THE UNSEEN DEVELOPMENT DOCUMENT CHRIS WILSON
/ CCTV
[02] / PHYSICAL APPEARANCE
[04] / PRISM
[10] / UTILISING PREMISE
[14] / IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL
[16] / FORMALISING SPACE
[24] / UNSEEN INTERVENTION
[30] / FINAL STEPS
[32]
CONTENTS
[ 1]
To start the development process, It was important to understand how CCTV take form into a physical structure and be represented and understood within Cockburn Street. Which will be my major space within the urban fabric. Therefore by understanding what CCTV does and the many forms in which this takes is crucial to an outcome that reflects all methods of being seen and being unseen within space. The visuals opposite represent the cold and hostile method in which we are all captured by various different cameras in various points of the city every day.
CCTV [ 2]
[ 3]
It was also important to understand how we perceive ourselves in a public space. We alter our natural Complexion to fit into society. Wither it be through our choice of clothes, makeup or more extreme forms of alteration, we all walk into these spaces with the expectation to be perceived to be normal or to cause a statement. Either way we forget that all we were all born naked. Therefore these CCTV cameras are in place to capture ourselves in a way we want them to perceive us. So as to not be seen to be suspicious or out of the ordinary.
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE [4]
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[6]
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After acknowledging that hand held and people watching is also a vital surveillance method, exploring the properties of a pair of binoculars cause a very interesting outcome. Through taking the binoculars apart , created the realisation that prisms are in fact a key part to seeing and monitoring. Without them, would result in a disfigured unclear image. Therefore the prism would be used in a series of experiments to see how it can aid in creating a design output that aids in celebrating unseen space.
PRISM [ 10 ]
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Through projecting light of form through all sides of the prism created a series of beautiful images that can be traced to create a geometric form which is taken from the shape of the prism itself. This texture can be replicated in the design and be replicated though out to not only create an aesthetic outcome, but also a brand of the unseen space. This texture can be applied and be identified with the event space being designed in Cockburn Street.
UTILISING PREMISE [ 14 ]
[ 15 ]
In Cockburn Street, there is a connection between the street space being unseen, and the City Chambers Building which is highlighted opposite. Therefore a design outcome should connect the two together so that the intervention has a clear and understanding quality to it. By activating the street space and this building in particular will highlight what the intervention event is for.
IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL [ 16 ]
[ 17 ]
The street itself has an length of around 220 metres and with a minimum width of 14 metres. Therefore the intervention would require to be long and be within the boundaries of a funnel type environment. Keeping this in mind a surveillance object with these qualities is a telescope. It can be altered in length and has all the same properties a pair of binoculars has. Therefore creating a large scale telescope connecting the unseen street space and the City Chambers Building would be a unique and interesting idea to pursue.
FORMALATING SPACE [ 18 ]
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The idea of the telescope is that it will create a unique view port for members of the public to view the CCTV monitoring room of Edinburgh (which is located on the Fourth Floor of the Building) So that the Surveyed become the surveyors. This concept in itself shows the power that this intervention has of celebrating free space and the political statement this has with connotations of the Big Brother effect being reversed once this intervention is in place.
TELESCOPE INSTALLATION [ 24 ]
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To further add to this intervention, there will be several elements happening around Cockburn Street. Firstly is the telescope installation itself with an individual view port looking directly into the City Chambers offices. Secondly is its ability to rotate and look down at the ground-scape. Next is the relationship of people watching this intervention from surrounding cafes on Cockburn Street. They could be utilised further and be linked into the event. By using the method of people watching, these cafes and others around the City in Unseen spaces could be given branded binoculars to people watch within these spaces.
UNSEEN INSTALLATION [ 30 ]
[ 31 ]
To further this second part to the event, the cafes around the unseen space need to be identified and the branded binoculars designed to send images to the CCTV monitoring room on Cockburn Street. Creating a loop in the unseen system. Where the surveyors now see the surveyed surveying them. This warp will highlight the truth that everybody is seen no matter what kind of surveillance system is in place. Either way this event will create the fun from the public of having the knowledge that there are spaces out there that remain unmonitored and free from authoritative surveillance.
FINAL STEPS [ 32 ]
CHRIS WILSON BDES [ HONS ] INTERIOR & SPATIAL DESIGN EDINBURGH NAPIER UNIVERSITY www. chrisglenwilson.com