PLB to go

In collaboration with: Studio Jeanne van Heeswijk, Stipo

Lately there have been many developments within architecture in the area of so-called ‘wearible architecture’. More specifically, research is being done to see how behaviors and attitudes of people can be organized to lead to a more social and shared use of public space.
Public space is about the space where people live but even more it’s about how people interact with each other in these environments, it’s a cultural experience and the dynamics of this can create the possibility of seeing things from different perspectives.

For Nieuw Poelenburg, we were asked to create a child friendly trail. We wanted to challenge the children that live in the area, by becoming visible through there own interactions and group movement. In a playful way, conduct and attitude were encouraged through different workshops. When children move through the area as a group they create dynamic trails of usage and movement that not only visualizes their presence but also rearranges public space. As a result the children themselves, with their dynamic interaction with one another in the group will give shape to the child friendly trial.

Through several workshops we developed a proposal for an interactive light system.

1st workshop: Visibility
With the help of glow in the dark paint and a series of drawings and questions about visibility and safety we challenged the children to think about child friendly trials and what they would have to look like.

2nd workshop: Visibility as a group
A large group of children is more visible then being on your own. A group of children acted in our short movie about individual and grouped visibility.

3rd workshop: Illuminated clothing
Girls and boys designed their own reflective cool outfits.

4th workshop: Illuminated accessories