MOBILE LIVING ROOM: HACKING TOWN WITH MOBILE FURNITURE
University of Strathclyde Y5 Paulina Naruseviciute Laura Petruskeviciute Y4 Lai Kam Seng Tommaso Cancelli Andrew McBride Titas Grikevicius Y2 Michelle Ann
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU GO FOR A WALK? HOW OFTEN DO YOU ACTUALLY GO FOR A WALK?
CONTENT Introductory Essay PROPOSAL 1.”Pet Shop Toy” 2.”Romancer” 3.”Lunch-Breaker” 4.”Gamer” 5.”Gymatron” 6.”Light Catcher” 7.”Who am I?” 8.DEVELOPMENT/ SKETCH PROPOSALS 8.1 Story Behind
Editorial team; Paulina Naruseviciute Laura Petruskeviciute 2015 January
Raumlabor “Fountaine Grisse� examines public spaces and searches for fountains. Existing 70s/80s fountaines works just few times a year so they started questioning what these spaces could offer during other months? The result in the picture.
FURNISH THE CITY Hacking City With Mobile Furniture
WHY?
city as composed of two interdependent and equal elements: material reality + social reality
Aims
In specific situations, the interaction of these two elements can produce unexpected and paradoxical outcomes.
MOBILELAND is a design solution to heal dilaphidated spaces through mobile gardening, architectural, landscape and art interventions.
This idea then highlights complexity, ambiguity, and contingency as key conditions for urban politics. And Lefebvre identified these rights from the urban subjects themselves, emphasizing human subjectivity and agency. For him, rights to the city are never predetermined but are always produced by particular groups with specific demands shaped by their circumstances. This open-ended concept acknowledges the political possibilities of a multiplicity of urban imaginaries, representations, and interventions. It empowers artists, architects, cultural activists, and ordinary citizens to become key players by inventing new practices, strategies, and tactics to claim their rights to their city and to freely project alternative possibilities for urban life.
The key issue we have endured throughout the project being developed on site is a lack of community engagement and feel of being a community space. As the works are going slowly, community table is not yet constructed and lawn is most of the time damp it is hard for any activities to appear. As well as there is not much of visual effect at the moment which would catch the eye and encourage to stop by. Some small and immediate site interventions are needed to catch the attention of passersby and manifest the statement of re-use, re-make and re-connect. A closer understanding of community groups and people’s daily use of space is needed in order to adopt the site in most striking way. The main question to ask: What can be provided with design to enhance the daily activities of people? The idea never will be singular it always going to be plural as people have different ways of living, habits and approach to life. Participation and sense of ownership are also the key aspects to consider in every design. Mobileland should aim to build public awareness among those not direct involved with the physical intervention. Everyone has the right to transform the environment they use. JUST DO IT.
RIGHT TO THE CITY? Aspiration
Lefebvre (French Marxist philosopher and sociologist, best known for pioneering the critique of everyday life ) saw the
Lefebvre proposed building “experimental utopias”— imaginings given concrete form—as the first step in acquiring rights to the city. GOAL
We are imagining these utopias as separate furniture elements which could be plugged in different spaces around the city. Starting point would be the MOBILELAND land which original idea is mobile garden units. Therefore, we want to add in mobile furniture pieces and create a ‘living’ outdoor space using mainly scrap wood, pallets and reusing furniture.
Mobileland site in New Gorbals where volunteers meet up every Saturday to work on idea of community gathering place. Some design, talks and games - as usual.
CONCEPT Hacking City With Mobile Furniture
An idea of ‘urban living room’ forced as to think how actually people are using their urban environment so that a specific design approach could suit their needs . An idea of function was very important for us, suggesting that every object we design should have its specific character and way it is used. After observing the environment and daily routine we put down 7 activities which needs a design proposal to improve its nature. For instance, you are the owner of dog and want to have a rest with him or play and train him. Or maybe this is your first date and you are looking for perfect meet up place.... Or it is a lunch break and there is no space to sit down and eat your sandwich. Or you have a great table game you want to play with your friend outside...Or you are an active person excising outside every day. Or you need a quiet moment to contemplate with yourself. Or you like to observe others ! Identified 7 activities resulted in unique design approaches which could improve the activities of daily life. All designs aimed to respond to the idea of low- tech design with cheaply on free of charged sourced materials. It was also important idea of mobility, easy and quick way of construction .
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“PET SHOP TOY” PIECE FOR A DOG LOVER
“PET SHOP TOY” CONSTRUCTION ISO
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INTRO
ISO
Dog lovers chair is a direct response to lack of facilities for dogs in the environment of my neighborhood. Playful nature of dog requires more than just walking around and it is important to release its intellectual capacities. ‘ Pet Shop Toy’ chair provides the dog and its owner with a place to rest where the design of chair adopts an idea of ‘dog house’ providing a dog with a sheltered place to stay close to its owner. On the other hand, dog can also use the upper space for seating where it is the eye level of its owner making it easier to observe the environment. Chair can be also used as a tool for playing and training the dog. The design of chair is targeting dog sizes which are the most common to keep in flat accommodation. And so the chair is suitable for extra small ,small and medium sizes dogs and is too small for large and extra large users. Chair was designed having in mind cheaply sourced, low cost or even better free of charge materials in mind. It can be easily constructed from scrap wood or pieces of deconstructed pallets. Chair design consists of 70 wooden planks varying in length and 1 timber board.
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VISUAL
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USAGE
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Proposal by Laura Petruskeviciute
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“ROMANCER” PIECE FOR THE.. LOVE(BIRDS)
“ROMANCER” CONSTRUCTION ISO
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INTRO Romancer is the chair which explores distances in different stages of friendship. It allows users to sit close together and experience “intimate zone” ( 500mm face to face) The chair is designed for the “lovebirds”. Lovebirds considered to like: -Long talks -Stargazing -Looking at to each other eyes -Kissing -Having tea together -Cuddling All is praised within the design of the chair. The chair’s main material is reassembled euro-pallet which is cut into separate pieces. The finished seat consists of two pallets as the whole piece contains two same chairs . The can be rearranged in several combinations. One allows people to talk having a closer eye distance but further body space. The other one vice versa: close body distance and quite remote eye distance. The chair has a place for the coffee/tea cup and umbrella which creates intimacy.
M: Lets meet up? A: ..ok.
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VISUAL
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USAGE
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Proposal by Paulina Naruseviciute
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“LUNCH-BREAKER” PIECE DEDICATED TO LUNCH BREAK
“LUNCH-BREAKER� INTRO This low cost chair is made by reassembling reclaimed wood pallets together. It is designed to be suitable for a variety of people, whether they are a couple, a group of friends, or even a family. The chair should allow them to have their lunch comfortably and it should also help them to enjoy and relax themselves during their lunch breaks. The low pallet chair should allow different activities to happen, things that people might enjoy doing during their lunch intervals for example, reading, eating, chatting, and observing. In order for these activities to happen, the chair must be flexible to allow one to position themselves as they desire. Certain positions may include sitting upright, laying down on their front as well as back.
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This is achieved through the use of adjustable hinges on the backrests, and pin joints on the table legs. The adjustable hinges allows the person to adjust the back to an angle that suit themselves, this is ideal for people who enjoys to read in their spare times, or simply wants to lay their head back. The pin joints makes the table expandable when it is in use and contractible when it is not. Although it is possible for a person to pull up the table alone, it is made easier for two people, this forces conversation to happen between two, creating good community spirit, the social aspect between people is important here.
CONSTRUCTION ISO
ISO For people who wants to lay down, or a group that wants to use this furniture, everything can be folded down creating a flat platform and a bigger space. Want to have a picnic but you have forgotten to take your picnic blanket? Don’t worry there should be just enough space for a small picnic. Even use it to star gaze at night perhaps? Regardless, there are endless possibilities with this chair, and you’ll never have to worry about leaving the park with a wet bum again after forgetting you picnic blanket, this chair has got your back!
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ISO
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VISUAL
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Proposal by Michelle Ann
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“GAMER” PIECE FOR A TABLE GAMES LOVER
“GAMER” CONSTRUCTION ISO
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INTRO Play- is very important form of social behavior and usually it is related with children activities. However, it is a great form of relaxation which release happiness and positive emotions. It also helps to develop social and cognitive skills. In general, games should play much bigger role in daily life of every person’s life. Gamer chair was designed to invite people for a table game offering completely different gaming experience. Have you ever played chess or backgammon on seesaw? It promises good fun and a lot of laughter for you and your friend! The structure can also be repurposed for any other activity such as having lunch or chat. It is about interaction between people and good time together.
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ISO
VISUAL
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USAGE
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Proposal by Lai Kam Seng
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“GYMATRON” PIECE FOR SPORT LOVER
“GYMATRON” INTRO
The accessibility of outdoor exercise facilities is often overlooked in favour for indoor gyms that require membership, if effect creating ‘closed doors’ to the wider scale public. Many people today prefer to stay active outdoors as a result, leading to a great potential for outdoor gyms that offer more function and animation for unused spaces.
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In the design for the ‘active person’s chair’, the concept of a chair is approached more broadly. Instead multiple seating is located around a sculptural timber object that can be folded away for differing heights of person. The design uses its relatively heavy-weight timber construction to allow a chin-up bar and punching bag station to be incorporated. Additional to this is a weights bench and shelving for potential weights made from reclaimed bricks and structural masonry blocks. These blocks can be painted with various suggested exercises. The various activities populate the ‘pod’ in sculpted out recesses that can be painted to add vibrancy to the project. Reclaimed timber or plywood sheet can be sourced for the outer sheath and within the heavy timber frame, necessary for the load of the activities, can be hidden from view (also allowing heavier structural elements to be hidden inside acting as a counter weight). The simplicity of the form allows for further development of the surfaces with stencils and logos. The result will be an animated sculpture within the public space for the ‘active person’.
CONSTRUCTION ISO
USAGE
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VISUAL
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Proposal by Andrew McBride
Rotten Apple “ Workout Bricks”
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“LIGHT CATCHER” MAGIC BOX PIECE FOR MEDITATION
“LIGHT-CATCHER” CONSTRUCTION ISO
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INTRO Most chairs suggest a viewing opportunity; it was interesting to explore how a chair design could challenge this notion and offer something opposite. The proposed concept for this chair was a ‘chair without a view’. The design process was filtered through the most important design considerations; ecological and sustainability aspects. The conceptual approach of the design is a reclaimed timber cube with small openings for light. It is an object in the landscape with an intriguing opening on the lower part of the design. The opening also solves the practical issues of the chair becoming an unpleasant place over time. The interior space of the chair becomes a place of contemplation, a place to look at the play of light. As the seat takes away the sense of sigh it enhances the sense of smell and suggest opportunity for hanging various herbs and scented flowers. The chair offers sitting for one or two people at the same time. The construction for the chair consists of the main frame of four columns and cross beams. These are wrapped in timber slates with nails being attached to the main structure. The slates are then driller to create the dynamic lighting effect with different holes sizes. To emphasise the light effect the interior could be painted black. The chair lid would have its own frame and an angle to keep the inside dry. The simple geometry suggests simple erection and opportunity for the plain walls to be covered in stencil arts, or ‘Mobileland’ annotations. Its overall weight and proportions would allow flexibility of changing the location.
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INTERNAL SPACE
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Proposal by Titas Grikevicius
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“WHO AM I?” PIECE FOR THE THINKER
“WHO AM I?”
CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
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8 Pallets 60x80
2 Wood Pannels 30x80 1 Wood Pannel 60x30
2 Wood Pannels 60x60
4 Wood Pannels 60x40
(10) Scrap Wood 60x10
1 Wood Pillar 20x20x1.40 1 Wood Pillar 20x20x60
INTRO
ISO
“life passes by while you waiting” someone said. The chair is designed for the person to be alone for the moment, to stop and to think.
Everyone has those moments when you need a space from the world. But how can a person understand the real significance of life just looking to the World from the high level but being so close to the ground? How people can think about themselves just walking all day from one point to another? The answer to both questions would probably be “they cannot” because very rarely they stop. But now, for the human of the new millennium there is a new hope. The “Chair with a View” offers to focus on your problem from a different point of view. Its “altitude” creates a sense of predominance and elevation from materiality. From this position, people can finally feel like sitting on a “throne” and thinking about their problems or dreams. Just from that position, they can touch the sky and become small, but also in peaceful because they will be close to the infinity of the space. To produce this entire (new knowledge to solve human problems or just thinking a way to meet a nice girl and sit together on the lover chair) people can have all the latest equipment as a small table in which you can write or put something and a very practical hole in which you can put your coup of tea. All comforts, all humanity knowledge on one nice chair, you have just to climb to arrive (there is not mental wealth without effort!).
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VISUAL
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Proposal by Tommaso Cancelli
Sculpture by Stasys Zirgulis “ Government’s Chair”, Kaunas, Lithuania
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DEVELOPMENT/ SKETCH PROPOSALS
8.1 STORY BEHIND Mobile Furniture idea came up as initial response to the lack of interesting spaces to rest and spaces which engage to do something, which would attract to go for a walk.. At first stage our group decided to come up with individual ideas about mobility, flexibility, recycling and public engagement. However, the ideas we came up was “too generic” as we described and it didn’t encourage enough to engage more than a simple benches on the street. Therefore, we looked at “comfort zones” from which we started. The distances people engage in the street , distances they feel comfortable with stranger or uncomfortable. At this point we realised that street furniture we want to design needs to react to those distances as well as encourage a specific activity.
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Proposal by Laura Petruskeviciute
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Proposal by Paulina Naruseviciute
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Proposal by Lai Kam Seng
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Proposal by Michelle Ann
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Proposal by Tommaso Cancelli
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Proposal by Titas Grikevicius & Andrew McBride
...WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO FOR A WALK NOW?