever conducted in all of human history.
As a reno resident… we really don’t like burners. A ton of garbage and tents and bikes are left behind in the city, often at the airport. Plus, burners tend to be quite rude, act like they’re doing us a favor for attending an event that doesn’t really benefit reno, and complain about all the ways the city isn’t set up specifically for them. I know that sounds pretty bitter, but that’s genuinely how a ton of residents feel. Also: organizers, please, allow bike rentals. Donating to a charity afterwards isn’t as rosy as it seems, and doesn’t erase the impact of a brand new bike being bought and tossed away.
My late husband was obsessed with Burning Man, and we participated from 1994 to 2002, the year he died. It was smaller and much less regulated in the 90s. There was almost no crowd control. I remember many times when what we were doing would not have been considered "safe" at all. Gar from it. One year, Bob got the idea of bringing a truckfull of hay bales to set up as a climbing and sitting area. Of course, people tried to set it on fire. He had to guard it almost constantly. Another year, we brought a huge tent, which I had sewn from scratch on my smallish sewing machine. Burning Man IS another world in itself.
The problem I see with "participation" in burning man vs real life is: Population selection & time frame. 1) This population is self selected as a population that wants to contribute and participate in this given framework. In real life people have a lot going on. Like sure, I could shovel my disabled neighbors driveway... right after I go to work, clean the house, drop off/pick up kids from school, balance the budget, drop off/pick up the kids from an activity, do my workout, finish grocery shopping/cooking 2) Time frame is 9 days vs forever. I can get along with anyone for 9 days. A lifetime? Ehh no. I can also contribute SIGNIFICANTLY more resources/time/effort into a 9 day project (I can give it 110%). Could I maintain that for even 6 months? No. Im assuming everyone else has those same limitations
Totally agree with you. Not everyone has the time to participate , even if they would like to. I think the best is doing a little every so often , and as a community/country I do believe it adds up. Do what you can and don't burn yourself out.
I think you're merging inclusion and radical self-reliance into one aspect under "participation". 1) You don't necessarily have to attend to your disabled neighbor's needs. Sure, help is always welcome, but not doing anything for them is as well. 2) the time frame for the burning man is really more than nine days. It was said in the video that installation plans should be submitted months before those nine days to be approved, for safety and concerns like opposing themes being placed together and the like. And again with the radical self-reliance, though the event is welcome for everybody, you are ultimately responsible for yourself. You're gonna have to figure out how to sustain yourself for nine days. You also have the option of not minding anyone for that period if that's your thing. No one would force you to talk. 3) all in all, I think everyone should experience this for themselves, whether it be the burning man itself or similar events. This opens up so many possibilities on self and community improvement.
To point 1, the hesitations you describe are partly rooted in the fact your society/lifestyle (probably) doesn't have this kind of radical involvement. You don't have to spend so much time grocery shopping, dropping kids off to school and activities, budgeting, and probably even working if you are invested enough into a community that they invest back into you as a given. It only really requires one or two responsible adults to get a whole bunch of kids to and fro when there is enough trust. You can consider Japan as an example of this specific part of my point on a large scale, where kids below the age of 10 can get themselves to school and back fine. I.e. you don't contribute to a community AND do everything else, you do a lot of it INSTEAD of everything else.
@@michaeld2029 I don't believe in "radical" movements. At the end of the day incentives drive enduring outcomes. "Radical movements" are just deviations from what is incentivized & as such will collapse. Water flows on the path of least resistance, same thing with human behavior. Radical movements never last, which is why I never waste any time with them
@@camadams9149 Well fair enough, I can see you're not here to have your mind changed anyway. I think it's a huge stretch to say all of (or even much at all of) our current manner of living is well incentivised and will endure. Why would there be so many people in so many different age groups suffering from depression and reporting loneliness and isolation? Improvement of outcome will, in my personal opinion, require huge deviation from the current 'path of least resistance' as you call it.
Having a walk path for the fire code situation actually makes sense. I know able body people can walk over turf and rocks more easily but that extra path helps disabled people get to safety as well
I love what you are saying here. I'd also be very interested to hear your thoughts around this after you go to Burning Man. One of the years I went I attended a workshop by an organization called City Repair, who was based out of Portland, Oregon who covered some of the topics you did but also talked about lessons Black Rock City can teach about how city planning and layout can help better foster community.
I found this video trying to learn more about burning man. What I found was an incredibly articulate and wise woman explaining architecture and design. Dang girl! You rock!! I wish I could have had your wisdom when I built my house!
We have Glastonbury festival here in the UK. It has around 150k people attending it. These temporary towns are little functioning marvels. It is the human interaction element which makes these projects work in functionality and ascetically. Without human input they would just be faceless refugee camps. This applies to city and towns architectural layouts too. When its public accessible then that said public needs to have their input. It makes them part of the environment and therefore they would respect it better. Having things forced upon us is not a good way for city planning or architecture to pursue.
Something I don't see talked about much, other than among friends, is the gifting rule is great but as more people attend, it has created wealthy zones within Burning Man. From feedback from friends who attended who are on opposite sides of financial status, the wealthy, or Group B, create their own camps and stay within those communities mostly with their own activities. They still participate outside of their camps at times but gift almost solely within their communities. They've said they've had too many experiences year after year of people who don't prepare anything to gift or even sustain themselves and expect "handouts" from them. Friends from Group A usually complain that Group B breaks the foundation rules by going by the wording and not the intention. They say that it doesn't matter if Burners come unprepared. If you can share you should share though not to the detriment of your own survival. Group A usually complains about how Group B generally bring much more "stuff" and waste to keep their luxury camps going. I mean I've had friends in the luxury camps bring generators for AC within their camps and have excess perishables by the end of the trip due to overpacking which they could have gifted to others but didn't. I just think it's interesting that as Burning Man grows, it has started to create its own economic segregation in their "camps" and how Burning Man allows it since the luxury camps also need approval since they are usually placed near each other.
The constant refrain I hear from long time burners is that the relatively new influx of wealthy and untra-wealthy burners is ruining the event. That this once radical experiment in a classless society, where all are welcome, all are equal, has turned into a bit of a dystopian microcosm of the wealth inequality in the world.
So basically, one group gives too little and the other asks for too much? I'll say this: if the former group (stingy) were to live in a tribe (like we have been as a species for the last 250,000 years) they'd be removed from the tribe, forcibly dragged out far into the wilderness, and left there. Alone.
@@rajbhattacharya4427 Where do you get off expecting more from someone else?! While I believe "burning man" is just a playground for rich people to freely get high, by no means do I think they're required to "give more." It seems to me you expect too much out of people, and feel like you deserve more for some reason. Reality check. You're not owed anything extra, even at burning man. It's ridiculous how many people show up with NOTHING and expect handouts. You'd be right at home with them.
@@smileyeagle1021 It would be unique if we had an event that ostracized anyone making over say 150k annual. That means most of society could attend and it would stop the 1% from making the event about them and their community vs the overall community and premis.
@Evan McCue everyone is entitled to everything. That's survival. I get X, you don't. Ideals about trying to get off or ones opinion of the role of the poor are irrelevant at a fundamental level. Can't blame people for it, it's human nature
The experience of Burning Man is unique to each participant and you really can’t truly comment unless you’ve experienced it. It’s like trying to explain color to a blind person. The sights, sounds, smells, feel, personal connections and emotions are such an important part of the journey. Those are the real parts that drive the direction of the city. As a 1 year participant and 11 year employee, I was able to see considerable growth and growing pains in different areas but it was still one of the best run communities I’ve ever seen. I suggest everyone that has the ability to go should experience it. You really don’t know what it is until you experience it. It will change you as a person. A small part of your heart will stay on the playa every year..
My sister was just telling me about Burning Man this year. She's been going a few years to Black Rock City. Her partner for much longer. They do local burns. And even one in South Africa. She gave me the quick jist of it, but your video fleshed out the Principles. The concept she had told me about that I was unfamiliar with was NO MONEY and GIFTS. I found that really inspiring because it means it's not just filled with vendors out to make cash. I go to a lot of Conventions and mostly people just go for the Dealer's Hall because they want to consume. But I nearly cried when you discussed the accessibility offered and required at Burning Man. And how the Radical Self Reliance and Particaption make those with handicaps feel actually more included than they are in everyday life. People with disabilities people are not very visible in daily, able bodied life and areas. I would think it would make those with no disabilities actually see "hey maybe we should consider people not like ourselves". I have a friend in a wheelchair and we go out from time to time. And some places have absolute garbage accessibility. But ever since one time where we went to a concert and they didn't have a public restroom accessible, then were weird about letting my friend use the employee restroom, I've kept my eyes wides open about things like that.
The lack of commerce changes things more than you might think. When someone invites you do to something, you never have to wonder about whether they're trying to get money out of you.
Thank you for doing all the proper research and sharing your perspective! As a multi time burner, I’d say your information are extremely accurate and I learned so much about the history of the city’s design from watching your video that one might not get even from going to the burn on multiple years! You’re right in that the community is what makes the city special, I started out as a spectator that is totally in awe of everything to becoming very hands on and comfortable with just about every tool you could imagine in just a few years. So yeah, the event will totally inspire you and push you out of your comfort zone and I highly recommend you to get out there! 😊
My friends just went to Burning Man as founders of their own company, to build one of the structures that were set in place for the duration of the festival. The amount of thinking and communicating that went through every single one of their decisions was great, and I'd say it paid off! Especially since they took, first and foremost, the community's needs (as they did the environment's needs) into consideration. Your video was really inspiring, and it gave me a better sense of what their work was like from an architect/planner's perspective. Thank you!
I wish in my Urban Planning curriculum 9 days at Burning Man was included. I have a friend just a few blocks from me who has gone every year since it started. But your video gave me so much more. Thanks. I'm trying rebuild my city here in the SF Bay Area. The 10 principles would be a great part of that process.
I run the Accessibility & Assistance Animals Facility at Western Australias regional burn "Blazing Swan". I'm disabled and can't afford to go to the big burn, but having spent alot of time studying it in order to do my job at our Blaze the past 7 years, I appreciate your accuracy in representing it. This year was the first year Accessibility made it onto Western Australias Org chart, for us a hugely positive move forward in our 8 year history. Every year we become more wheelchair accessible, and now with Org funding and backing it will be so much easier, I can't wait to see where the future takes us!
One architect that I've always admired for taking the community's input as perhaps the core to most of her projects is Jeanne Gang. Her and her team's ability to act almost as a "sponge" of sorts, absorbing the deep (and sometimes untold) wants and needs of communities, gives about the same inclusive characteristic to their projects as Burning Man's, in my opinion.
Went in 2004. It’s the best. Loved participating, loved the creativity from myself and my new friends. It’s an amazing adventure that definitely changes you in a positive way forever
Nice video :) and regarding your question at the end, if Burning Man has a lasting impact on people after leaving the event, I can just say: oh yes, definitely. Have been going in 2018 with the Comfort & Joy camp. And I was really mesmerized in multiple ways. Most importantly: seeing all those art installations, art cars and camps - all created by thousands of people coming there, can show you the best of what humans can do together and to each other. What happens when people collaborate instead of working against each other and support each other instead of restricting each other. Of course with the gigantic size there are also problems and every once in a while you see people who don’t care about the original principles, only come there to party and stay in their luxury camps. But personally at least I didn’t notice that aspect that much. I definitely feel that Burning Man and the people I met there helped me grow as a person. And: Burning Man (together with hackspaces) has been the origin of how I got interested in LEDs and the magical experiences those can create.
As a builder, this is the best Architectural presentation I have ever listened to. It's shocking how difficult government zoning and regulation has made the design and building process. Government has crushed the creative Spirit, and yet, you explained the situation with grace, dignity, and a smile on your beautiful face, thank you.
also the cost aspect of this event makes it so it’s extremely hard for lower class people to attend further confusing the aspect of ‘radical accessibility’ also this could contribute to gentrification of the event even if not a real city
it's literally just an event for people to go do drugs and have sex in the desert...and then all the people who do shrooms or acid for the first time in their life there go back home and tell everyone just how magical and profound burning man is
I don't know what you mean by "lower class people" exactly, but you can apply for grants and income driven ticket plans if you can't afford the normal price. Plenty of options if you just do some quick research!
They have a low income ticket program that is subsidized by the other tickets. They are very affordable or what it is. I lived well below the poverty line in one of country’s most expensive places, Hawaii. I was always able to attend. If you want to go this obstacle will not stop you.
I've been three times and arrive early to help build. The bonds formed from co-solving hundreds of micro problems and relying on each other to build something from the blankest of canvases is incredible. Then meeting thousands of people that have just done the same and you sit back and enjoy the fruits of your effort together. All you can do is celebrate and share it.
You do such a great job explaining things. I'm a PM in the furniture world so I don't come across these concepts that often so I always leave your videos with more knowledge than I had going in!
''you have to understand the needs of people and focus on function first. But once you get there, once you understand function. How can we make it feel good? How does it get beyond reminding you that you might have a need that's different from someone else. To just be something that melts into the environment and doesn't stick out like you see something that is in a hospital?' - Maaya Anziv I absolutely loves this quote! It makes me feeling excited and just makes me want to design and solution think!
This channel is literally my comfort channel as a comp sci student that has a whole lot of interest in architecture. She's so well spoken and knowledgeable and the topics are so interesting 💕 much love
I think it's important to do such case studies on large events that take place in different parts of the world like Kumbh Mela. It helps in understanding mobile communities
Yes. Going to the burn changes you. I see a massive shift in my experience of life after every visit to the BRC (I’ve been going since 2015). The people are incredible. The art is magical. And the energy is unmatched anywhere else. Thank you for this video, the insight, and the analysis. This is so far my favorite video of Burning Man I’ve ever seen. And it’s exactly why I love the community; you don’t have to go to feel it’s essence. But if you ever want to go, I’d love to connect!
You should go, and contribute. I went for the first time this year after 15 or so years of friends trying to convince me to go… My friends have worked on huge art out there and knew if I went I wanted to be a part of that. Over 5 months I volunteered with Folly Builders to build Paradisium (in your video) and got to see the city built in the process. It was really cool to see how big art comes together, to see people experience it and appreciate it. I came away with a very different pov from what I thought it would all be.
Paradisium was one of my favorite art installations. I had the opportunity to drive for Mobility Camp and always included Paradisium in my "tour". That was my 9th year and I always come back feeling better about community and people. I am sure it changes how I interact with others in a positive way. Thanks
As someone with mobility issues my respect for Burning Man has just gone up an inch. Still not convinced I ever want to go but appreciate they've created space for people like me.
Yours was a fascinating, objective look at this phenomenon that's getting so much press this week - loved the communal architecture process at the end...would love to see a similar approach as Lahaina rebuilds.
I would like to experience burning man one day,loved the pictures of the timber house at 15:47 dami,will endeavor to build my studio in a similar vein,thanks for your wonderful posts and your lovely insight.
Dami this was my first time watching you and I have to say you did an impressive job talking about Burning Man. Many people who go every year know less about the history and principles of Burning Man. I hope you attend in 2023. Getting a ticket is hard, but not if you try hard and use your resources.
Dami, your videos are awesome. I love what you said at the end that having positive experiences and influence in our very neighborhood changes the social fabric. I'm in a super urban place. I walk a lot and say hi to almost everyone. I love treating urban as if it were a small town. It takes time and patience, but the effect is increased love...categorical!!!
An older comment somewhere here says that it's leave no trace in the area but as soon as they reach the nearest city, that's where they trash the place.
It’s far more sinister than anyone remotely considers. It’s a massive psychological orchestrated event. The organisers whom are all Silicon Valley billionaires and its origins are a three letter word.
They leave the playa a mess every year. Then the burners come to town to wash the playa dust off which guns up the local storm drain system. There is a very large trace left behind from burners every year
Fascinating, when she said she had not been to burning man. I have looked at the world around me ( I'm 68) and have been told many times that I am a dreamer- that I should face reality and that I should wake up! I gave up trying to explain to to some that my feet were firmly on the ground and my eyes wide open. My work in a Childrens Hospital allows me to channel this and fly in an oasis environment. This woman speaks with that same vision. We are all so much more than a machine, and even if you do not go to burning man, it shows we can all flourish together in the right atmosphere. That is also my dream.
I think you are right on ! I appreciate your honest and humble stance. I applaud your beautiful compassion, not to forget your obvious love for devotion, and surrender to being solid, 100% true to yourself ! thanks for sharing, and all you do, you make the world a better place through inspiration😊and practical love ❤
The algorithm gods are in my favor today! So glad I stumbled into your content- I subscribed to your channel after less then a minute of viewing and listening to your content.
Thanks for this. We studied organic dynamism seen in favelas and medieval cities in school. Feels like Burning Man comes close to these types of approaches.
This was a lovely deconstruction of some key aspects of BRC. I don't know what it's like now, but back in the aughts it was incredible! I'd love to go back but then for that amount of money I'd also love to visit anywhere else in the world. But I will always have a soft spot in my heart for that place/time.
Went to Burning man this year and last year (when it officially didn't happen and only about 10k showed up) what a difference a few more tens of thousands of people make, it felt like a lot of the principles did not scale with the city. I live in WA (Next door, come visit) where we also have a regional (local smaller events) I highly recommend.
I've gone to Burning Man 6x and really enjoyed how you described it and can attest its absolutely changed how I view people and the world! Hope you get to go one day!
Honestly, this was so well put together. First time watcher and you just changed my life. How arrogant was I, assuming that this event was just some drug abusing teens hanging out in a desert. I feel ashamed, this wasn't just a lesson on architecture but one of humility. Thank you, for both your time and expertise. I hope that in future videos I can learn more from you, to improve as a person and of course benefit from your wealth of knowledge about Architecture.
I don't know anything about that event or neither i care but I'm glad i came here just to watch the beautiful lady in the screen talking, her voice is really soothing.
Burner here. This is one of those life experiences I believe everyone must attend at least once in their lives. It's a huge social experiment/experience that is unlike any other. Many newcomers in my friend circle come once and leave transformed. The art, the community, the shenanigans, the music, the teachings....the individual expressions, it's incredible. It is a 100% gifting economy which is the huge part of what helps others shift their perspectives with current systems. It's the closest thing to being in community driven by an abundance mindset and lots of self expression. I think of it as the metaverse in real life. Come to experience leave with something that had shifted within you for the better.
Fantastic video! I have heard about Burning Man often, but had no clue what is was about. And you are just SO GOOD at explaining things. ❤️❤️ I learn so much from channel
You are so amazing! Your perspectives on every subject are so inspiring and insightful... I live in Reno and have plenty of feelings regarding The Man. They're mixed but your view is an objective delight. Thank you
@@Jesiahjesiah At least one theme camp was: Costco Soul Mate Trading Outlet was specifically created to address this issue. Probably many others as well.
Fantastic video! It is almost intriguing if you do a follow up following the end of the 2023 Burning Man event in light of the heavy rainfall which made conditions very trying (and the complications affecting mobility and evacuation from Black Rock City).
Leave no trace is a pipe dream and the ten principles are only followed by a few. Burning man was a beautiful thing. The event had a good run but it should be ended. I've been to 11 burns but this is my home and I play in the black rock year round. Burning man is leaving a trace.
Love your research and ideas, Dami shared your video with my best friend like myself who's a writer and narrator and disabled and an Advocate for the disabled. ❤️✌️
The intent and ideals behind burning man remind me of the Earthship communities of Taos New Mexico. I think it would make for an interesting video! Love your work!
@@SmileyxKyley emotive as in expressing a person's feelings rather than being neutrally or objectively descriptive. Because you can maybe just barely call burning man zero trace AFTER the clean up crew spends a month out there breaking down and cleaning up after the city but I absolutely guarantee you that there is a metric butt ton of candy and food packaging wrappers flying in the wind and small baggies for holding substances are probably detectable for miles in what ever direction the prevailing winds travel from there.
@@chrisnotaperson8127 you’re absolutely right. There’s a video on UA-cam about it. There’s a ton of waste because people are using packaging but there’s no garbage cans there so a lot of people just dump their trash when they leave and it travels for MILES out there. Just trash everywhere. There are NOT zero waste or trance-less.
Please go to burning man. It completely does change your way of thinking about what’s possible in the default world. And you 100% take that with you to your job, relationships, and social life all year long. I’m amazed you have not attended the event yet because you really nailed your understanding of the ethos of the event. I studied land use and zoning in law school and have done some work in public policy on public transit projects and green building ordinances and I loved nerding out on your video. I look forward to viewing more of your content. Take care and hope to see you in the dust!
@@kek490 drugs, free love, and more drugs. Sure, there are totally people who go who don't drop MDMA and bang strangers, but it's a hippie encampment first and foremost.
I learned a lot about Burning Man history in this video even though I have attended a couple times! @DamiLee, you know so much about the event that I was surprised when you mentioned you had not yet been at the end of the video. You should definitely do yourself that favor sometime; you would appreciate it from a design perspective, in addition to everything else that makes the experience special.
I am currently making an accessibility app for my university, and specifically in one of the buildings it seems like the person that designed the building wanted to have windows in EVERY room and EVERY corridor. But not small windows, really big, "you-could-fall-out" kind of windows (it's a two story building) that make it seem really unfriendly to visually impaired people; and it's a somewhat known university, it's UNIFEI from Brazil, surprisingly inaccessible
It seems like "inclusion" never includes introverts. This whole concept of pressure to constantly socialize does not create an environment where introverts will feel comfortable. Burning man sounds like a nightmare to me.
I've been many times and am somewhat of an introvert. It can certainly become overwhelming, but there's also huge amount of mostly empty land with few if any people. The desert is huge and magical.
The culture that happens is really beautiful. I love how its so accesible for people with disabilities. We live in a society where theyre looked over. In other cultures such people can be sacred. I think we need to start getting back to that in some ways. We all have different minds and experiences and being able to learn from each other is a beautiful thing. Giving those ppl such a beautiful experience will be carried by them for the rest of their lives. That adds great quality. Hold onto each other and have each others backs. 🖤
First time watching your channel. Loved this! I've never been to Burning Man, but I did go to Shambala in its 2nd year; late 90's early 2000's. There were less than 2,000 of us. I hear its in the 20,000+ now. At the time/likely still, held on a private farmland. Confirming the odd cow walking about, was not a hallucination. Its structures are incredible! and ever-growing. Would love to see you do an episode on Shambala. Also - being a Vancouverite myself, I absolutely LOVE your accent. True Vancouver. Obvs you are born and raised here as well!
I wonder if they took inspiration from real towns for the plan. Some european towns with a central 17-18th century castle grew in the same manner and have strikingly similar plans like Karlsruhe and Versailles. Karlsruhe is nicknamed Fächerstadt (fan-city) because of it. Also in your building code example I would think that a paved escape path would be more wheelchair accessible?
This is such an amazing video. So thoughtful. The concepts you shared can be used in so many realms of providing people with what they desire and need.
I've never been myself but both through people I know who've gone, and random people I've seen talk about their experiences, it very much seems like an event that changes them in some way.
I met someone who attended Burning Man in college. He was a bully, a real one. Years later (for me) The Simpsons did an episode spotlighting a very angry character who would visit this event as well. Burning Man just seems more like an ego enhancer, more than anything else. People don’t emerge from the event _more empathic._ (That being said, despite the fact that the Simpsons is made and run by hippies…) Never trust hippies, young lady.. Fascinating Stuff!
Very nice principles, but I wonder about the environmental impacts of the burning man. At this scale, it is going to be huge in any aspect, from the disruption to the local ecosystem to the transport of material, food, water and energy (which is generated locally with literally "burning" fuel). I have always been fascinated by the event, but the more I study sustainability, the more this event seems to be an imposition of human power on nature. This is a place which is inhabitable and as far as they can remove any sign of their passage, there are "invisible" impacts that last, from the desert biodiversity to the emission generated, to the actual materials and so on. I cannot avoid thinking about how those principles are inherently hypocrisies if this has a huge impact on the future just for... fun
I think you’re right. Not to mention - most people get to the event on planes or charter flights, there’s a huge carbon footprint. But note, they don’t claim to be “sustainable” per se, and their no trace principle leaves things far better than most festivals it seems.
@@DamiLeeArch Absolutely, they do not claim that, but some of the principles have strong ethical implications in a way and are close to "sustainability" ideas. Such as Civic responsibility "We value civil society.", or Leave no trace "Our community respects the environment." or Participation "Our community is committed to a radically participatory ethic." Back in the '80s or '90s, we didn't understand the sustainability issue that we do now, so it could have been acceptable for social expression, inclusion and freedom. But today, we are all aware that any resource we consume unnecessarily at a massive scale is a resource that we take away from the youths and future generations. And this has very little to do with ethical, radical inclusion or civil responsibility. I know, I might have a bit drastic view on the issue, but I think we need to be critical of those who speak for a positive change (in the case of the burning man in terms of a more inclusive, equitable society) but then act differently. Other events might have worst impacts locally in general, but they do not make strong ethical claims in the same way. I think the issue is similar to the one we have with greenwashing and the other types of "washing". And it is key to call out the "washing" for what they are.
as someone with experience in both the environmental consulting field and and a 3x burner, I can assure you that it is has a minuscule impact compared to the worldwide burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and farming animals. so if you drive, eat meat or sit on furniture made of wood, than you are also a hypocrite. let's not forget the daily flights worldwide that also create an impact. hopefully you never fly anywhere either. corporate entities and military industrial complex needs to be held accountable much more than a yearly festival that last a little over a week. art and culture is the basis of humanity and no amount of shaming this community is going to stop it. you should actually experience it before you judge so harshly @@raimondomancinelli2654
“When people leave a burning building, they don’t care if it’s a path or grass.” You spent so much time talking about accessibility, but seems like you kind of dismissed this point from the city as like “red tape” when really they’re trying to anticipate the problem of only having one path that forces people in front of the building, when not everyone can just run across the grass to flee from the fire, and who could really use a path on both sides there.
Imagine this but specifically for architects and city planners. You'll be able to do a small scale test run on layout concepts without government red tape and all that crap. I feel like there's sim engines for that but the human element would provide a ton of insight you might miss otherwise.
Yeah that would be very cool. Quite a few architects and urban planners do go there for research! Even Paul romer, the Nobel prize winning economist went there to model his case studies!
we have a lot! we even have a whole research department, newspaper, radio, an airport, census teams!
if you would like to participate in any of those you don’t even need to have attended the event, those teams are super important and they inform our decisions when planning. if the big burning man is too expensive or hard to attend, look out for your regional network, we have events of all sizes all over the world.
In Europe we have EASA ;)
Bellastock in France! Of course smaller but the creativity is on another level
@@DamiLeeArch Bjarke Ingels brought an 85ft diameter mirrored orb in 2018. It was almost immediately coated in a layer of dust (despite efforts to prevent this) that ruined the mirrored effect.
One big criticism of Burning Man that I don't hear discussed enough is how artificial it is. For the week long event, it is leave no trace, as soon as people leave Black Rock City though, it is a free for all to see who can leave the biggest mess in the surrounding communities. I've seen places have to hire guards to stop Burners from just dumping all their trash and leaving the local property owner to clean it up. My husband used to work at a U-Haul in Sparks NV and burners would routinely return their trucks (which, technically weren't supposed to be taken to Burning Man in the first place according to their rental contract) completely full of trash, one time with trash that was literally a smoldering fire. For the week long event, it is about radical inclusivity, but as soon as participants leave and go home, they are still the type of people who show up to town hall meetings to oppose affordable housing being built in their community.
For locals in Northern Nevada, the event has become the one week a year that wealthy Silicon Valley types can come and cosplay as egalitarian and eco friendly people before making a mess and going right back to what they were doing before Burning Man, so full of confidence that because they pretended for a week, they don't have to worry about the next 51 weeks of the year.
It's a shame, because a lot of us who have lived here our whole lives remember when it truly was a place for people who truly believed in the mission and vision of Burning Man who used the event as a way to experiment on how they could apply those values and would go home genuinely changed by the experience and try to do better. It would be great if it could go back to that again.
Nothing ever goes back to how it was. Ever
Thank u for ur perspective
As a local, hearing your perspective in this comments section makes me feel happy. Every year it feels like the surrounding pass through towns are left behind in all the coverage.
A lot like people who go to church every Sunday without fail. The rest of the week, they are so confident of themselves because they never miss a Sunday worship and go out and become annoying bell ends the rest of the week.
I don't get it. Why would going to Burning Man mean you'd want your neighbourhood recked by low-income housing?
I’ve loved this channel for a while and don’t know how I missed this video when it first came out. I was surprised when a friend pointed out that I am in it (0:38) - that footage is from 2015 when I designed the Temple of Promise which is the building on fire at the end of your video (15:38-15:44). This is one of the best videos I’ve seen from a non-burner in terms of capturing the spirit of the city and you really should experience it in person. I’d be happy to help you get out there but I’ll warn you that if you go you’ll come back wanting to build art of your own in the middle of nowhere!
Also a great way to go is to get involved with a major art project - I’d be happy to point you in the right direction on that
I can’t imagine having your job. Basically it sounds like your job is the absolute pinnacle of “one accident ruins it for the rest of us” such as when one person in a company does something reeeeeally dumb, policies are changed and the rest of the employees suffer. You make all of these types of things surrounding buildings and cities so much more understandable with your videos so thank you for that!!
Eco-friendly event where people buy disposable bikes to throw them away and get back home with airplane :)
but do complain friend. nobody ever heard that and it makes the world better. keep going
Despite the good intentions of the founders and participants, building and disassembling an entire city in one of the least hospitable microclimates on Earth is one of the most wasteful and single least sustainable experiments ever conducted in all of human history.
As a reno resident… we really don’t like burners. A ton of garbage and tents and bikes are left behind in the city, often at the airport. Plus, burners tend to be quite rude, act like they’re doing us a favor for attending an event that doesn’t really benefit reno, and complain about all the ways the city isn’t set up specifically for them. I know that sounds pretty bitter, but that’s genuinely how a ton of residents feel. Also: organizers, please, allow bike rentals. Donating to a charity afterwards isn’t as rosy as it seems, and doesn’t erase the impact of a brand new bike being bought and tossed away.
Unfortunately there’s no escape from selfish people
@@LLivLLaffLLuv It's just like regular music festivals. The surroundings suffers more than goers thinks. So moat waste generated.
My late husband was obsessed with Burning Man, and we participated from 1994 to 2002, the year he died. It was smaller and much less regulated in the 90s. There was almost no crowd control. I remember many times when what we were doing would not have been considered "safe" at all. Gar from it. One year, Bob got the idea of bringing a truckfull of hay bales to set up as a climbing and sitting area. Of course, people tried to set it on fire. He had to guard it almost constantly. Another year, we brought a huge tent, which I had sewn from scratch on my smallish sewing machine. Burning Man IS another world in itself.
Cool story brah
So basically watch out for the piros huh?
People for get that people are animals without rules
Your tent sounds really sweet and special. ❤ I’m sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing your memories. 💕
I'm so sorry Bob died that last year. How did he pass? He didn't go there sick, did he? A home made tent? Did it hold up?
The problem I see with "participation" in burning man vs real life is: Population selection & time frame.
1) This population is self selected as a population that wants to contribute and participate in this given framework. In real life people have a lot going on. Like sure, I could shovel my disabled neighbors driveway... right after I go to work, clean the house, drop off/pick up kids from school, balance the budget, drop off/pick up the kids from an activity, do my workout, finish grocery shopping/cooking
2) Time frame is 9 days vs forever. I can get along with anyone for 9 days. A lifetime? Ehh no. I can also contribute SIGNIFICANTLY more resources/time/effort into a 9 day project (I can give it 110%). Could I maintain that for even 6 months? No. Im assuming everyone else has those same limitations
Totally agree with you.
Not everyone has the time to participate , even if they would like to.
I think the best is doing a little every so often , and as a community/country I do believe it adds up. Do what you can and don't burn yourself out.
I think you're merging inclusion and radical self-reliance into one aspect under "participation".
1) You don't necessarily have to attend to your disabled neighbor's needs. Sure, help is always welcome, but not doing anything for them is as well.
2) the time frame for the burning man is really more than nine days. It was said in the video that installation plans should be submitted months before those nine days to be approved, for safety and concerns like opposing themes being placed together and the like. And again with the radical self-reliance, though the event is welcome for everybody, you are ultimately responsible for yourself. You're gonna have to figure out how to sustain yourself for nine days. You also have the option of not minding anyone for that period if that's your thing. No one would force you to talk.
3) all in all, I think everyone should experience this for themselves, whether it be the burning man itself or similar events. This opens up so many possibilities on self and community improvement.
To point 1, the hesitations you describe are partly rooted in the fact your society/lifestyle (probably) doesn't have this kind of radical involvement. You don't have to spend so much time grocery shopping, dropping kids off to school and activities, budgeting, and probably even working if you are invested enough into a community that they invest back into you as a given. It only really requires one or two responsible adults to get a whole bunch of kids to and fro when there is enough trust. You can consider Japan as an example of this specific part of my point on a large scale, where kids below the age of 10 can get themselves to school and back fine.
I.e. you don't contribute to a community AND do everything else, you do a lot of it INSTEAD of everything else.
@@michaeld2029 I don't believe in "radical" movements. At the end of the day incentives drive enduring outcomes.
"Radical movements" are just deviations from what is incentivized & as such will collapse. Water flows on the path of least resistance, same thing with human behavior.
Radical movements never last, which is why I never waste any time with them
@@camadams9149 Well fair enough, I can see you're not here to have your mind changed anyway.
I think it's a huge stretch to say all of (or even much at all of) our current manner of living is well incentivised and will endure. Why would there be so many people in so many different age groups suffering from depression and reporting loneliness and isolation? Improvement of outcome will, in my personal opinion, require huge deviation from the current 'path of least resistance' as you call it.
Having a walk path for the fire code situation actually makes sense. I know able body people can walk over turf and rocks more easily but that extra path helps disabled people get to safety as well
I love what you are saying here. I'd also be very interested to hear your thoughts around this after you go to Burning Man. One of the years I went I attended a workshop by an organization called City Repair, who was based out of Portland, Oregon who covered some of the topics you did but also talked about lessons Black Rock City can teach about how city planning and layout can help better foster community.
I found this video trying to learn more about burning man. What I found was an incredibly articulate and wise woman explaining architecture and design. Dang girl! You rock!! I wish I could have had your wisdom when I built my house!
I always learn so much from Dami. And her passion is so cool.
Also, your sense of style is fucking impeccable.
AGREED!!!🙌
The way the houses is lined up looks exactly like something out off a sci-fi movie
reminds me of frostpunk, similar layout
We have Glastonbury festival here in the UK. It has around 150k people attending it. These temporary towns are little functioning marvels. It is the human interaction element which makes these projects work in functionality and ascetically. Without human input they would just be faceless refugee camps. This applies to city and towns architectural layouts too. When its public accessible then that said public needs to have their input. It makes them part of the environment and therefore they would respect it better. Having things forced upon us is not a good way for city planning or architecture to pursue.
Remind me again; where is the asceticism in Glastonbury or Burning Man?
@@smallsignals i think they meant 'aesthetically'
@@jamident1952 I have a hunch that said what they meant.
There was Woodstock festival in Poland, and it had almost 1KK people attending it in most popular days
@@szlaziano What is 1KK? One kilo-kilo? 100000?
Something I don't see talked about much, other than among friends, is the gifting rule is great but as more people attend, it has created wealthy zones within Burning Man.
From feedback from friends who attended who are on opposite sides of financial status, the wealthy, or Group B, create their own camps and stay within those communities mostly with their own activities. They still participate outside of their camps at times but gift almost solely within their communities. They've said they've had too many experiences year after year of people who don't prepare anything to gift or even sustain themselves and expect "handouts" from them.
Friends from Group A usually complain that Group B breaks the foundation rules by going by the wording and not the intention. They say that it doesn't matter if Burners come unprepared. If you can share you should share though not to the detriment of your own survival. Group A usually complains about how Group B generally bring much more "stuff" and waste to keep their luxury camps going. I mean I've had friends in the luxury camps bring generators for AC within their camps and have excess perishables by the end of the trip due to overpacking which they could have gifted to others but didn't.
I just think it's interesting that as Burning Man grows, it has started to create its own economic segregation in their "camps" and how Burning Man allows it since the luxury camps also need approval since they are usually placed near each other.
The constant refrain I hear from long time burners is that the relatively new influx of wealthy and untra-wealthy burners is ruining the event. That this once radical experiment in a classless society, where all are welcome, all are equal, has turned into a bit of a dystopian microcosm of the wealth inequality in the world.
So basically, one group gives too little and the other asks for too much? I'll say this: if the former group (stingy) were to live in a tribe (like we have been as a species for the last 250,000 years) they'd be removed from the tribe, forcibly dragged out far into the wilderness, and left there. Alone.
@@rajbhattacharya4427 Where do you get off expecting more from someone else?! While I believe "burning man" is just a playground for rich people to freely get high, by no means do I think they're required to "give more." It seems to me you expect too much out of people, and feel like you deserve more for some reason. Reality check. You're not owed anything extra, even at burning man. It's ridiculous how many people show up with NOTHING and expect handouts. You'd be right at home with them.
@@smileyeagle1021 It would be unique if we had an event that ostracized anyone making over say 150k annual. That means most of society could attend and it would stop the 1% from making the event about them and their community vs the overall community and premis.
@Evan McCue everyone is entitled to everything. That's survival. I get X, you don't. Ideals about trying to get off or ones opinion of the role of the poor are irrelevant at a fundamental level. Can't blame people for it, it's human nature
Woke up with a massive hangover yet this had me from start to end, love it. Beautifully spoken.
The experience of Burning Man is unique to each participant and you really can’t truly comment unless you’ve experienced it. It’s like trying to explain color to a blind person.
The sights, sounds, smells, feel, personal connections and emotions are such an important part of the journey. Those are the real parts that drive the direction of the city.
As a 1 year participant and 11 year employee, I was able to see considerable growth and growing pains in different areas but it was still one of the best run communities I’ve ever seen.
I suggest everyone that has the ability to go should experience it. You really don’t know what it is until you experience it. It will change you as a person.
A small part of your heart will stay on the playa every year..
I'd hope my kidneys remain intact though.
My sister was just telling me about Burning Man this year. She's been going a few years to Black Rock City. Her partner for much longer. They do local burns. And even one in South Africa. She gave me the quick jist of it, but your video fleshed out the Principles.
The concept she had told me about that I was unfamiliar with was NO MONEY and GIFTS. I found that really inspiring because it means it's not just filled with vendors out to make cash. I go to a lot of Conventions and mostly people just go for the Dealer's Hall because they want to consume.
But I nearly cried when you discussed the accessibility offered and required at Burning Man. And how the Radical Self Reliance and Particaption make those with handicaps feel actually more included than they are in everyday life. People with disabilities people are not very visible in daily, able bodied life and areas. I would think it would make those with no disabilities actually see "hey maybe we should consider people not like ourselves".
I have a friend in a wheelchair and we go out from time to time. And some places have absolute garbage accessibility. But ever since one time where we went to a concert and they didn't have a public restroom accessible, then were weird about letting my friend use the employee restroom, I've kept my eyes wides open about things like that.
The lack of commerce changes things more than you might think. When someone invites you do to something, you never have to wonder about whether they're trying to get money out of you.
Thank you for doing all the proper research and sharing your perspective! As a multi time burner, I’d say your information are extremely accurate and I learned so much about the history of the city’s design from watching your video that one might not get even from going to the burn on multiple years! You’re right in that the community is what makes the city special, I started out as a spectator that is totally in awe of everything to becoming very hands on and comfortable with just about every tool you could imagine in just a few years. So yeah, the event will totally inspire you and push you out of your comfort zone and I highly recommend you to get out there! 😊
My friends just went to Burning Man as founders of their own company, to build one of the structures that were set in place for the duration of the festival. The amount of thinking and communicating that went through every single one of their decisions was great, and I'd say it paid off! Especially since they took, first and foremost, the community's needs (as they did the environment's needs) into consideration.
Your video was really inspiring, and it gave me a better sense of what their work was like from an architect/planner's perspective. Thank you!
What an amazing experience for them! i bet they learned a ton
If they really considered the community and environment they wouldn’t have gone at all.
This, anyone with even the slightest consideration for the 'environment' would stay very far away from events like these
I love the way you articulate things from an artistic point. You’re very intuitive. I am blessed to learn from you.
I wish in my Urban Planning curriculum 9 days at Burning Man was included.
I have a friend just a few blocks from me who has gone every year since it started. But your video gave me so much more.
Thanks.
I'm trying rebuild my city here in the SF Bay Area. The 10 principles would be a great part of that process.
I run the Accessibility & Assistance Animals Facility at Western Australias regional burn "Blazing Swan". I'm disabled and can't afford to go to the big burn, but having spent alot of time studying it in order to do my job at our Blaze the past 7 years, I appreciate your accuracy in representing it. This year was the first year Accessibility made it onto Western Australias Org chart, for us a hugely positive move forward in our 8 year history. Every year we become more wheelchair accessible, and now with Org funding and backing it will be so much easier, I can't wait to see where the future takes us!
One architect that I've always admired for taking the community's input as perhaps the core to most of her projects is Jeanne Gang. Her and her team's ability to act almost as a "sponge" of sorts, absorbing the deep (and sometimes untold) wants and needs of communities, gives about the same inclusive characteristic to their projects as Burning Man's, in my opinion.
I also have lots of respect for their approach to architecture
Went in 2004. It’s the best. Loved participating, loved the creativity from myself and my new friends. It’s an amazing adventure that definitely changes you in a positive way forever
Nice video :) and regarding your question at the end, if Burning Man has a lasting impact on people after leaving the event, I can just say: oh yes, definitely. Have been going in 2018 with the Comfort & Joy camp. And I was really mesmerized in multiple ways. Most importantly: seeing all those art installations, art cars and camps - all created by thousands of people coming there, can show you the best of what humans can do together and to each other. What happens when people collaborate instead of working against each other and support each other instead of restricting each other. Of course with the gigantic size there are also problems and every once in a while you see people who don’t care about the original principles, only come there to party and stay in their luxury camps. But personally at least I didn’t notice that aspect that much.
I definitely feel that Burning Man and the people I met there helped me grow as a person. And: Burning Man (together with hackspaces) has been the origin of how I got interested in LEDs and the magical experiences those can create.
As a builder, this is the best Architectural presentation I have ever listened to. It's shocking how difficult government zoning and regulation has made the design and building process. Government has crushed the creative Spirit, and yet, you explained the situation with grace, dignity, and a smile on your beautiful face, thank you.
Any idea what the software used for the zoning map 6:38?
@@calvinbaII No idea
I’m not an architect, nor an aspiring architect, but I greatly appreciate thoughtful design and enjoy your content and style. Keep it coming, Dami!
I really enjoy your dialogue and thoughts about different aspects of architecture and how it can define communities. Good work!!
also the cost aspect of this event makes it so it’s extremely hard for lower class people to attend further confusing the aspect of ‘radical accessibility’ also this could contribute to gentrification of the event even if not a real city
it's literally just an event for people to go do drugs and have sex in the desert...and then all the people who do shrooms or acid for the first time in their life there go back home and tell everyone just how magical and profound burning man is
I don't know what you mean by "lower class people" exactly, but you can apply for grants and income driven ticket plans if you can't afford the normal price. Plenty of options if you just do some quick research!
Oh please
They have a low income ticket program that is subsidized by the other tickets.
They are very affordable or what it is.
I lived well below the poverty line in one of country’s most expensive places, Hawaii.
I was always able to attend.
If you want to go this obstacle will not stop you.
Yeah I heard some crap about it BUT HOW MUCH????? YEAH GET BACK TO THE REALITY OF MARKETING.
This is by far the most comprehensive video about this festival. Thanks you!
I've been three times and arrive early to help build. The bonds formed from co-solving hundreds of micro problems and relying on each other to build something from the blankest of canvases is incredible. Then meeting thousands of people that have just done the same and you sit back and enjoy the fruits of your effort together. All you can do is celebrate and share it.
Thanks for your deep dive into Burning Man, and actually making it something worth knowing more about. Well done 👏
You do such a great job explaining things. I'm a PM in the furniture world so I don't come across these concepts that often so I always leave your videos with more knowledge than I had going in!
''you have to understand the needs of people and focus on function first.
But once you get there, once you understand function. How can we make it feel good?
How does it get beyond reminding you that you might have a need that's different from someone else.
To just be something that melts into the environment and doesn't stick out like you see something that is in a hospital?' - Maaya Anziv
I absolutely loves this quote! It makes me feeling excited and just makes me want to design and solution think!
This channel helped me appreciate architecture again! Happily subscribed!
This channel is literally my comfort channel as a comp sci student that has a whole lot of interest in architecture. She's so well spoken and knowledgeable and the topics are so interesting 💕 much love
I think it's important to do such case studies on large events that take place in different parts of the world like Kumbh Mela. It helps in understanding mobile communities
Yes. Going to the burn changes you. I see a massive shift in my experience of life after every visit to the BRC (I’ve been going since 2015). The people are incredible. The art is magical. And the energy is unmatched anywhere else.
Thank you for this video, the insight, and the analysis. This is so far my favorite video of Burning Man I’ve ever seen. And it’s exactly why I love the community; you don’t have to go to feel it’s essence. But if you ever want to go, I’d love to connect!
You should go, and contribute. I went for the first time this year after 15 or so years of friends trying to convince me to go… My friends have worked on huge art out there and knew if I went I wanted to be a part of that. Over 5 months I volunteered with Folly Builders to build Paradisium (in your video) and got to see the city built in the process. It was really cool to see how big art comes together, to see people experience it and appreciate it. I came away with a very different pov from what I thought it would all be.
Yeah I would love to - I have only heard positive experiences from people
Paradisium was one of my favorite art installations. I had the opportunity to drive for Mobility Camp and always included Paradisium in my "tour". That was my 9th year and I always come back feeling better about community and people. I am sure it changes how I interact with others in a positive way. Thanks
@@DamiLeeArch Did you go this year? It was a great one! I'm sure you'd have more interesting insights from it!
As someone with mobility issues my respect for Burning Man has just gone up an inch. Still not convinced I ever want to go but appreciate they've created space for people like me.
It is flat and super easy to get around, until it rains, just a quarter inch and everything stops.
Lord, I love this channel ! Great video, super angle and perfect conclusion! Thanks!
Yours was a fascinating, objective look at this phenomenon that's getting so much press this week - loved the communal architecture process at the end...would love to see a similar approach as Lahaina rebuilds.
Couldn't take not to commend your ad input hahaha 💯
You're so passionate in what you do, always a learning to hear from you, Ar.
I would like to experience burning man one day,loved the pictures of the timber house at 15:47 dami,will endeavor to build my studio in a similar vein,thanks for your wonderful posts and your lovely insight.
Dami this was my first time watching you and I have to say you did an impressive job talking about Burning Man. Many people who go every year know less about the history and principles of Burning Man. I hope you attend in 2023. Getting a ticket is hard, but not if you try hard and use your resources.
Dami, your videos are awesome. I love what you said at the end that having positive experiences and influence in our very neighborhood changes the social fabric. I'm in a super urban place. I walk a lot and say hi to almost everyone. I love treating urban as if it were a small town. It takes time and patience, but the effect is increased love...categorical!!!
I am calling BS on the leave no-trace aspect of this...
Also they have climate protesters arrested
An older comment somewhere here says that it's leave no trace in the area but as soon as they reach the nearest city, that's where they trash the place.
It’s far more sinister than anyone remotely considers.
It’s a massive psychological orchestrated event. The organisers whom are all Silicon Valley billionaires and its origins are a three letter word.
They leave the playa a mess every year. Then the burners come to town to wash the playa dust off which guns up the local storm drain system. There is a very large trace left behind from burners every year
At least
Fascinating, when she said she had not been to burning man.
I have looked at the world around me ( I'm 68) and have been told many times that I am a dreamer- that I should face reality and that I should wake up!
I gave up trying to explain to to some that my feet were firmly on the ground and my eyes wide open. My work in a Childrens Hospital allows me to channel this and fly in an oasis environment.
This woman speaks with that same vision.
We are all so much more than a machine, and even if you do not go to burning man, it shows we can all flourish together in the right atmosphere. That is also my dream.
I think you are right on ! I appreciate your honest and humble stance. I applaud your beautiful compassion, not to forget your obvious love for devotion, and surrender to being solid, 100% true to yourself !
thanks for sharing, and all you do, you make the world a better place through inspiration😊and practical love ❤
@@lawrencesommers8779 "Practical love"..I love that. Nice playlists by the way.
I went to this in 2004 and 2005 and it was beyond belief what these people are capable of . You gotta check it out for yourself.
The algorithm gods are in my favor today! So glad I stumbled into your content- I subscribed to your channel after less then a minute of viewing and listening to your content.
Thanks for this. We studied organic dynamism seen in favelas and medieval cities in school. Feels like Burning Man comes close to these types of approaches.
This was a lovely deconstruction of some key aspects of BRC. I don't know what it's like now, but back in the aughts it was incredible! I'd love to go back but then for that amount of money I'd also love to visit anywhere else in the world. But I will always have a soft spot in my heart for that place/time.
Went to Burning man this year and last year (when it officially didn't happen and only about 10k showed up) what a difference a few more tens of thousands of people make, it felt like a lot of the principles did not scale with the city. I live in WA (Next door, come visit) where we also have a regional (local smaller events) I highly recommend.
Both the Renegade burns were a lot of fun, but they were not Burning Man, big difference.
As usual your videos are as entertaining as they are informative please keep making them.
I've gone to Burning Man 6x and really enjoyed how you described it and can attest its absolutely changed how I view people and the world!
Hope you get to go one day!
I love your channel Dami. The subjects are just amazing. Good to see a fellow Canadian doing well. ❤
Honestly, this was so well put together. First time watcher and you just changed my life. How arrogant was I, assuming that this event was just some drug abusing teens hanging out in a desert. I feel ashamed, this wasn't just a lesson on architecture but one of humility. Thank you, for both your time and expertise. I hope that in future videos I can learn more from you, to improve as a person and of course benefit from your wealth of knowledge about Architecture.
It's a bunch of drugged up adults in the desert. You weren't far off
Nah bro you were right with your first thought. The video just explains what the founders wanted it to be in the 1900s
I don't know anything about that event or neither i care but I'm glad i came here just to watch the beautiful lady in the screen talking, her voice is really soothing.
🤣🤣that dig on fire regulations was so on point i felt it all the way in south africa
😂😂😂
Watching you talk about this kind of stuff is just mesmerizing.
Burner here. This is one of those life experiences I believe everyone must attend at least once in their lives. It's a huge social experiment/experience that is unlike any other.
Many newcomers in my friend circle come once and leave transformed. The art, the community, the shenanigans, the music, the teachings....the individual expressions, it's incredible.
It is a 100% gifting economy which is the huge part of what helps others shift their perspectives with current systems. It's the closest thing to being in community driven by an abundance mindset and lots of self expression.
I think of it as the metaverse in real life. Come to experience leave with something that had shifted within you for the better.
I started using your videos to fall asleep at night because your voice is so soothing.
Fantastic video! I have heard about Burning Man often, but had no clue what is was about. And you are just SO GOOD at explaining things. ❤️❤️ I learn so much from channel
You are so amazing! Your perspectives on every subject are so inspiring and insightful... I live in Reno and have plenty of feelings regarding The Man. They're mixed but your view is an objective delight. Thank you
As an introvert, the idea of visiting burning man gives me massive social anxiety. 😋
@@nathanolson3135 ugh no
There's a theme camp for that! ;)
@@Jesiahjesiah At least one theme camp was: Costco Soul Mate Trading Outlet was specifically created to address this issue. Probably many others as well.
Fantastic video! It is almost intriguing if you do a follow up following the end of the 2023 Burning Man event in light of the heavy rainfall which made conditions very trying (and the complications affecting mobility and evacuation from Black Rock City).
Leave no trace is a pipe dream and the ten principles are only followed by a few. Burning man was a beautiful thing. The event had a good run but it should be ended. I've been to 11 burns but this is my home and I play in the black rock year round. Burning man is leaving a trace.
Next story: How burning man literally became the thing it was railing against.
Love your research and ideas, Dami shared your video with my best friend like myself who's a writer and narrator and disabled and an Advocate for the disabled. ❤️✌️
I study law not architecture but her videos are fascinating
As is architecture.... stick with law though 😂
You should make more money lol
I study nursing and still am here
That's so Awesome! Love the message at the end and the take away you're such an amazing youtuber and an amazing person I appreciate that
The intent and ideals behind burning man remind me of the Earthship communities of Taos New Mexico. I think it would make for an interesting video! Love your work!
This was incredible, an incredible piece of work to put out there.
Burning man is definitely life changing, there’s absolutely nothing like it
is it burning man or is it the psychedelics? be honest
@@nGUNNARp I went when I was 12.. lol didn’t take a single drug and it was a truely spectacular experience that I’ll never forget
@@nGUNNARp Honestly both.
As an artist I would love to go. I knew one woman who did and it changed her whole perspective on life.
their adherence to zero trace is emotive at best
I’m confused by your use of emotive here?
@@SmileyxKyley emotive as in expressing a person's feelings rather than being neutrally or objectively descriptive. Because you can maybe just barely call burning man zero trace AFTER the clean up crew spends a month out there breaking down and cleaning up after the city but I absolutely guarantee you that there is a metric butt ton of candy and food packaging wrappers flying in the wind and small baggies for holding substances are probably detectable for miles in what ever direction the prevailing winds travel from there.
@@chrisnotaperson8127 you’re absolutely right. There’s a video on UA-cam about it. There’s a ton of waste because people are using packaging but there’s no garbage cans there so a lot of people just dump their trash when they leave and it travels for MILES out there. Just trash everywhere. There are NOT zero waste or trance-less.
@@LoveK1 why are there no trash cans
Damn!!!!! What a Brilliant video this is.... Congrats to the team of Dami
Please go to burning man. It completely does change your way of thinking about what’s possible in the default world. And you 100% take that with you to your job, relationships, and social life all year long. I’m amazed you have not attended the event yet because you really nailed your understanding of the ethos of the event. I studied land use and zoning in law school and have done some work in public policy on public transit projects and green building ordinances and I loved nerding out on your video. I look forward to viewing more of your content. Take care and hope to see you in the dust!
Isn't it the core of the event - to get wasted, drugged and indulge in all sorts of immorality ?
@@kek490 drugs, free love, and more drugs. Sure, there are totally people who go who don't drop MDMA and bang strangers, but it's a hippie encampment first and foremost.
I learned a lot about Burning Man history in this video even though I have attended a couple times! @DamiLee, you know so much about the event that I was surprised when you mentioned you had not yet been at the end of the video. You should definitely do yourself that favor sometime; you would appreciate it from a design perspective, in addition to everything else that makes the experience special.
I am currently making an accessibility app for my university, and specifically in one of the buildings it seems like the person that designed the building wanted to have windows in EVERY room and EVERY corridor. But not small windows, really big, "you-could-fall-out" kind of windows (it's a two story building) that make it seem really unfriendly to visually impaired people; and it's a somewhat known university, it's UNIFEI from Brazil, surprisingly inaccessible
Are there no glass plains to prevent falling?
@@deddrz2549 There are, but when they're opened you still can fall out
It’s such a mind blowing experience you have to go to authentically talk about it.
It seems like "inclusion" never includes introverts. This whole concept of pressure to constantly socialize does not create an environment where introverts will feel comfortable. Burning man sounds like a nightmare to me.
I've been many times and am somewhat of an introvert. It can certainly become overwhelming, but there's also huge amount of mostly empty land with few if any people. The desert is huge and magical.
I am going this year finally, I will be 38. Been wanting to go for decades. Finally going to do it
The culture that happens is really beautiful. I love how its so accesible for people with disabilities. We live in a society where theyre looked over. In other cultures such people can be sacred. I think we need to start getting back to that in some ways. We all have different minds and experiences and being able to learn from each other is a beautiful thing. Giving those ppl such a beautiful experience will be carried by them for the rest of their lives. That adds great quality. Hold onto each other and have each others backs. 🖤
First time watching your channel. Loved this! I've never been to Burning Man, but I did go to Shambala in its 2nd year; late 90's early 2000's. There were less than 2,000 of us. I hear its in the 20,000+ now. At the time/likely still, held on a private farmland. Confirming the odd cow walking about, was not a hallucination. Its structures are incredible! and ever-growing. Would love to see you do an episode on Shambala. Also - being a Vancouverite myself, I absolutely LOVE your accent. True Vancouver. Obvs you are born and raised here as well!
I wonder if they took inspiration from real towns for the plan. Some european towns with a central 17-18th century castle grew in the same manner and have strikingly similar plans like Karlsruhe and Versailles. Karlsruhe is nicknamed Fächerstadt (fan-city) because of it.
Also in your building code example I would think that a paved escape path would be more wheelchair accessible?
I love you! Your content is on point. I watch a lot of UA-cam. This channel is going to blow for sho.
You should study anarchy places like Christiania, Copenhagen. It's always fascinating to see places like this.
This is such an amazing video. So thoughtful. The concepts you shared can be used in so many realms of providing people with what they desire and need.
Out of curiosity:
What happens if it rains at Burning Man™️?
Just wondering…
I've never been myself but both through people I know who've gone, and random people I've seen talk about their experiences, it very much seems like an event that changes them in some way.
Where’s the link, friend?
As a ui/ux designer and an avid burner, I related to this video so much. Thanks
I met someone who attended Burning Man in college. He was a bully, a real one. Years later (for me) The Simpsons did an episode spotlighting a very angry character who would visit this event as well. Burning Man just seems more like an ego enhancer, more than anything else. People don’t emerge from the event _more empathic._ (That being said, despite the fact that the Simpsons is made and run by hippies…) Never trust hippies, young lady..
Fascinating Stuff!
Truly amazing that the organisers of a cultural event realised it needed better walkability and mixed-use zoning to create the best experiences.
Very nice principles, but I wonder about the environmental impacts of the burning man. At this scale, it is going to be huge in any aspect, from the disruption to the local ecosystem to the transport of material, food, water and energy (which is generated locally with literally "burning" fuel). I have always been fascinated by the event, but the more I study sustainability, the more this event seems to be an imposition of human power on nature. This is a place which is inhabitable and as far as they can remove any sign of their passage, there are "invisible" impacts that last, from the desert biodiversity to the emission generated, to the actual materials and so on.
I cannot avoid thinking about how those principles are inherently hypocrisies if this has a huge impact on the future just for... fun
I think you’re right. Not to mention - most people get to the event on planes or charter flights, there’s a huge carbon footprint. But note, they don’t claim to be “sustainable” per se, and their no trace principle leaves things far better than most festivals it seems.
@@DamiLeeArch Absolutely, they do not claim that, but some of the principles have strong ethical implications in a way and are close to "sustainability" ideas.
Such as Civic responsibility "We value civil society.", or Leave no trace "Our community respects the environment." or Participation "Our community is committed to a radically participatory ethic."
Back in the '80s or '90s, we didn't understand the sustainability issue that we do now, so it could have been acceptable for social expression, inclusion and freedom.
But today, we are all aware that any resource we consume unnecessarily at a massive scale is a resource that we take away from the youths and future generations. And this has very little to do with ethical, radical inclusion or civil responsibility.
I know, I might have a bit drastic view on the issue, but I think we need to be critical of those who speak for a positive change (in the case of the burning man in terms of a more inclusive, equitable society) but then act differently.
Other events might have worst impacts locally in general, but they do not make strong ethical claims in the same way. I think the issue is similar to the one we have with greenwashing and the other types of "washing". And it is key to call out the "washing" for what they are.
as someone with experience in both the environmental consulting field and and a 3x burner, I can assure you that it is has a minuscule impact compared to the worldwide burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and farming animals. so if you drive, eat meat or sit on furniture made of wood, than you are also a hypocrite. let's not forget the daily flights worldwide that also create an impact. hopefully you never fly anywhere either. corporate entities and military industrial complex needs to be held accountable much more than a yearly festival that last a little over a week. art and culture is the basis of humanity and no amount of shaming this community is going to stop it. you should actually experience it before you judge so harshly @@raimondomancinelli2654
I really enjoyed your video. Thank you for the brief history lesson on how the event has evolved.
“When people leave a burning building, they don’t care if it’s a path or grass.” You spent so much time talking about accessibility, but seems like you kind of dismissed this point from the city as like “red tape” when really they’re trying to anticipate the problem of only having one path that forces people in front of the building, when not everyone can just run across the grass to flee from the fire, and who could really use a path on both sides there.
Why is your channel so effing good!? Like hell yeah, this is great content.
The fact it is called burning man already tells me is a ritual and makes me believe it is all a facade for something darker.
I'm getting that exact same vibe.
There are similar rituals around the world where they burn dolls maybe they were trying to copy that. I don't think it's that deep 🤷🏻♀️