In response to New Zealand’s massive earthquake in September 2010, an organization called Gap Filler, based in Christchurch, implemented an impressive—and impressively cheap—LQC project. Since the earthquake left Christchurch with a glut of vacant spaces, a scarcity of public activities, and depleted morale, this local group organized a DIY dance party in one of the city’s vacant lots. By fashioning a “jukebox” out of an old washing machine and an MP3 player, and then setting up speakers around a makeshift stage, they created “Dance-o-Mat”—a public venue for spontaneous dance parties. The site quickly became a popular destination for city residents, and soon local salsa troupes and dance instructors began gathering there to practice and hold classes. Anyone could pay $2 to play music on the jukebox, and based on these coin-box revenues, Dance-o-Mat supplied over 600 hours of entertainment in its first three months of operation (that’s almost seven hours of activity per day!). 

Photo credits, from left: Steel Wool via Flickr, Steel Wool via Flickr, Christchurch City Libraries via Flickr, Gap Filler via their website, Gap Filler via their website, Steel Wool via Flickr

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Website: gapfiller.org.nz/dance-o-mat

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Twitter: @GapFillerChch