Pinwheels!
THE PROBLEM
Driven by smart city or play in city concepts, interactive embedments in cityscapes have become ubiquitous in many cities. However, it is unclear how sustainable is their value add, beyond immediate and momentary pleasure of novelty.
THE NEED
It is characteristic of urban spaces to have dense development, yet even neighbours are strangers. In such individualistic settings, interactive public space installations have the power to engage and nurture a shared experience, forming a shared memory. They could add meaning to one’s experience of the space through opportunities for learning, self-reflection and social interactions. They could imbue vibrancy to the space, luring reuse and re-engagement, and maybe also contribute to growth of businesses in the vicinity.
These hypotheses need validation, to inform spatial planning and policy on interactive digital interventions in public spaces to drive lasting change.
PROJECT OBJECTIVE
Understand the value-add of an investment such as an interactive installation at a public space, through following enquiries:
1) Amidst the many attention seeking elements when at a public space, how do people reciprocate and engage with an interactive setup embedded within the space.
2) In such a public space, how does one’s actions and reactions with an interactive installation influence a third person acting as a spectator, and whether performers enjoy manipulating with other
performers’/spectators’ actions and reactions, i.e., does an interactive installation enhance engagement between strangers and familiar strangers?
3) Do these immersive experiences make the same persons use and engage with the space more, and in turn maybe drive businesses in that space?
EXECUTION
In cafe settings, two scales of interactive objects were deployed: a humanscale installation at the common space, with a similarly representative objective at the cafe tables.
EXECUTION
Initial observations found that, people visit cafes with a purpose – for chatting, eating and meeting. In in process they tend to wait, and inattentively scan the place, often preoccupied one’s own with thoughts. In this state, to draw attention, the artefacts embedded in the public settings must be either be loudly novel and curiosity triggering or simple, elegant and hold a character that everyone can easily relate with. Opting for the latter, the universally nostalgic Pinwheels were put to use and tested for people’s engagement in responsive, non-responsive and interactive states.
FINDINGS
Simple and relatable artefacts in a public space, easily draw attention and engagement, allowing opportunity for the people using the space to develop a relationship with the artefact. In this search for a relationship, the interactivity of public space objects helps develop meaning to people’s experience with the space and the object. This study alone could not decipher whether the installation also improved the cafe’s business or increased the number of people visiting and using the space. However it was observed that people brought in their friends to the cafe, to engage with the installation. Indicating people’s way of finding opportunity to come to revisit and re-engage with the space and the artefact.
As hypothesised, interactive public space installations that are relatable, do add value to the space and the people. While this is promising, to adequately inform policies and planning, further explorations are needed based on types of public spaces and intensities of interactions. Including studies on their value add to people across age and abilities.
PROJECT STATUS
Completed.