^{Urban Scenography}

Urban Installation
Partner: Roystonhill Community Hub
2024

Liminal spaces are transitional and often overlooked spaces that exist as residual areas between established destinations. This project focuses on a specific underpass beneath the M8 motorway in Royston, traversed daily by commuters from residential areas to the city center. However, this passage is associated with feelings of insecurity, neglect, and monotony. The project aims to facilitate a transition from non-place to a 'third place,' offering a social environment that is neither work, home, or a place of consumption. Through a co-design process involving the underpass's users, the intervention introduces three scenographic elements that reveal the space’s potential for play, introspection, and improve the feeling of safety. Passersby are invited to interact with reflective and colorful installations, engaging with the sun’s light to create playful scenes. The use of mirror stainless steel enhances visibility and contributes to improving the sense of safety by reflecting the surrounding environment. This scenography encourages users to interpret light and shadow effects; rotative structures allow to redirect the sun’s light, distorted metal surfaces cast atmospheric reflections, and sliding transparent colored panels blend colored shadows. They define areas and create sensorial ludic cues that transform the perception of the space.

^{Three scenographic devices revealing the underpass’ potential for play and introspection and enhancing the feeling of safety.}

^Process

Impressions from users of the space

Co-Design workshop

The workshop welcomed 10 participants, from a local councellor to parents and members of local associations. They raised many issues concerning the feeling of safety and depressing atmosphere of the space. Their ideas for re-enchantment revolved around play and creative expression.

^Process

^{Location & Intention}

During my time in Cologne, I was living in the Kalk district, this area is overlooked and deserted by public infrastructures and in need of design initiatives. Behind the Arcaden mall is a vast and shadeless area, surrounded by housing buildings where children often play in the sun. The intention was to re-enchant this public space by playing with the characteristics of its environment, and allow kids to express their storytelling potential through a new medium.

^Workshop

We wanted to involve children at a very early stage in the design of our structure and carry o ut a research and ideating session with them. We rapidily reached out to Pavillion Kalk Youth Center who accepted to support our project and to help us organize a workshop with the children living near Burger Park. We created tools that allowed us to co-create the installation with the kids of the district, to understand their needs and give them freedom to create their own playground games.