Urban Wanderer
15 West Elevator
Objective
The urban wanderer is passing through space. She/He pauses long enough on their way through the city to observe the character of the urban condition.
Choose a location in RISD campus and design an intervention to an urban space that will alter the perceptions or behavior of those who observe or inhabit this object. Their interaction will be for no more than 30 minutes. Client is anyone.
Project Duration: 5 days
Choose a location in RISD campus and design an intervention to an urban space that will alter the perceptions or behavior of those who observe or inhabit this object. Their interaction will be for no more than 30 minutes. Client is anyone.
Project Duration: 5 days
About the Site I chose the elevator in 15 West Dormitory on Westminister Street to set the installation. This RISD Dormitory houses Portfolio Cafe, a RISD-run cafeteria, and RISD Fleet Library on the first floor. A material library is on the second floor, and from the third floor to the eleventh floor are student dormitories.
Elevator is a device that travels vertically Students utilize elevator unconsciously to get to first floor for food, library, and classes. It is an almost invisible transportation experience. |
|
The choice of 15 West Building elevator is an interesting study of human behavior within this thirty second trip on the elevator.
I notice some interesting observation in the elevator, people usually tend to take the corners and sides when walk in the elevator, and they keep a certain distance from others in the 30 second ride. Within this period, it is an awkward silence in the elevator and people don't want to make any eye contact. Also, when elevator stops at certain floors, people get impatient and irritated. It is a short few seconds ride that is mandatory but everyone is impatient and oblivious for.
So, I want to make the elevator ride little different, with an unexpected surprise when the door opens, more interaction and less boring ﹣﹣or at least no awkward atmosphere﹣﹣for the riders. Make the elevator trip a fun experience instead of a dreadful wait.
I randomly pick two out of four elevators for my installation. All six sides of interior of the elevator would be covered with color glass panels. On the glass panels are sentences to fill in the blank. Sentences such as "my earliest memory is _____," "before I die I want to _____," "I think RISD should _____," "my wildest dream would be _____"...etc. Answers are written with erasable marker on the glass, allowing unlimited people put their own opinion up. It is interesting to read others message. Besides interesting to read, but also something to do, whether reading or writing, the elevator ride is less boring and less awkward!
I pick two set of color match to differentiate the elevators and to make it more eye popping. First elevator have yellow glass base and purple text, the Third elevator have blue glass base and orange text. I like to see people's reaction and thought they walk into the wrong place. It is also be great that if some people heard of this installation, they would want to wait for the specific elevator just to put up their answer and reading others comments!
I notice some interesting observation in the elevator, people usually tend to take the corners and sides when walk in the elevator, and they keep a certain distance from others in the 30 second ride. Within this period, it is an awkward silence in the elevator and people don't want to make any eye contact. Also, when elevator stops at certain floors, people get impatient and irritated. It is a short few seconds ride that is mandatory but everyone is impatient and oblivious for.
So, I want to make the elevator ride little different, with an unexpected surprise when the door opens, more interaction and less boring ﹣﹣or at least no awkward atmosphere﹣﹣for the riders. Make the elevator trip a fun experience instead of a dreadful wait.
I randomly pick two out of four elevators for my installation. All six sides of interior of the elevator would be covered with color glass panels. On the glass panels are sentences to fill in the blank. Sentences such as "my earliest memory is _____," "before I die I want to _____," "I think RISD should _____," "my wildest dream would be _____"...etc. Answers are written with erasable marker on the glass, allowing unlimited people put their own opinion up. It is interesting to read others message. Besides interesting to read, but also something to do, whether reading or writing, the elevator ride is less boring and less awkward!
I pick two set of color match to differentiate the elevators and to make it more eye popping. First elevator have yellow glass base and purple text, the Third elevator have blue glass base and orange text. I like to see people's reaction and thought they walk into the wrong place. It is also be great that if some people heard of this installation, they would want to wait for the specific elevator just to put up their answer and reading others comments!