Often times, in the attempt to discourage the homeless from using park benches as a temporary home, these benches have become cold and lonely objects within a landscape.
Dynamic. Responsive. Relevant. In every design review or crit, words like this are constantly thrown out. As students of architecture, we seek to create spaces which can engage with the users. Can individual objects in a public space evoke this type of environment?
Case study: Sean Goodsell
These benches designed by architect Sean Goodsell can be adapted to be temporary shelters for the homeless. His projects such as the bus shelter house and the park shelter house not only provide a practical place for the homelss, but provide insight and social commentary to the way in which we use our public space.
Some other inspiring images:
Instead of individual objects placed on sidewalks, and parks, can public furniture be integrated create a more applicable and relevant environment for the public??
Possible design projects... very rough brainstorming?
1) Every Sunday in Hong Kong, the density of people along walkways and streets grows exponentially. For domestic helpers in Hong Kong, Sundays are rest days and subsequently, public spaces become places to picnic, socialize, and gather. Can a system of adaptable or transportable furniture be created to service these areas? Would traditional furniture (such as benches and tables) really be the correct solution for these places?
2) "Grown up playground"?
Some questions I'm thinking about:
1) What SCALE and SIZE is necessary for a public intervention?
2) Can furniture in a landscape be architectural??
3) Do the objects placed in a space really affect the way people interact/respond??
2 comments:
Q3: spinning mushroom benches. yes.
SUMMARY NOTES
THESIS PREP
Shani-
I am sorry for the lack of communication, but email seems to be bouncing back to me. I sent a message to Joanna, to provide me a contact for you, but no luck. I hope that this makes it to you.
First of all, I think your initial queries about furniture and how to make it beneficial to outdoor public space is a wonderful topic and an important design problem to be addressed, because it is so frequently ignored as the left over space after all the functional features of a building have been completed and paid for.
This sounds like the thesis may be heading for either 1) the repair of a forlorn public space in a city, or 2) a stand alone public park, or other more isolated setting, or 3) the design of a furniture object that can be situated in any number of settings, to serve a particular need. Is there another I am leaving out? Do you have a preference.
One thing that comes to mind are the many design competitions and ideas programs for the redesign of City Hall Plaza in downtown Boston. This is an expansive wind blown desert that has been begging for a redo. And central to that is the question of how can one improve the way in which City Hall itself can better address this space and become friendlier as a destination. I am sure that their are many other examples of spaces you could find that need similar repair.
If your project is site specific, I would recommend finding a site in the Boston/Cambridge area that you can actually go to, and study throughout the thesis.
As you do research on public space design, think about the various users and demographics that use public space. Are you going to design for a single demographic, or are you going to find a way to support the spectrum to coexist together or in close proximity.
I have a park close to home, redesigned in the last few years, adjacent to Peabody Terrace and Memorial Drive, that was forlorn and sketchy, until it was renovated. Now it is almost always active. And each age group has its safe and supportive setting to enjoy the benefits of public space.
Toddlers and young children play in one corner, teenage basket ball and street hockey in another, and older folks relax in a more quiet zone that can over see all or separate.
Take us a step further. What might you like to design, and give us some examples of the good and bad of these.
Best, Alan
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