Resolution

After observing the territorial nature of students in public spaces, we realized the importance of privacy as well as efficiency in that space. There is a limited amount of seating in the many public spaces on campus where students stop for a coffee, bite to eat, or study break, and a much larger number of students coming in and out of these spaces. Therefore, it is necessary to maximize the seating that is available to accommodate as many students as possible.

Our solution aids in the search for seating by establishing a language that clearly communicates a user’s purpose. The visual language defines spaces—letting students know where they should sit to best suit their needs. This communication increases the turnover and streamlines the seat-finding process.

The system we have created is built of colors and patterns that indicate the amount of time a user plans to sit in a space. The patterns also separate the spaces in front of each chair to mitigate any discomfort students feel while about sitting next to a stranger. Sometimes there is no other option, so helping students feel more comfortable taking a seat is important for the efficient usage of seating. By breaking up the expanse of the surface of a table, it’s easier for different users to define their personal space—making it much less awkward to sit with a stranger.

TABLETOP DESIGNS

The color-coded system for the tables provides a language for the space that makes the seat-finding process more efficient. We used friendly and casual verbage to simplify the launch of the program as students acclimate. The tables will be color-coded according to which areas tend to already be used for longterm and quiet studying and which tables are bigger in order to accomodate the needs of as many students as possible.

The patterns within the colors form grids that break up the surface. This creates the illusion of separate spaces to make students feel more comfortable sitting at a table with a stranger. The boundaries created by the grid may also encourage people to not spread their belongings over the whole table, as they percieve the borders of personal space.