Today, the residential community on the Bulb numbers approximately 40-60 people occupying roughly 30 encampments at varying levels of development. Many consist of a single tent, but others are more elaborate compounds with gates, stone edging, and separate storage and dwelling units constructed of wood, concrete, and metal. The residents have also constructed several general-use structures as part of their community. The outdoor amphitheatre, formed out of a natural depression, hosts many pieces of two-dimensional graffiti and three-dimensional assemblage art. It also serves as a multi-purpose gathering space, hosting a range of activities from picnics to late night raves. Close to the amphitheatre sits the library, a wood-walled and fibreglas- roofed structure containing hundreds of books, operating on an informal ‘take one, leave one’ system. Perhaps the Bulb’s most remarkable structure, however, is Mad Mark’s Fairy Castle, a steel-reinforced concrete building overlooking the bay. Using rebar found on site and bagged concrete-mix, the self-identified resident Mad Mark created this heart-shaped structure, including a spiral stair and roof deck/ battlement, solely by moonlight. Unoccupied by residents, the castle is a popular destination for visitors and an ever-changing tableau for local graffiti artists. opposite page, top: aerial maps of the Albany Bulb and encampment locations below: view of the Neck leading towards the Bulb, and view from the Bulb to Albany. The amphitheatre is in the foreground. this page, from the top: clocks and a calendar hang on a tree marking the entry to an encampment, a view of Mad Mark’s Fairy Castle with Oakland in the background. A gate to an encampment, the Fairy Castle. The clothing box for residents, and a resident posting outside the library.
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stacy farr and corey schnobrich
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