Gillian Morrissey

HOW CAN YOU PROVIDE SECURITY WITHOUT INVADING PRIVACY? THE WATCHER VS THE WATCHED

G. MORRISSEY | M. MINTON | CAPSTONE 2021

i n t r o d u c t i o n

Security is “freedom from danger, fear, or anxiety” Based on this definition, security is a conceptual term, one that refers to a state of calmness or the condition that is tied to the lack of feelings experienced by those who are afraid or threatened.

A person is often the place where a person feels most secure. The most intimate areas are meshed with the most public areas within walls of a home, creating the atmosphere of a “safe space”.

social | 3m

intamate | 0.5m

Personal space is essential.

s i t e |

Millennium Park, Chicago IL

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consume

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view

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relax

Location : Within Grant Park Opened : July 16, 2004 Cost : $475 million Spread over 24.5 acres, Millennium Park is known as part of the “front lawn” of Chicago. This stretch of greenery sits on top of the commuter rail Millennium station, and is seen as one of the world’s largest green roof.

vegetation

Accommodating up to 25 million visitors a year, Millennium park is one of the most visited spots in the Midwest.

I was attracted to this site because of its high foot traffic. In addition, this park has a very organized spatial layout between its individual attractions, and the surrounding areas.

sun path

circulation

p r o c e s s

The direction of my design was inspired by the idea of voyeurism, while balancing private and public borders. Individual standing pods were set at various sites around public areas in Millennium Park.

The dictionary definition of surveillance is “close observation, especially of a suspected spy or criminal.” This definition implies a hierarchy of control between the “watcher” and the “watched”. While I would like the give the occupier of space within my project a sense of control on who they can see, this meaning of surveillance is a bit aggressive. Some similar concepts that are more applicable may be “observation”, “surveyance”, or “oversight”. The goal of my project was to provide a quiet space for people to inhabit. When I started my research, I focused primarily on prisons, and how the hierarchy of the prison system affected prison design. Famous structures, like the Panopticon and Halden Prison, had interesting design qualities that I found relevant to my question. While the idea of penitentiary and institution design was intriguing, I came across many roadblocks. I decided to shift my focus on the voyeuristic properties found in prisons.

In this Capstone, I focused on the pods themselves, but I also evolved them in a way where the pods could interact with each other.

behaviors drawings

Initially, I started researching the body and how visibility is affected when a person is object is in one’s intimate and social spaces. What does one see? How is the body affected in different size constraints?

Following that, I also explored how the body relates to the container. How is the body affected when parts are covered? What do they see, and what do others see?

As a result of these questions, I created three pods associated with the most popular attractions within Millennium Park.

initial visibility

study

body vs the container

c o n s u m e |

Cloud Gate

Located in Cloud Gate, these pods respond to the well known Chicago icon, the Bean. They were created to cater to those who may feel awkward eating in public or alone. Inspired by the surrounding food trucks and vendors, these spaces provide a place to sit and eat. Made out of the same stainless steel as the bean, these pods reflect the same smooth, singular curved structure.

Curved, church window-esque translucent panels are on the either side of the pod. With the ability to rotate open or closed, the user can change the opacity of the glass from the interior. This allows the user to control the level of privacy within the space. In addition, there is a slit in the front of the pod, which gives the user full visibility to the outside, even when the wide panels are closed.

closed

front open

back open

all open

front elevation

left elevation

back elevation

right elevation

enlarged plan

layout options

render in site

v i e w |

Jay Pritzker Pavilion

Located in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, these pods focus on view. This pavilion is known for hosting large scale events and concerts, however due to the pandemic, the site has been closed.

With no place to sit, with the exception of the paid seats within the interior of the pavilion, visitors must remain standing of sit on the ground. These pods provide a place for multiple users to sit, watch a show, or admire the architecture.

Due to the closing from COVID-19, this pod has a screen implemented with three options. The first screen is a transparent window for users to observe their surroundings. The second screen has a projection of what the fully occupied space during a show would look like, creating a “fake reality”.

The final screen is fully opaque, providing full privacy for the user. Finally, two slits are cut into the back of the pod, allowing outsiders to peek into the space.

front elevation

left elevation

back elevation

right elevation

enlarged plan

transparent

projected screen

opaque

render in site

r e l a x |

Crown Fountain

Located within Crown Fountain, this pod focuses on relaxation. Crown fountain is an interactive art installation on its own, so I these pods are immersed within that space. The walls are comprised of the same stone on the fountains, and also contains a seat “mesh” that can be easily wiped off or dried. In addition, the are two translucent panels in which the user can control the opacity. An opening of the wall on the side of the lounge allows the user to interact with the water from the site.

front elevation

left elevation

back elevation

right elevation

enlarged plan

layout 1

layout 2

layout 3

layout 4

render in site

THANK YOU

G MORRISSEY M. MINTON INTD 5002 | CAPSTONE