BA Design Year 2
PROJECTS
Moderationism Download Death Missing the train Over-Space
Design and the Zombie Dawn This brief introduced us on how design operates as a world building activity; how fiction can inform and instigate the creation of a new veracity, stimulating new design opportunities and ways to reflect on our reality. It acted as a catalyst for socio-cultural analysis, allowing us as designers to explore human interaction and its relative environmental context whilst considering the fabrication of the modern day other. In our case those who do not align with the statistical average body size. Initially this was a difficult new practice, conceiving a world without constraints pulled us in an enormity of directions, but its flexibility allowed us to really explore the complexities of the world through a fictional lens, which assisted in the materialization of objects, policies, and possible future social systems that I would have never previously thought of.
MODERATIONISM
Narrative With finite resources becoming increasingly alarming within UK, sustainability within manufacturing became a governmental priority. As such a sub-department, the Department of Moderation [DoM] , within the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs was created to develop a long-term solution to combat this material deficiency. The DoM identified manufacturing ineffiency as a primary target to aid the prolongation of resources and developed a series of policies to ensure a more efficient process. These policies were unprecedented, despite the totalitarian nature of the government, and were created in strict confidentiality. The policies were formed to gradually eradicate anomalistic body sizes from society; the mechanisms for this change were predominantly within birth controls, manufacturing restrictions and architectural constraints. The eventual governmental aim was to create a smaller gene pool through a manufactured genetic selection process. Through body scanning and consumer analysis the DoM undertook extensive research to specify the male and female arithmetical mean [the average taken by the sum of a collection of numbers divided by the number of numbers in a collectionbody size. The manufacture of all clothing and wearable commodities were to align with the research undertaken and produced to only physically function with the bodies of those of average size and those +/- 5% of this measurement. This is a particularly socially alienating policy designed to isolate and stigmatise deviation from average measurements, creating a visual indication of non-conforming societal members. Over the course of the eradication process the percentile surrounding the average would gradually diminish until only the exact numerical average was manufactured; this procedure would be applied to all of the DoMs material policies. Similarly, architecturally the DoM proposed a series of policies inherently designed to construct a barrier between physical anomalies and tolerable welfare. An extensive re-imagining of birth control proposed that only those of average body size would be allowed to procreate. The primary measurements that would be taken into account would be the height and width of both potential parents, with shoe size also considered. The DoM also identified hereditary genetic defects as a means of refute; to avoid material and financial strain imposed through defected births that could potentially be intercepted.A series of administrative procedures were to be put in place to impose these policies; whole new departments within both the NHS and the Metropolitan Police to enforce reverence with policy.
Authenticity within performance This is a still from a film we constructed to represent a member of the DOM, we voiced over it to give an introduction and explanation as to what Moderationism and its consequences were about. Detail within authenticity was key with this project; both with the documents and presentation down to its performance aspect. Understanding now that the performance could have be the finalising element that really tied the project together. With lack of resources an imminent issue I see how our project could be used to expose and shock people into understanding the possibilities of this issue. Similarly to the types of interventions the YES MEN do at conferences. If refined, rehearsed and carefully considered I could see this project becoming an activist action or campaign for environmental awareness, specifically with regards to lack of resources.
average
-5% extreme
other OUTCAST FROM SOCIETY
+5%
0
un-natural Selection
extreme
other OUTCAST FROM SOCIETY
Average Percentile Diagram Diagram outlining intentions of moderationism.
Location of case study The DoM identified Colchester, a historic settlement situated in Essex on the country’s east coast , as statistically the most average town within the UK. Over a five-year period, 2014 – 2019, the DoM imposed the moderation policies upon Colchester as an isolated social experiment to assess whether the desired societal division would occur. Amongst other changes architecturally semi-permanent features were implemented within doorways, single size standard clothing was governmentally issued and birth control protocol introduced. During this timeframe a number of interesting societal mutations occurred; sub cultures developed and unanticipated relationships became apparent in aid of deviating the system.
Fake GOV.UK policy form outlining government actions.
Government implementation
Combative Architecture Using the statistic and body data collected by the DOM, architectural constrains have been implemented with the aim of alienating those outside the average and 5% around it. The doorways have been lowered so those of taller height will be forced to bend down, creating a visible social discomfort. Whilst those who are below the average will struggle with the new table tops and shelves that will be out of reach thus making their daily routines more difficult to complete. These implementations will facilitate the alienation of the outside groups, socially through physical changes to the environment around.
DOORWAYS
+5% = 185.35 C
AVERAGE HEIGHT
SHELVING
+5% = 185.35 CM AVERAGE HEIGHT = 177 CM
COUNTERS DISTANCE FROM FLOOR = 120 CM
95 CM
Combative Architecture Experiments within area CO9 Height restriction measurements were put in place within doorways to make the taller of the extremes hunch to the average height Âą5%. These tests were documented through film, capturing effect on the People above the the average height were alianated
Through the lens of an anthropologist We decided to format our presentation and performance with the illusion that we were anthologists looking at a specific case study located in Colchester. This allowed us to pull together and communicate everything under one context and visual identity. The care to detail was really important in portraying this identity professionally. We used evidence bags and tags to photograph the modified objects created by the ‘other’, mimicked CCTV footage and created scientific graphs and diagrams to communicate the architectural implementations and societal divisions. All these small details built a strong wider context and narrative.
MODERATION POLICIES IMPLEMENTED NATIONALLY
COLCHESTER EXPERIMENT
2014
2019
POINT OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDY.
LIMITED HEALTH INSURANCE
EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONS
CONTRACEPTIVE LEGISLATION
BIRTH P
EPTIVE TION
average size
Future policies
TIME 2074
BIRTH POLICIES
It was a really useful exercise to speculate future policies and implementations, and the extremes to which our world was capable of. Putting it down visually especially through graphs led to the birth control possibilities and design of documents including the one child policy application. It gave a wider context to the implications of sterilizing a nation, which after researching has already been a governmental policy within Sweden, unaware to the population. It opened up many design pathway’s which asked numerous questions; what if only certain people could obtain health care, would the people unable to get medical assistance start to create there own medicines and help network, rivaling the government.
Social Heirachy
average
society -5%
+5%
1.
2.
This diagram speculates the societal movement and mutations Societal Occurrences that could take place as a 1. Moderation policiesofcreate consequence the aModeration social policies. hierarchy within which the average are superior legislatively and socially favoured.
1.Moderation policies create a which 2. Thesocial ‘average’hierarchy continue to within rise the average are superior socially while those lying outside of thelegislatively average are drawn together favoured. and socially through their shared social depreciation. 2.The ‘average’ continue
to rise socially while those lying 3. Full assimilation of the two outside the realise average are non-average groupsofas they drawn together through their that the sum of the two groups is shared socialRifts and depreciation. stronger than the parts. jealousy begins to occur within the average3.Full group. assimilation of the two
non-average
groups
as
they
4. Some within the non-average realise that the sum of the two begin to aspire to be average while stronger othersgroups rebel andiscelebrate thatthan they the parts. Riftsof the andaverage jealousy lie outside creating begins to occur within theto average group. rifts. The average begins grow further apart as the percentile that fit within the average to 4.Some withinbegins the non-average shrink.begin to aspire to be average
while others rebel and celebrate that they lie outside of the average creating rifts. The average begins to grow further apart as the percentile that fit within the average begins to shrink.
3.
4.
Time
Government Implementation Standard issue clothing We researched and worked out from statistics from the real world what the average male and female body sizes were. With this the ‘DOM’ only allowed the production and distribution of these sizes. We speculated what modification may happen with these wearable commodities if this were the case. Shoes too small would be cut and extended, trousers would be taken in, and belts would have new holes punched in. We used only basic tools thinking about the ‘others’ situation with regards to resources. It got us from thinking about the concept to brining it into the physical, having something tangibly to manipulate is something that is very important for my design process, in both producing outcomes and mutating ideas.
Deviating the System Deviating the ‘standard issue clothing’ policy. A diagram of the material exchange between the ‘others’. The short work with the tall in order to create a pair of trousers that fit both sizes.
observations the average The non-average
- unmotivated - Dependent/reli government and - Prone to exist - Routine obsess - Egotistical - Narrow minded - Narcissistic - Wasteful with
observations the average The non-average
- Highly motivated - Developed a wider set of skills especially within design and craft - had a stronger community spirit - Engaged in a more social life style - More independent - openminded - More satified - Repectful of others, their enviroment and the products around them
NON-AVERAGE FEMALE HEIGHT = 155 CM - 17%
- Highly motivated - Developed a wider set of skills especially within design and craft - had a stronger community spirit - Engaged in a more social life style - More independent - openminded - More satified - Repectful of others, their enviroment and the products around them
NON-AVERAGE FEMALE HEIGHT = 155 CM - 17%
AVERAGE FEMALE HEIGHT = 168 C + 3%
tivated a wider ills especially sign and craft onger community spirit n a more social e pendent d fied of others, iroment and the around them
E
55 CM
- unmotivated - Dependent/relient on the government and others - Prone to existential crisis - Routine obsessed - Egotistical - Narrow minded - Narcissistic - Wasteful with materials
Production restriction promoting community
AVERAGE FEMALE HEIGHT = 168 CM + 3%
More connections have been made within the non-average groups, the restriction on products has caused these people to come together and exchange skills.The network is getting bigger and a system of favours and debts has started to replace physical currency, As anthropologist David Greaber previously investigated the importance of physical currency has diminshed and thehe capitalist notion of debt has been subverted through the promotion of community within Colchester .
Model Making This was a model I created to represent the architecture of our world during the midway tutorial. Model making for me is a vital part of my practice, it allows me to understand ideas in a 3-d context whilst a useful aid when explaining it to others. I then took photos of the model and used collaging to place it within the context of the real world and what it may look like.
Overall process Throughout the project our processes and ideas mutated constantly; by the end we were left with a large and diverse amount of different ideas, designs and outcomes. This included graphics, models, written narratives, physical objects and graphs. When looking back at these processes, although a lot of them were not used in the final presentation I understood how they were extremely important in allowing us to realize our project and start to build a framework for it.
Special Report Using cut up newspapers and magazines we were tasked with generating an unusual news headline; then realizing it as a piece of authentic footage that would be seen on a TV report. It pushed us into a frenzy of making and experimentation in terms of construction of the set, the camera rigs and consideration of special effects. This project also highlighted the importance of collaging as a design process tool. Its fast visualization of ideas provided imagery that that we could all work towards.
DOWNLOAD DEATH
Download Death, Now ÂŁ1, No Mess No Fuss What if death became a commodity and like Hunter S. Thompson we all decided to go on our own terms. We speculated and explored the different levels and price of death experience through collage producing a short clip of what the cheapest may look like.
The Boinger The Boom Fan Head cam Zipwire cam
Camera Rigs We created a series of camera rigs with the intention not to add any effects into the footage on a computer aided program. The restriction of only using a phone to record also meant we were pushed to be more experiemtal.
The set We committed to a dystopian cardboard theme for the set. Inspired by the interior of the Japanese Nakagin Capsule Tower.
Experimenting with effects I created water, inks and TV static shots to be edited into the video creating a surreal atmosphere. This project showed me how much was possible within 5 days, and how a space could be transformed and manipulated through the lens of a camera.
Escape Committee This brief combined with the series of lectures on society and culture gave an immense exploration ground for us to realize our take on the notion of escape and how we might succeed in facilitating it. After a very exploratory and extensive initial research period, a great misinterpretation of David sherry repeatedly missing a tram led me to my concept of escape. I realized David never intended to miss the tram, but the context and presence of the tram allowed him to run without it seeming unusual. I became fixed on this idea; existing systems or the existence of certain objects within a context could give justification to the actions I wished to play out in the city. People often adapt the behaviors and actions of others in fear of being judged or isolated from the crowd, and I am no exception. In the questioning of societal norms and mechanisms of the urban environment I aimed to mask and subvert my actions. I was escaping the rationalization of my activity through placing it into context. Taking a lesson from the situationists and derive I created a new way of navigating the city. There were 3 main actions I explored; running, climbing and rolling.
MISSING THE TRAIN
WHATS ACCEPTABLE?
BEHAVIOURAL STANDARDS OF CHILDREN COMPARED TO ADULTS
ESCAPING THE NEED TO RATIONALISE ACTIONS
CREATING SITUATIONS THAT GIVE JUSTIFICATION AND CONTEXT TO CERTAIN BEHAVIOURS AND ACTIONS
RUNNING CLIMBING
PU BL I
ROLLING
C CO
NT
EX
T
THESE OBJECTS AND MANUFACTURED SITUATIONS MASK THE PLAYFULNESS THAT I SEEK OUT IN THE CITY
Missing the Train I created a detailed an elaborate plan in order to miss a train. I decided I would manufacture the situation from my house to Nunhead Station, as it was part of my every day mundane journey. Firstly I mapped out the route, and then proceeded to time myself running to the station. It became apparent after a few failed attempts that missing the train exactly as it pulls away from the platform required extreme planning and precisions, making sure all variables I could control were covered. If I didn’t make it within that crucial allotment of time, the illusion would be broken and my action would become visible.
Importance of Accuracy I used the Nike run app to calculate my average time and distance, from that I worked out the mean average speed that I needed to keep in order to reach the platform in time. Precision and training were so important in terms of reaching the platform for that specific moment, if reached I will have subverted a usually frustrating situation of missing the train into one of great satisfaction.
System Design
AVERAGE DISTANCE
AVERAGE TIME
+ + + +
+ + + +
287 290 265 297 271 = 1420/5 = 282 M
81 92 77 104 90 = 444/5 = 89 S
SPEED = DISTANCE/TIME 3.16 MPH = 282 M/89 S
KEEP A CONSTANT OF 3.16 MPH UPHILL
ACTUAL DISTANCE
ACTUAL DISTANCE DISTANCE = 268.43M
= 0.18 MILES = 290 M
= 0.18 MILES = 290DISTANCE M = 268.43M
TIME
TIME
= 92 S
= 92 S
GOOGLE ACCORDING TO GOOGLE MAPS ACCORDING NIKETORUN APP MAPS
START:
OPPOSITE HOUSE
NIKE RUN APP
FINISH:
TRAIN PLATFORM
Production of Film I presented all my actions through short 1-minute film clips. For this scenario I planned out the spots in which the camera would be static on a tripod catching my run to the station. I edited them pretty much as they were shot, to keep a consistency and order. This was a set up of the actual run but I think it was the best way I could communicate it with limited people and camera resources. I had to re-shoot all the videos after the initial footage, this was an important process, it allowed me to improve on the minor details and quality of production.
Mapping Route Map of route from my house to the train station. Visual representation and blueprint style documents created to support and aid the ‘escape’.
Too many graphics On reflection I made way to many graphics of maps and pointless things. Because I have got so caught up with graphics this year I have neglected my sketchbook and drawings. Which for me is a super important part of my proccess and thinking. Next year I am going to fully commit back to my sketchbook, and loose the pointless graphics.
MA
16 MACHELL ROAD
CH E
KIMBERLEY
HOLLYDALE RD
NUNHEAD STATION
GIBBON RD
BU C
HA N
RD
MA
CH E
LL
RD
IMBERLEY AVE
MAPPING ROUTE LOCATION: SE15
Missing the Train
WATERLOO STATION JUBILIEE LINE
REST/WALK
GAP RUN
MOVING WALKWAY
Running walkway I saw an opportunity to hack another system that allowed me to go unnoticed whilst potentially running in a contained and heavily used public space. The walking escalators in the underground at Waterloo station are laid out perfectly for the opportunity to continuously run, using the middle static ground as the lane to run down and the walking escalators as a means of rest I could repeatedly loop round in a circle. People would assume I am running to catch a train and therefore I would become invisible, just another commuter.
TURN AROUND
RUN
Climbing Trees The need to climb has never left me since being a child, yet I have found that when the urge to do so, it is often overruled by the anxiety of judgment, for some reason my brain has trained me to think that it is wrong, no one else is doing it. So it is easier to just not. I designed and made an object that can be easily attached to a tree branch. Connected to an mp3 the speaker plays the audio of a distressed cat meowing.
SPEAKER PLANTED UP TREE THE STRAP IS ADJUSTABLE SO CAN FIT TO ANY BRANCH EASILY
M
MEOW
Objects of Excuse
Rescuing cat The positioning of camera shots was key for this activity, thankfully Lenni is also a pretty good climber so she came up the tree with me aswell. For the final film I put the cat noises over the original video and lowered or raised the volume based on the view of the shot, it was these little details that refined the final production of the clip.
Training Using martial art techniques and youtube stunt tutorials I practiced how to fake a trip and then roll. I started out on my bed first and then moved onto the street with a padding mat. Eventually I committed to the concrete, some pain was involved. Every detail in the designed situations were so important. Even the speed at which I got up from the roll was considered, so that if someone saw and thought I was hurt, they would have no time to deliberate on helping me.
SPEAKER PLANTED UP TREE THE STRAP IS ADJUSTABLE SO CAN FIT TO ANY BRANCH EASILY
MEOW
ENCOUNTERING POSSIBLE INJURY BRUISING FROM PRACTICING ROLL
Padding After sustaining a considerable amount of bruising on certain places on my body I pin pointed the exact areas and designed and created pads that I could wear whist training.
SHOULDER PAD
KNEE PAD
Technical difficulties The inevitable when you are rolling around the street with your phone in your pocket.
Rolling I tried to direct the shots for the this video as if they were footage from people’s tourist videos. I sought out public locations in order to facilitate this theme. It was meant to be shot with the intention for subtle humour, I think this was achieved by the arkwardness and continuity of the roll.
Fluxus Work Book One of the pieces of feedback that I received was; how will someone else play out these actions if they wanted to? I dislike guidebook and step by step instructions, for me it is the whole figuring out of these situations and personal achievement that make the experience more satisfying; So inspired by the Fluxus Work Book I have created my own abstract instructions that nudge people into a different way or approach of subverting there usual activity within the city.
Overall Reflection Although I had the opportunity to work within a group, with a little angst I decided it would be a good chance to prove to myself that I was capable of directing and presenting a rounded project. It allowed me to recognize how I had developed from last year, seeing as we hadn’t had the opportunity to work individually for a while within university. I realize I am extremely unconfident with my ideas, which means I am unable to fully commit to just one. I think this is evidenced within this project, on reflection I need to be more specific and ruthless with my ideas and process otherwise the final outcome becomes a hazy mess of designs with nothing really resolved. One of the things that developed my practice during this project was the directing and editing of the film clips; I learnt how the details of using a tripod, the specific angles and quality of camera were vital if a quality product was to be produced.
Initial research and idea exploration
Narrative for 1
OPERATION WOOD HEIST
Operation Wood Heist
Future Cities Live Brief With this project we were asked to design a new piece of street furniture to enhance civic interaction. This was my first experience with a brief set outside of university, which pushed me into depth, both with concept and design refinement, craft and presentation. It allowed me to use the tools, skills and design practice I have developed over the course of the year.to work within a group with professionalism. During the initial research period we had uncovered and explored enough ideas to last us for 3 years, so by the midway presentation is was an extremely difficult task to narrow it down to a single route or realize the routes we wished to take in the time allocated to finish the project. We committed to resolve one of the ideas.
OVER-SPACE
A new form of citizenship must be evolved that responds to the needs of a modern city Richard Rogers
Challanging the authority of a citizenship test The importance of feeling like you belong to a place is a part of the basic human condition, and whilst citizenship language is of inclusion; belonging and unity it also systematically segregates communities within it. This dilutes the sense of shared responsibility, which reflects back onto the environment individuals exist within. It is Possibly one of the most important and sensitive political decisions that any community faces; how to define who belongs, or ought to belong within its circle of members. We felt the citizenship test neglected any sense of intergration or acclimatisation to a place.And that citizenship was a combination of both knowledge and experience; the essence of a space is not quantifiable. One way to reconsider the authority of a citizenship test is through experiencing the ‘over-view effect’ a profound cognitive shift in perception astronauts feel when looking at earth from space.
Locating Specific architectures that reframe isolated spaces We sought out specific architectures, locations and heights that rested on the city sky line, giving you both the feeling of disattachment from the self, yet an attachment, understanding and responsibility to the city and its existence as 1 functioning system. In reaching these spaces we can manipulate the skyline and reframe isolated spaces so that they are visible as a part of the city. Using these ideas within the context of old kent road we looked at the perspectives from existing infrastructures. The Top of Tower Blocks, a secure viewing platform. The front of the 172, where you feel like you are almost gliding along the road experiencing it through transition. And the Gas holders, a not so secure observing tower.
Gas Holder - View From the top The deviant aspect of both hacking into and climbing the gasholder was exciting and empowering a feeling felt by many who enjoy the activity of urban exploration and its ideals of taking back the city. From the top, with the streetlights on I could see the road as a vein leading into the heart of the city, it shifted my perception and previous knowledge of the road that we had spent days walking up and down on ground level. This experience created a memory that tied me to the usually transitional space.
Setting the parameters for our vista We took the principles of the over-view effect and re-applied them to a city scale, specifically for old kent road. In understanding the city as a malleable fabric we defined parameters and constrains on the vista we felt best exposed and reframed the road as a functioning part of the city system. Ultimately it started a conversation on the elements we felt were most important to capture. The start of the road with it leading towards the inner city London skyline.We decided their was a specific pocket of space in the sky that if reached would give us our subjective overview as existing architectures we previously explored didn’t quite satisfy the parameters we set. We felt the act of identifying and personally gaining that specific view would provide a greater sense of ownership and belonging to space. Knowing that you obtained the image and not Google heightens its engagement and value to you.
Over-Space
Gaining Our Overview In order to reach the pocket of sky for old kent road and to experience the overview effect within the city, we decided to use a balloon as the mechanism for our exploration. By designing an apparatus attached to a weather balloon, we were able to produce the stable conditions for attaining the overview. Through our trials of flights across new cross, we soon realized the object not the image, became a greater source of prime civic engagement. As we submitted the balloon, the object sparked innumerable reactions and interactions between not only us but with the civilians around us. These trials of submitting the balloon became a great source of knowledge in identifying the types interaction between citizen and object.
Developing it into a system of street furniture After gaining our overview we developed it into a system that could be used by citizens who wished to gain their desired vista - The object we designed is controlled and stabilized from 3 tether points, providing three sources of control and engagement to separate individuals. . It was important when designing for the object, that we started to develop a system that could allow for this object to become a plausible structure within the street. To allow for the object to remain on the street legally, the height should not go above 60 meters, for the classification as a captive balloon changes and different rules begin to apply - for the best shot we recommend between 30 and 40 metres with the camera angled horizontally. We have identified that the balloon must have at least three stable tethers, which should attached to a rented or owned property, it is not designed to be tethered to a public space.
Open source platform To initiate and guide citizens in reaching their desired vista we created an online open source platform. The platform allowed for people to type in their postcode, find their location and specify what they wanted to see, this would be seen by anyone else on the road or in the surrounding area and start to build a network of possible views. This then created a framework for people to start a conversation and join together in order to put up their balloon. Once the balloon has be flown on the website it would turn read, indicating that the process was successful and vista was captured. It also gave an opportunity for others to put up their photos and footage creating a network of mapped out overspaces. With this project we aimed to unlock a part of the sky and city that hadn’t properly been explored yet in regards to citizen and ocular ownership rather than being a still from Google maps or an individuals drone, cctv ect.
Designing the Clamp One of the things I was in control with during this project was the designs and production of the clamp system. I measured and took pictures of all the possible architectures the balloon could be tethered to, deciding the top windowsills were the most unison and accessible point. I drew out and made the clamp within a day in the workshop, this was a good day. It gave me back some confidence within my making abilities, since being at university I have neglected a bit. I also learnt a lot of small processes, which allowed for a better quality of production. This was down to both staff and student help. It made me realize how great the workshops are in both obtaining knowledge in skill, craft and ideas. I have promised myself to spend a lot more of my time in the workshops next year exploring and creating. After I had completed the clamp I used the skills I learnt in technical studies and drew it out on CAD. This file could then be put on the over-space platform easily accessible for anyone wishing to fly their own balloon. I also created graphic minimal instruction sheets that outlined the materials and equipment needed for the balloon, the camera rig and the clamp; these were based on the tools we used. All these files were free to download off of the platform.
Balloon Rig Materials Fishing Wire
Ply Wood
Go Pro (with case) 17 cm
Or light filming equipment
Tools
20.5 cm x 17cm
Pencil Ruler File (Rounded) Jigsaw Hand Drill
5mm Thick
Screw
200m +
1 cm
20.5 cm
Democracy of physicality I created this collage to visualise possible physical outputs of this image. This is a billboard on old Kent road, the idea would be to display the vista and how it changes every month or so. This way the citizens can see the shape of their city mutating and changing. Old Kent road is specifically interesting as it is just at the beginning of a 15 year regeneration process.
Output of footage We also took the footage of the vista we captured and played it in local shops and business along the road. This was a hair salon, we thought this new perception of place would be a catalyst for conversation of the surrounding area and community, provoking citizen engagement and interest.
Speculating future consequences We understand both the utopian and dystopian aspects of this Over-space, and the diverse scale of opportunities and situations that may come out of the platform we have created. From pragmatic - A new visual way of calculating the estimated time of bus arrivals. Curious - Seeing the birds fly south for the winter . Deviant - Directing the balloon towards Wimbledon to gain untelevised matches. Another thing we considered were the other systems that could exploit this infrastructure, for instance a heightened corporate interference of sky advertising within these spaces.
Project Summary Overspace is a project that explores mechanisms that shift our relationship with the city from occupying to belonging, specifically, we used Old Kent Road as a testing ground for our project. It began as a challenge of the authority that citizenship tests hold as a measure of belonging. We feel citizenship to be a combination of both knowledge and experience; the essence of a space is not quantifiable. We took the principles of the overview effect, a profound cognitive shift in perception of place that astronauts feel when looking at earth from space and re-applied them to a city scale. In understanding the city as a malleable fabric we defined parameters and constrains on the vista we felt best exposed and reframed the road as a functioning part of the city system. This activity started a conversation as to the elements we felt were most important to capture and ultimately what really matters about the place. There was a specific pocket of space in the sky that if reached fulfiled the parameters that we had defined, giving us our overview. The apparatus we designed enables us to reach these otherwise unattainable terrains and capture the vista that we feel has the power to fundamentally shift our relationship with place. The apparatus consists of a balloon with an attached camera and three tethers attached to three individual’s private property. Within this system there are three clear areas of civic interaction, the initial vista, the interaction that has to occur to allow the balloon to fly and the output of the vista to a specific architecture within the community. Our project began by exploring mechanisms that reconfigure our relationship with place - through this exploration we created a system that fundamentally relies on co-operation, physically bringing together members of the community. Our system identifies and exploits a new terrain within the city and claims ocular ownership from within these spaces.
Initial Research If I put all the research and ideas we unconvered in this book there would be atleast another 20 pages, I think it deserves to be its own document.
OVERALL REFLECTION