Group of 3 | School Assignment | Urban Installation | March 2023 | 4 weeks
___________________________________________
For a full viewing, here is the slideshow we comprised that explores each station in-depth and has virtual renderings to go with them:
Research
We began this project by discussing Christopher Day's 4 layers of play; they were physical, time/life, mood, and spirit. My group and I brainstormed ideas for each layer, which included using the field and making a multifunctional mechanism at each end to inspire different games, creating a moveable streetcar along a path that told the history of Weinland Park, and enhancing the mood of the pavilion with tables designated for different activities.
We visited the park at times when no one else happened to be out, except for the school kids at recess. Because of this, we couldn't grasp the spirit completely for it felt empty without parkgoers interacting with the space. However, we sensed an overlap in the different layers of play for some of our ideas and landed on one that incorporated the physical space that prompted the community to create the spirit.
Process
The idea was to utilize modularity and create modifiable inserts that could be placed into the parkside of a chainlink fence that was boxing in a basketball court.
In the image below, we brainstormed different uses for the inserts, some were to inspire games like Scrabble, and others would have modifications to allow them to act as race tracks or musical instruments:
We selected a handful of our proposed ideas and laid them out on a blueprint of the fence for a feel of the space.
With that, we landed on what stations to focus on and were left to design each insert.
If you hover over an image below and click on it, you can read the caption for each design:
We found two supports was the most optimal to fit the uneven design of the fence.
For our track we extruded another insert into our inserts to fit a joystick.
Laid on top of the diamond base is a puzzle piece that would have an image printed on it.
Below is a picture of our prototype conducting a game of hangman as well as a picture of the welcome sign we displayed for people to scan the QR code and be shown the design we envisioned for the rest of the fence:
Reflection
Once this project wrapped, I kept the possibilities of this design in my mind and found myself interested in the ideas we didn't get to produce. The track station was made to create moveable paths on a fence, but developing the idea further, whether it be the insert itself or the games you play with it, would have been really cool to see in action.
The same goes with the music station, which didn't get past our brainstorming phase, but creating almost a customizable Bop It to stick in the fence is still an idea that would be very fulfilling to create. Regardless, I give thanks to my two group partners for their part in the creation of Chain Reaction and will remember this project in the future.
