Drop Spots: Share Secret Objects With Strangers in Cities Around the World

Drop Spots Header

Drop Spots are the basis for a unique form of urban interaction. A Drop Spot is a place where you can exchange an object with a stranger in your city- pick one thing up and leave another behind. This item can be virtually anything, from a CD or quote to a photograph or piece of art. The Drop Spots website is a bit like a virtual Drop Spot itself - somewhat tucked away on the web and a bit of a mystery.

Drop Spots Gallery

Still, the Drop Spots process is simple: you log on, find a local Drop Spot, bring an item to it, take what is there and leave your item behind. However, the resulting interactions can be rich and complex: you never know what you might get, and can join in a dialogue on DropSpots.org (both about your item and the location). You can even create your own new Drop Spot, place an object there and list it on the site.

Find a Drop Spot

Drop Spotting can be understood in many ways. It is at once an alternative and interactive type of geocaching, a form of guerilla street art and a way to safely connect, communicate and share things with strangers in your city. Drop Spots can get you to think about the invisible secrets of cities, the relationship between yourself and total strangers. For more information visit the Drop Spots online. After you try it out, be sure to check back and let us know how it went!

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Comments

Comment from Al Ebaster
Time: August 26, 2007, 1:15 pm

As always, you’ve shown me something that’s at once new, fascinating, and so much more complex beneath that novel surface. When I move to Burlington, VT I’m going to try this.

Comment from Web Urbanist
Time: August 26, 2007, 1:24 pm

Thanks Al. We try to mix it up and keep it interesting. It just so happens that there are a few of these around Seattle and Sante Fe where two of our contributors live, which we discovered after we stumbled upon the site!

Comment from John Lampard
Time: August 26, 2007, 8:14 pm

Interesting! It’s kind of like an “organised” version of bookcrossing… rather than leave a book in any random, though public place (like a bus stop or train station) there is a designated location. Wonder what someone will think of next?!

It bears an odd similarity to a car sharing/hire system I just found out about… there are cars you can make use of (once you become a system member), that are parked in various spots around Sydney. I saw one car last night - looked strange just seeing it parked there waiting for someone to come along and drive away in!

Comment from Web Urbanist
Time: August 27, 2007, 12:33 am

Wow, in the states there are companies that actually do that kind of cars-around-the-city system, but nothing private and guerilla-organized. Great idea though! Bookcrossing and WheresGeorge - another two interesting systems of sharing and tracking anonymously that wouldn’t be what they are without the web.

Comment from AgentSully
Time: August 28, 2007, 11:48 am

this is so cool. I love things like Craigslist and Freecycle. This is the next evolution in recycling stuff! Nice find!

Comment from ilker -=- The Thinking Blog
Time: September 2, 2007, 11:27 pm

Nice.. this is like PostSecret but even better! I wonder if it will hold for long though?

Comment from G@ttoGiallo
Time: September 3, 2007, 9:23 am

Like the idea!

Comment from rony john
Time: September 12, 2007, 7:40 am

intresting for sure.

Comment from David Byrden
Time: March 9, 2008, 10:35 pm

>> “I saw one car last night - looked strange just seeing it parked
>> there waiting for someone to come along and drive away in!”

Excuse me, but isn’t that what ALL cars do?

Comment from Mike
Time: March 11, 2008, 3:23 am