SpaceSee Public Screens: Collaboration with Interactive Public Spaces
UNStudio, in collaboration with the research group Interactive Public Spaces of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA), is carrying out research into the application and design of media screens for use in outdoor public spaces.
Public space is a social form of physical space that exists in various forms within the urban fabric. It can be defined as a connecting space, where people come to a common understanding and shared social experience.
Following a need expressed by the outdoor media industry for the acquisition of assignments which would make a valuable contribution to outdoor space – for example to influence safety or social interaction – UNStudio joined forces with the research group Interactive Public Spaces of the HvA to develop public screens with various possible applications. To date public screens in The Netherlands have been used primarily for advertising purposes, however there are numerous further possible applications. Outdoor media companies in The Netherlands often experience cultural sensitivities relating to public screens from municipalities, managers of public spaces and from the public. However initiatives carried out abroad demonstrate that public screens can in fact make a positive contribution to public space. The Dutch situation is seen to be unique and therefore requires tailored research and innovation.
The objective of the research is to create outdoor media screens with added value for public space. It examines the role that media screens can play in supporting the needs and activities in public spaces of both individual organisations and the public. In addition, valid operating models are being investigated for media screens which are not designed primarily for marketing purposes. Small and medium-sized enterprises, student and faculty researchers are collaborating on applied research through pilot projects and user and literature-based investigations in order to address the above mentioned issues.
The overall goal of the project is to develop the public screen concept further and to add interactive social value to public spaces. This concept and its content needs to be economically viable and aesthetically attractive for the general public and possible customers.
The role of UNStudio is to focus on the typology of public spaces and to define activities and requirements associated with these spaces. UNStudio will also help to identify possible locations based on shared typological characteristics from the researched public spaces.
The research work is undertaken in collaboration with students, researchers and interactive media companies. UNStudio will supply knowledge to integrate public screens in the built environment and will support in the design of a future media screen. According to the project structure the consortium members will contribute technical expertise and media content for the design guidelines.
See more on the project website (in Dutch).
UNStudio Team: Ger Gijzen, Tom Minderhoud
Partners: Interactive Public Spaces - Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA)