Space:
Glass from left side of entrance to back side window
Obvious ways in which a visitor is intended to interact with the space:
-intended to sit and lay on the circular cushions
Ways of interacting that are overtly prohibited:
-volume level: aspect of quietness
-not sit on the same place as someone else
How can one rupture or draw attention to one of these aspects?
– place a middle backing in the center of ottoman to establish barrier so people can sit on the same one
-have “privacy corners” → place stickers on window so obscured from the window. You can see through to the outside, but outside can’t see in. observatory position but keeping the “privacy” of your space. Clear sticker with opaque patterning, you can still see through the patterning but you’d be obscured from others.
Are there people already actively engaged in disrupting the space intended use? If so, who/how/why?
-they’re not sitting on ottomans, they are sitting on the window that aren’t meant for usage. They do this because there’s an aspect of uncomfortableness to the seats, they move a lot and there’s something about sitting on them that causes you to feel exposed and on exhibition, as opposed to the corner of the window
What defines this space as opposed to other spaces?
– not a traditional lobby, has a lot going on. Always open, non exclusive access. No other area to sit like this, non confining area. You can use it in whatever way you want. Least rigid, not set use for it as opposed to other places like the lobby or making center or work halls that have specific uses.
What communities utilize this space?
-students and teachers, meeting places with friends, people that wait for the elevators, but not people that work here other than teachers
What defines a community?
-the interaction among a group of people that come together under similar positions and standings in the school. Communities would be students, teachers and other employees. Students feel more comfortable sitting here then employees. Only seen teachers sitting here when they’re with students.
How do different communities utilize in the same space in different ways?
Students tend to sit, do work, hang out, and stay in the space longer. Employees don’t really interact with it and teachers don’t feel as comfortable utilizing the space as students do.
Intention for space:
-accentuate the rupture by making the space more desirable than the seats, calling attention to how people interact with the seats less then they do the windows, despite the seats being the intended sitting area. But also providing a potential creative proposition that addresses this issue and forces people to engage with it.
Both accentuating the problem and providing a solution:
Two converging ideas:
-Bringing attention to the windows, thereby calling attention to the aspect of sitting where you are not supposed to
-Bringing attention to chairs highlights this problem and provides a solution
Brings the two ideas together:
-aspect of coziness compliments the two converging ideas and brings the windows and seats together to create an interactive and complementary space between the two architectural oppositions
Suggestions on how to put forth ideas :
Accentuating disruption of space:
-stickers on windows to give that privacy
-window pane separators so you don’t have to make eye contact with person in front of you
Providing creative proposition to utilize space:
-pillows and blankets to invite more people to utilize space in a comfortable way
-backing in center of ottoman to allow more than one person to sit at same time
Think about:
How do we get people to interact with blankets? Do they match the seats? What is the signage? How do we use architecture of space so we subversively get in there? What is our strategy of putting stickers up? Are there ways in which the aesthetics of what we place on windows that people will think we are official and have permission? Think about orchestration of all of this.
Use red color scheme: color of parsons. Think about if there is a logo on the blankets or vinyl that we want to put on? Is there an image, pattern or design that on the window? How can we bring in humour or social politics into that? If the purpose is to hide the person’s body from outside then how can you push that in different directions in terms of how people feel about it?
Blankets+pillows: grey blankets with red parsons logo so people know they can use them and integrated into ottoman color scheme, get a less clingy blanket then fleece so things don’t cling to it. Grey Pillows in circular shape to mimic circular shape of ottoman. Make the pillows also function as the backing in center of Ottoman, so have three pillows from large to small stacked on top of each other that can function as backing people can lean on or they can choose to take them off of each other and use them to sprawl out.
Questions to ask the community that utilize the space:
- Why are you using the ledge and not the seat?
- Sitting on the window ledge do you like looking out/people looking in?
- Do you class in this building soon?
- Do you feel like you have to stay quiet?
- Is it out of respect or is it out of discomfort?
- What do you think the intended use of this space was?
- Would you sleep here?
- Would you change the function of the space? If so, how?
- How often do you use this space as a seating area?
- On average, how long do you spend in this space?