Report Case Study 9.0
2020
Our outdoor living room
Corpo-real/ ArtEZ Master Interior Architecture
Corpo-real provides a LAB-based community in Zwolle where we investigate the corpo-real. In the word corpo-real ‘corpo’ stands for bodies in general, and ‘real’ for the reality that they relate to. A fundamental principle of Corpo-real is the intertwining of theory and artistic research. Three main strands are developed for this: Expert Unit, Case, Theory, and Reflect.
ArtEZ, Zwolle location
All four semesters of the two-year full-time education programme start with a three-week introduction, consisting of the following components: Travel, Intervention and Public. During the ‘Travel’ week, we explore the world, looking for new thoughts, developments, insights. During the ‘Intervention’ week, we will be working from the inside out, in a reflective and contemplative manner. Finally, the ‘Public’ week is when students share their research, visions of the future and designs with the world at large. Vision Humanity has never changed as much as it has in the last 20 years, in social interactions, the economic systems, our living environment in cities and neighbourhoods and in the ongoing globalisation. Today’s reality of new unfolding social and political structures, immigration, gender issues, scientific and technological developments challenge us in profound ways. Corpo-real students are encouraged to reflect, discuss and act upon these issues in a respectful and open environment. For the near future Corpo-real identifies four urgent matters: 1. Social spaces: bodies of local and sharing communities, about tribal communities, global digital networks and sharing freespace; 2. Spaces of inclusion: migration as a source of growth and connection, about being radically inclusive, taking care of others, being aware of vulnerabilities within certain groups; 3. Economical spaces: the common good economy, about modern banking, new communities, and about sharing; 4. New bodies of technologies spaces: the interface between human and technology, transhumanism, privacy matters and unpredictable digital futures. Case In the Case-study, students work on an urgent research question which plays an important role in work commissions by institutional clients. These are challenges which do not require immediate and concrete solutions; rather, the clients are looking for unexpected new strategies and scenarios. The main teaching methods used are field work, studio days and workshops. Research methods are adopted from other disciplines such as anthropology, writing, scenography or curating. Irene Müller (tutor case-study) Ingrid van Zanten (head Corpo-real)
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Contents
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About us Our outdoor living room Place Making as a way to approach Testing and prototypes Interviews Green veins Revitalisation of alleyways Outdoor furniture Temporary to permanent Youth do it Social or Public Space Internet and social media Conclusion Colophon
Case Study 9.0/ Our outdoor living room
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About us
We are a diverse group of international students with backgrounds from all around the world. Together we bring in ideas from our cultures, giving more depth and dimension throughout the design process. As spatial designers, we aim to better our communities through research & experiment & co-creating. We strive to leave an impact.
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Our outdoor living room
Our theme for this case study centralises on the concept of “my outdoor living room” as an extension of our indoor space. The idea is to link elements from our own living room to the outdoor living room of the neighbourhood. This is a way to give ownership to the residents so they can feel more connected to their neighbourhood. The outdoor living room is also a home to other living creatures. The plants and animals also have ownership over the place. This is a living room where all of the different forms of life converge
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Place Making as a way to approach After our first session with the municipality and hearing the problem of the Dizerport neighbourhood, our observation had begun. After some initial brainstorming, we divided ourselves into different teams. The project required getting familiar with the neighbourhood area, so we walked through it several times. Based on our early observation, we started to make some designs and model test outs to induce and examine the reaction of the inhabitants. Afterward, our first Place Making workshop with Anna Dekker helped us to understand the aim and purpose behind it. By definition, Placemaking is both a philosophy and a practical process for transforming public spaces. It is centered on observing, listening to, and questioning the people who live, work, and play in a certain area to understand their needs and aspirations for that space and their overall community. The main problem of the Dizerport neighbourhood as the municipality explained was the lack of inhabitants’ participation and engagement in community activities, and with it the decline of the level of satisfaction with the neighbourhood. As a studio, we were asked to find an approach that would engage people more in the community and make them feel more satisfied with their neighbourhood. In other words, we were required to think of improvements, which would make the Diezeport public space more pleasant for everyone, and we believed this could be accomplished through the place-making approach.
Firstly, the process demanded getting to know the community and identifying the stakeholders. Therefore, investigating the neighbourhood was our first step in this workshop. We were divided into groups of three and asked to walk in a different area of the neighbourhood while noting anything that grabs our attention. Secondly, spending time in the area was crucial to evaluate the space, as well as identify its assets or challenges. This will inform the creation of a vision for the place. In the second step, we put our findings on the map and generated different maps to name: trees and flowers, shops, stores, banks, drugstores, roots and alleyways, and... This gave us an overview of our findings and their connection to the surroundings. In the third step, all the groups lay down their maps on top of each other to see the relationship between each finding. This type of overlaying maps revealed more information for us to utilize later. At the end of this workshop, we were introduced to the next phases of placemaking which was making test out models and put them in the neighbourhood and collect information by analyzing people reaction, and then, based on previous mappings and observations, make a questioner and ask people about their neighbourhood and their needs.
Case Study 9.0/ Our outdoor living room
Attract more and more people to come to the place and enjoy their play!
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Testing and Prototypes It is important to clarify from the outset that play and its associated benefits do not pertain only to children but to all human beings. “Moreover, children’s playscape–defined as the landscape where children are able to play.” Frost, 1992 While walking around the Diezerpoort, there is no one use the parks and the open space in the Diezerpoort. According to our background research and analysis, parks and squares are empty during both the weekday and weekend. It will allow us to formulate tests for our installation models located in the playground, gardens, and streets. We will then observe how the people interact with it, seeing if it is compatible with the users. And if they aren’t successful, we’ll try it again! In the first step, we collect some recycled rubber tires and a school chair as our first testing model. We apply the elastic feature of rubber tires as a fun seat for the user. Sit while playing. This idea also has a weight and comfort test to examine its safety. From the first test model concept, we add some playful and game-ori- entation tools with our new one. Inspired by the common recreation- al equipment of the playground: the swing and the climbing. Create a bigger scale model with 90 by 90cm and height 180cm for not only kids but also for every age. People can sit, climb, and swing on it. Attract more and more people to come to the place and enjoy their play!
Case Study 9.0/ Our outdoor living room
Figure [Target group] Target1: group
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Neighbourhood
Figure 1: [Ta
Figure 3: [Results interview]
ood]
Figure 2: [Neighborhood]
Results interview
Figure 3: [Results interview]
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Interviews Young and multicultural Around 955 people live in Dieze-Centrum. Of these, 61% are adults (age between 25 to 65), of which 40% are even younger than 45 years. In addition to the young age, there are also 20% of young adults. Elderly over 65 year are in the minority with only 10% of people and only 9% are children of aged up to 15 years. From this you can conclude that it is a very young neighbourhood with many people who are in the beginning or bloom of their lives. Most of them have their background in the Netherlands, but 22% of the resident are from different nationalities. This makes it already a multicultural neighbourhood.
Collect data In February we went into the neighbourhood and spoke to people on the street and passed the houses to collect information from the residents themselves. This will give us a better idea of how the residents experience their place to live. We interviewed people in all stages of life, so you get results from all different perspectives, for example from students, (not) employed and retired. Just over half of the interviewed people are single, the other in minority half is married or in relationship. 87% of them plan to stay here for the next years. It was noticed that the people who did not plan to stay were mainly the young adults like the students.
Satisfaction yet improvement When we asked them if they are satisfied with their neighbourhood most of them said yes, only a small 7% were not. But a very striking answer to the question where we asked if they would like to see things change or improve showed a contradiction. Here it was only 20% that was satisfied, and 80% of them prefer to see here something changed or improved. Also came out that they don’t often use the public space such as the park, 67% does not visit the Warmoespark that is the big park in middle of this neighbourhood or the other smaller parks there. A lot of people mention that there is a lot of trash and dog shit on the ground, they want to see that there is more attention to this problem and see more garbage bins in the area to have
it cleaner. Also they mention that the area lack in sitting places and they like to have it more to make the area comfortable. They like to see new or improved facility in the park and spots organize activities, such as BBQ or picnics. 93% thinks that there is already enough green in their neighbourhood, which also is in contradiction to what they added on the list with lack of facilities. They want to see more green, but it has to be maintained well. A few think that more green can be a natural solution for the climate change or biodiversity.
Safety in the dark Most people feel safe in Dieze-Centrum. Only 18% said sometimes to feel unsafe, often in the evenings and night. More than the half of the interviewed people thinks that the safety is related to the amount and use of light in the area. Since we did observe the area in nighttime we can conclude that there is not enough light, especially in the parks and alleyways. The residents agreed in this, This darkness could give them an unsafe feeling.
Social interaction Most people know their neighbours and even 62% of the residents we interviewed have different kind of interaction with their neighbours beyond the greetings. Some have every day contact, some only know the neighbours next door and some share food and some have a small chat when they are outside. There are sometimes bigger neighbourhood activities organized, like a BBQ once a year, cleaning the neighbourhood together or gardening etc. Even when there is already interaction in this area, still 65% of the interviewed people like to have more contact with their neighbours than they currently have.
Figure 4 (Needs)
Case Study 9.0/ Our outdoor living room
In my living room, I have different comfortable sitting spots. In my living room, I have a nice spotto nestle and read a book. In my living room, I have different kinds of art and entertainment. In my living room, I play. In my living room, I have friends and family over. In the birds’ living room, they have trees to nest on. In the mushrooms’ living room, they have dark hiding spots. In the trees’ living room, they have space to stretch their roots. In the plants and flowers’ living room, some have plenty of shade and the rest have a lot of sun. In the bees and other insects’ living room, they have spots to hide and snacks from flower saps. In our living room, we all come to meet each other.
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OUR OUTDOOR LIVING ROOM
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Existing tree types
Sketches possibilities waterwell
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Green veins
Network of green veins Standing here and see the neighbourhood change when I grow older and older. I am a big Horse Chestnut tree from the family Soapberry and live here since 1910; they also call me the Grandfather tree. Every day I see people following their routine, which are mostly non-stationary activities. I heard that the municipality asks for some changes in this neighbourhood DiezeCentrum. They want to see more green and make it a place to feel comfortable, to lure the inhabitants to come out of their houses to be inside the extended living room. How can we connect the residents with their neighbourhood trough adding the green element?
Green element The importance of green did we categorize in four aspects, the social, the health, the climate change and the biodiversity. Different studies have shown that residents of greener neighbourhoods experience more social cohesion, beside that they also feel less lonely and less often experience a lack of social support (Maas, van Dillen, Verheij, Groenewegen, 2009). Greenery in our neighbourhood can give a lot of different functions and outdoor activities, for instance sport, play or walking the dog. It offers a place where we can exercise, which is good for our physical health. Being outside in a green environment is also good for our mental health, because it reduces our stress level. Other research shows that outdoor activities have a greater impact than indoor activities on social cohesion, because they are more visible and therefore more accessible for making contacts with neighbours (Vreke, Salverda, Langers, 2010). From this we can conclude that if we add more greenery in this neighbourhood, the residents will be more outside, feel healthier and they will feel more connected to their extended living room and socially connected to each other.
Climate change People who live in neighbourhood with less green space may experience more extreme impacts from the climate change. In Dieze-Centrum we have around 8% green cover rate, this can be a lot more. Because the weather gets more extreme, we will experience more heavy rain and more heat waves each year. When we will have greener surfaces in our neighbourhood, the rainwater can go trough the ground instead of in the drains, this can help to limit flooding when it rains a lot. Additionally helps a green area to keep the urban temperatures down, for example can one large tree equals ten air-conditioners on a sunny day. This is due to evaporation via the leaves, also known as ‘evapotranspiration’. (Döpp, 2011) When we go outside for to cool ourselves down, it will also reduce the energy consumption, because of less use of ventilation and air condition systems. We can also think of creative ways to attract people to go outside on hot summer days, to for example add functional or playful waterwells.
Case Study 9.0/ Our outdoor living room
Existing green
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Extended green
Increase the green surface
GREEN VEINS
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Biodiversity Inside this extended living room in Dieze-Centrum live not only the human residents, but also the trees, shrubs, plants and all kinds of insects and animals. Biodiversity is good for the balance in nature, which provides among others food, raw materials and clean air for us as humans. To make the neighbourhood a good habitat for these insects like butterflies and bees we need at least 10% of greenery that is varied and contains enough food, offers hiding places and a network distributed throughout the area. (van Rooij, 2016)
The green veins To create a complete network trough the neighbourhood, we start with me in the center, the old Grandfather Tree. Like green veins it will flow along walking paths, parking area, crossing roads and continue into different alleys. The sidewalk will have a combination of grass and tiles. The grass can absorbs the rainwater and the tile structure causes that it is still good to walk on. The parking lots will have a same structure but denser, the tile structure will be smaller so it is almost invisible, but it will protect the grass when parking. For the crossovers we can use this same green pavement in the appearance of a pedestrian crossing.
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Order food forest
GREEN VEINS
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Greenery Islands For including the biodiversity in this neighbourhood we need a large variation of green. It is about monoculture out – diversity in, we need bloom in every season to contain enough food and dense planting to – offer hiding places for the insects. We researched the existing green, which mainly consists of grass field and some trees. We mapped out the different tree types and in which family they belong. By extending the green groundcover as green veins and having these trees we still miss a lot layers in between. Inspired by the order of a food forest we designed circular greenery island around trees. These islands can be spread over the area, connected to a tree, connected to the green veins. The green veins contribute to the climate change by enlarging the green surface. This network included the greenery island improves the biodiversity. It ensures better health for the residents and it will connect them to their neighbours and to their environment. This will create a basis layer for our extended living room where the residents and the nature live together.
References: Maas, J., van Dillen, S. M. E., Verheij, R. A., & Groenewegen, P. P. (2009). Social contacts as a possible mechanism behind the relation between green space and health. Health & Place, 15(2), 586–595. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2008.09.006 Van Rooij et al. (2016). Een Bij-zonder kleurrijk landschap in Land van Wijk en Wouden; Handreiking 2.0 voor inrichting en beheer voor bestuivende insecten. Alterra, Wageningen UR. Groene Cirkels Rapport nr. 5. Sonja Döpp, S. (2011, April 14). Climate Proof City’s: Kennismontage Hitte en Klimaat in de Stad. Retrieved from https://edepot.wur.nl/351459 Vreke, J. Salverda, I.E. Langers, F. (2010). Niet bij rood alleen: Buurtgroen en sociale cohesie. https://edepot.wur.nl/157568
ng Mounds
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Case Study 9.0/ Our outdoor living room
Ground layer: MAN
Sit & swing
Slide
Underground layer: ROOTS
Kick & run
Sit & build
Climbing Mounds
PLAY GROUND
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3-Layer park The heart of Diezerpoort starts at the park because this is where most of the paths intersect through. It is a huge green open space which brings a lot of interesting opportunities for us. Inspired by the “different paths of life” with man, the birds and the little creatures, and the plants and trees we designed a 3-layer park to represent each life where the bees, birds and the trees conquer the air, while man, the insects, and the plants dominate the ground and the roots and mushrooms fill the underground. They all come together in a crossing through the park. For the ground layer, my main idea was to study the way people can interact in the park in the form of park furniture. I visited various parks around Arnhem and Zwolle and made different observations. I noticed that a lot of the parks seems to discourage interaction with these linear 3-seater bench where people tend to distance themselves from each other while the C-bench inspired more people at the park to face each other and interact.
Ground level
This is the overview of the park with paths of the ground level, some of these paths lead inside the underground “caves” where the roots and mushrooms hide. The design of the undulating landscape is to inspire play for children. The landscape is subdivided into paths create that little sections or “islands” where it centers on a different element of play such as sliding, play ball, sand building, and swinging. Though with the little elements of play, the main purpose is to let the children and visitors interact with the landscape.
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Case Study 9.0/ Our outdoor living room
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Above ground
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Layers - Above Ground
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The central theme of the bridge has been inspired by the path and directions, which bumble bees create while doing the waggle dance. In the same park there are also three different layers: the underground layer, ground floor layer, and higher-layer which represents the bees.
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In scenario I, the spectators finds a hive puzzle, which is located on the tree. The spreads are all over the tree with various information about the bees. When completed, the spectators can read the stories of the bees.
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Scenario II is based on a concept with wall plants and dives which is build on a wood structure attached to the tree. The concept is creating nature on top of nature and provide nesting and food for biodiversity.
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The design of this tree is inspired by pollination methods of bumble bees. Different than other bee species, bumble bees vibrate when they’re pollinating. Thus a light system has been designed, by using vibration by spectators, the light strips in the tree turns on. The design of the fourth scenario is based on a ladder which allows users to climb the tree and discover nesting points for species. Nesting is a significant part of biodiversity. This is the connection point which inspired by the beehives. The users can come together and observe the nature from a different level.
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Under ground “Considering the underground as part of the green space”
‘Studies have shown that natural environments can enhance health. In their study, people living in communities with higher tree densities on the streets reported significantly higher health perceptions.‘ The spaces are dived by green elements such as trees, interlinked to each other with the tunnels. The aim is to inspire people to exchange ideas about nature or harvest food through the green space and get inspired by the greens. On average, planting 10 more trees in a city block can improve health. They also found that, on average, adding 11 more trees in a block can reduce the metabolic status of the heart in a way equivalent to increasing the individual ’s annual income by $ 20,000.
References: Research by Omid Kardan, Peter Gozdyra, Bratislav Misic, Faisal Moola,Lyle J. Palmer, Tomáš Paus, and Marc G. Berman Research by Omid Kardan, Peter Gozdyra, Bratislav Misic, Faisal Moola, Lyle J. Palmer, Tomáš Paus, and Marc G. Berman
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Considering the underground
Usually, we can see the above-ground part of the plant or tree, which they use to absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen with photosynthesis. However, the part that usually is easily ignored is part of the underground. These roots talk to each other by using fungi. They also exchange information by airborne compounds. For example, if a pest attacks one plant. That will allow nearby plants to activate their defences before the pest reaches them. In recent years, The global climate is warming, and rainfall is decreasing. This concept also learns from the plants collects rainwater, which stores underground for people who can volunteer to water the plants during the dry season. Hopefully, this will make people realize that their behaviour can affect and change the environment. The underground space provides an area for people to relax and shelter from the rain and sun. It will also show how the plants are connected, teach people about biodiversity, and bring a little inspiration to people. I hope it will stimulate people’s awareness of environmental protection.
Resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tjt8WT5mRs by Olivia Gordon
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View from Burkumhof side
View from Thomas à Kemppisstraat side
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Revitalisation of alleyways
Alleyways can be interesting small public spaces to give a particular characteristic to a city or area. Think for instance of the typical narrow streets of Venice, the romantic alleyways of small villages in Tuscany, the maze of alleys in Barcelona’s Jewish district, the colourful narrow streets of Seville, the cute streets of Schnoor in Bremen or the Shambles in York. Narrow streets can become part of the identity of a city. People might even come to the city especially to see those alleyways. But alleyways can also be neglected places that one would avoid. Especially at night time it might feel unsafe. This could be due to lack of lighting or the inability to keep distance from a stranger who is walking towards you in the alleyway. This unsafe feeling could also grow by the lack of an overview. Since alleyways can be both an attraction to a place as well as a weakness, revitalisation of alleyways can be beneficial for the whole surrounding area. A famous example of successful revitalization of alleys can we find in Seattle which has 263 miles of alleyways of which 144 miles are successfully improved and revitalised into lively areas. Other cities are following Seattle’s example. A good example are Melbourne’s down town alleyways, which have undergone a significant change. In the past Melbourne’s alleyways where neglected places that some people would rather avoid. Now Melbourne’s alleys are decorated with colourful graffiti and lots of bars and shops are established in these narrow laneways. Melbourne’s alleys gained popularity and now became a hotspot for tourists and locals.
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Case Study 9.0/ Our outdoor living room
Revitalisation of playful use of greenery
Test 1
Test 2
How would the plants grow on the wall. Possible construction
Revitalisation of alLeyways
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Narrow streets and alleyways in Dieze centrum Dieze centrum has alleyways. Most of those alleys are currently just passages. There is one close to the roundabout that has a large colourful graffiti artwork which makes this alleyway somewhat attractive to go through. On the other hand this alleyway has some dark unused corners which may cause a feeling of unsafety, especially during night time. Therefor a light design is made to improve this particular alleyway. Another alley that can be revitalized is a narrow one, connecting the Thomas à Kempisstraat to the residential area behind it. This narrow alleyway has some corners that make the overview incomplete. Therefor one might be hesitant to enter this alleyway because it is not visible what is in the corners. In general, people tend to behave well in beautiful and well maintained places, where in a bad place, people feel a lower barrier to behave asocial and messy. Therefore making alleyways more aesthetically appealing could not be negative. Greenery is an element that can contribute to the visual attractiveness of the alleyways. In our design proposal, Diezeport alleyways are a part of a network of ‘green veins’ that runs through the neighbourhood. This network of green veins will support the preservation and growth of insect population in Dieze centrum. The green vein network will also be beneficial for trees and plants in the area since the open pavement of the green veins will allow the soil to absorb the rainwater more gradually and therefore have more reserves in dry times. The green open pavement will also help to avoid floods in rainy periods. The narrow alleyway will have open pavement such as the rest of the green veins. Besides the green floor, the walls will also have greenery to create a small urban green passage, similar to a patio feel. Besides the environmental benefits that greenery has, it will also fulfil an aesthetic function. The alleyways form a sort of entrance to the rest of Dieze centrum that our design covers. The alleyways at the Thomas à Kempisstraat are starting points of the network of green veins that lead toward the central park. Because of this entrance function, an overwhelming amount of greenery will clearly give a message of entering the redesigned area of Dieze centrum.
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Feeling of safety in alleyway
Filling the corners - Greenery - Playful structure
This structure can function as a public cupboard. It could for instance house a ‘minibieb’ or ‘insect hotel’
Corner
Scale model (impression)
Green open pavement
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Revitalisation of alLeyways
In addition to walls and pavement covered in season adjusted and bee supporting greenery, the narrow alley will be improved by softening the sharp corners of the alleyway. Currently the narrow alley has some corners which do not allow one to have a good overview of the alley, possibly causing a feeling of unsafe. Therefore filling up the corners with a playful green structure might improve the user experience. This structure has both a practical function by improving the sight lines as well as a more symbolic function of ‘softening the sharp corners’. Since alleyways can potentially be more than just passages as we have seen in other cities, the narrow alley can have a social function or offer a small activity. The pavement can have a hopscotch pattern for kids to play on. The structure that is filling up the corners can function as a public cupboard for residents to use in their own initiated way. It could for instance house a ‘minibieb’ or an ‘insect hotel’. If residents turn out not to use the structure as a public cupboard, it can become naturally overgrown by climbing plants and provide possible nesting spots for birds in the neighbourhood. This way the narrow alley is part of ‘the living room’ by providing a space not only for people but also for plants, birds, small mammals and insects, who are all inhabitants of Dieze centrum.
Honeystucke Blossoms
Ivy
june-sept
Parthenocissus
Blossoms sept-oct
Some evergreen types
Blossoms aug-sept
Evergreen
Plants - Climbing plants - Blossoming in different seasons - Some evergreens - Low maintenance - Shadow proof
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Source: Veitch JA. Commentary: On unanswered questions. Proceedings of the First CIE Symposium on Lighting Quality. Vienna, Austria: CIE; 1998. CIE x015:1998: 88-91.
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Lighting and feeling of safety
Current practices of outdoor lighting have been done with different light sources, to name some we can refer to: • Incandescent • Fluorescent • Mercury Vapor • Low Pressure Sodium • High Pressure Sodium • Neon and Argon Lamps • LED There 1. 2. 3. 4.
are some key points in the sense of Security lighting which needs to be consider: Enable People to see and Act at a distance Protect Property Combating Glare Light Sources and Levels of Illumination
Neon tube lamps designs are mostly based on one line drawing. LED strip light could be use instead. Any one line drawing design can be paste to wall and by putting pins along the drawing line, it will make it possible for strips to stretch along the design and get the shape it. Advantages of this type of light design can be easy to modify, possibility to change often, having different colors at same time.
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Study corner as part of the outside living room
Revitalisation of alLeyways
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Color theory
Color can also be a method to revitalize alleyways. Besides being a ‘more-than-welcomed’ aesthetic improvement for some of the Diezeport narrow streets, color can even evoke a certain emotion with the residents passing through them daily. As the artist Pablo Picasso said “COLORS, LIKE FEATURES, FOLLOW THE CHANGES OF THE EMOTIONS”, therefore, as part of our proposal for the alleyways, we attempt to inspire the municipality to employ color as not just an aesthetical tool, but also as a powerful communication tool that can be used to influence mood and physological reactions of the Diezepoort residents.
Color is a powerful communication tool and can be used to influence mood and physiological reactions
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MOOD LIFTER
COLOR ME HAPPY
MEMORY BOOST
APPETITE GAMES
GIVE ME BALANCE
CONCENTRATION ON PRODUCTION
Step 1 add a splash of color
Step 2 bring in other elements
Revitalisation of alLeyways
For example, due to the vicinity of several colleges, one of the alleys can be remodeled as “the study corner” within our outside living room. Colors ensuring success of such a project would be:
1 Green: Concentration Green, as a color of low wavelength, makes the observer more restful, leaving a calming effect – therefore, green is an excellent color for improving concentration. Additionally, some office studies have shown that job satisfaction levels tend to be higher in green offices, and consumers have been shown to spend more time shopping in stores that are painted green.
2 Orange: Mood Lifter Orange is a very welcoming and mood-lifting color, for which some color theorists claim it could even increase the oxygen supply to the brain, stimulating mental activity while simultaneously loosening peoples’ inhibitions – making it the ideal color for people that wish to learn.
3 Blue: Productivity Blue is known as the color of the mind, as it essentially affects us mentally, rather than physically. For instance, stronger shades of blue can stimulate clear thought, while the lighter, soft blues can calm the mind and add to our concentration. Consequently it is serene and mentally calming. Some research suggests that people with highly intellectual work, which requires a high cognitive load, for instance, programmers or academics, are more productive in a blue environment. Back to the experts, many color psychologists recommend using blue colors, but adding a bit of extra kick with orange.
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Extend the block Basically smaller meeting point, I extend the different level for playing and siting. I create a bigger meeting point combined different seating and playing shelves.
Different level for walking or playing
Concept project introduction Different level for walking or playing open box: crossing through it close box: unable cross it. Different level boxes for walking or playing.
Consider different level for sitting The End of Sitting is an installation In our society almost the entirety of our surroundings have been designed for sitting, while evidence from medical research suggests that too much sitting has adverse health effects. RAAAF [Rietveld Architecture-Art Affordances] and visual artist Barbara Visser have developed a concept wherein the chair and desk are no longer unquestionable starting points. Instead, the installations various affordances solicit visitors to explore different standing positions in an experimental work landscape. Project: The End of Sitting by RAAAF
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Outdoor furniture
Our project aims to improve the community and to offer a public meeting area for locals. And I want to combine two functional parts together, which are interaction and meeting. Inspired by a very interesting project by RAAF Architects called ‘The end of seating’ we also thought about the seating part for the community, or more the lack of proper seating arrangements. In our desire to enrich the functional parts of the neighborhood, such as the public benches, we combined public seating with interaction and meeting. Therefore, the end product would not serve only as a seating area but from the hand-drawn sketches it is presented how this concept can also act as an interactive area where locals come to meet. Additional interesting aspect of this concept is its diversification in a form of offering seating on different levels.
Concept modean interactive longer block as a meeting point exploring the different levels for seating and playing.
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Fluid Bench The idea of the fluid bench was from the interview we have done. Many residents are saying there is not enough and friendly sitting area in the park. So why not have a fun, playful, and multi-functional bench for this beautiful park? The bench is a dynamic shape that can be either assembled or pile up such as a liquid spread in the grass.
Meeting table
Pile-up seat
One person seat
Laying seat
Meeting area
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OUTDOOR FURNITURE
Climbing Library Maybe we can use the recycled material and also having fun with that. And what about the thing we usually do when we are in our living room? The idea of the climbing library was bringing the activities from the inside to the outside. Got some boxes from the supermarket, we pile them up and store some books in. People can climb to get the books, then lying on the deck, immerse in the park reading area.
Community
Boxes & Books
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OUTDOOR FURNITURE
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Neighborhood Food Bike Due to the COVID-19 crisis, half of the cities around the world is in lockdown orders. The transport stop, people are terrified of going dense interior space for purchase. The idea of the Neighborhood food bike was from the demand trend of building the cycling city during the pandemic. Maybe we can start a sustainable and environment-friendly way to deliver the goods? A mobility option to keep the city’s functions. Let’s jump out of the box that only some brick-and-mortar shops people can buy stuff. Thinking of a big van delivers goods from the farm to somewhere nearby the city. Through different types of cargo bikes from the van to spread the goods or food to the parks, squares, and the streets. The public sees a food bike as charming, not like a truck spewing emissions. A bike can work as a moving billboard. People can be informed by the bike timing, then just go downstairs in a short time to get their food. In the future, it also is a way for people to gather together for knowing their neighborhoods.
Pop-up Bike Vendor The temporary furniture and recycled materials, which can be assembled and disassembled quickly and pack efficiently. Temporary furniture can be a scaffold chair, and recycled material can be recycled warehouse pallets or supermarket boxes. The mobile bike sofa is a new style for people as their outside living room. Whether you’re trying to move to a new spot in the city, having a bike sofa makes it surprisingly easy to chill outside. People not only can cycle around but also chatting and reading on their bike living room. Bring more life to the city.
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Problem: Insufficient amount of content in the Diezeport parks
Art exhibition
Outdoor cinema
The results of the survey, as well as results of observations, showed that the residents of Diezeport are not spending a sufficient amount of their time in any of the parks in the area. Some of the questioned residents prefer to take a drive to more remote parks. When asked why is that so, the answer is mostly that the Diezeport park doesn’t provide any content, neither enough public equipment in the form of lighting, benches, trash bins, etc. Consequently, we concluded that this area requires improvement, which in turn can result in more neighborhood gatherings, social contact which can lead to enhanced neighborly relationships, and overall appreciation of their living surroundings. What we are proposing is to create an ambient of an outdoor living room, where necessary changes to the park’s landscape don’t necessarily have to be implemented all at once.
Source: Abandoned fountain transformed into a pop-up urban spa in Mexico
To spark the interest of the residents, changes and improvements may be introduced at first through temporary installations. Scaffolding installations have an alluring potential to announce or invoke change – one of the examples of such is the 2015 temporary scaffolding installation built around an abandoned fountain in Chihuahua, Mexico. Workshop volunteers used wood pallets and scaffolding construction to transform the fountain base into a bathing deck. In the end, the municipality decided to put the fountain back in function, even after the installation was disassembled, leaving a more permanent mark on the park’s landscape. This is a prime example of a short-term improvement producing a more long-term impact, according to the wishes of the residents. As can be seen, such installations can even serve as a more reliable research method than a questionnaire, which the municipality can use to inquire about the resident’s wishes.
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Temporary to permanent Scenario “from a temporary intervention to a permanent improvement” The illustration is presented of a possible scenario taking place in the central Diezeport park. A simple scaffolding installation (Figure 1) provides a new content in the previously reported ‘no content’ park. As such it invites residents to come to the park for it is something that gives out a temporary attraction that needs to be seen before removed. The scaffolding installation can act as an outdoor cinema, art exhibition, or any kind of temporary event that will draw residents’ attention for sufficient amount of time, fo residents to develop a habit of gathering in the park. After a certain period parts of the scaffolding can be replaced with a more permanent type of content, such as park benches or an eaves (Figure 2 & 3). Instead of just replacing the temporary with permanent, such a gradual process sparks more interest among the residents. As the scenario illustrates, at some point the scaffolding can be disassembled to rovide space for further permanent content, but by that point the residents are already adjusted to the habit of going to the park. In the end, the park is provided with a new gathering residential location, formed according to the wishes of the community. Within the overall process, it is important for the municipality to understand the way people are using the scaffolding, and to replace the temporary with appropriate permanent equipment. The process can in that manner act as a research method for the municipality’s aim to improve and enhance the neighbour relationships within the community.
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This method can be used to invoke a more permanent change in different parts of the Diezeport area, such as the parks and the neglected alleyways.
1. Placing temporary scaffolding shelf
2. Invoking inhabitant’s reaction
3. Inhabitant’s contributing to the project
4. Assesing the needs of the community based on it’s reaction and contribution
5. Replacing temporary with a permanent solution
4. Creating a change
TEMPORARY TO PERMANENT
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A study space in the alley
A green shelf in the alley an outdoor cinema in the park
A green corner in the alleyway
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The Diezepoort
neighborhood concentrates a variety of age ranges among its inhabitants. According to the municipal registry, 426 are between 20 and 34 years old, out of a total of 958 people. This represents 44.46% of the population residing in this area, a high percentage that concentrates national and foreign students and young workers. To know the situation of this specific group, ee must analyze their current situation and the problems they face, to turn them into active actors within their neighborhoods. To propose inclusion strategies, it is necessary to know the current situation of the students who come to Diezepoort.
% 2 . 75
raction e t n i e r ike mo students l d l u o w tch with Du
According to the information obtained by a survey carried out by the National Student Union (ISO), Dutch Student Union (LSVb), and the Erasmus Student Network the Netherlands, students go through different stages of adaptation. For inter national students, this situation is aggravated, since the sociocultural shock is much deeper. In 2010, 52,000 new international students arrived in the Netherlands, a figure that increased to 85,955 in 2019. Of the 1002 students surveyed, they expressed a 75.2% interest in wanting to interact more with their Dutch colleagues, with whom they feel a cultural barrier in between. Also almost half indicated that they experienced stress at very high levels and 40% have experienced moderate to extreme psychological problems. Their main problems are finding a residence, as many receive rejection by landlords when they report that they are international students, the great culture shock, homesickness and racism.
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Youth do it
But how to find connections between international students and their community? The first thing is to understand all the stages that an international student goes through. According to the Youthreporter portal, international students go through an initial stage of accommo dation and search for residence, which once found manifests as Honeymoon, since you are tremendously excited. Then comes the stage of cultural crisis. By not understanding social functioning, you feel frustrated and shocked. Here is where students experience the worst part of it. Students go through moments of depression, homesickness, and loneliness. Fortunately, once overcome, the stage of transition, acceptance and integration is the one that is most enjoyed, because you begin to appreciate each new experience and to enjoy your days in a new but already known society. You start to feel at home. In order to improve the quality of life of students from all stages, the following key points are proposed:
Diezepoort now To understand the current situation of the use of spaces and the movement of people in the Diezepoort neighborhood, the points of greatest concurrence were analyzed. As can be seen, the movement of people is directed towards the commercial area, which leaves empty spaces for use. The yellow area reflects these unused areas, which despite being recreational areas are not frequently visited.
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Phase 1: My tour through Diezepoort The first phase to face the initial confusion of starting a study stage, it is proposed to create a guided map with all the main establishments within the commercial area, so that students know where to find what. Likewise, new meeting points designed especially for students are included, so that they can find interesting activities outside their places of residence. The second part of this proposal covers 2 important places designed for students and families: Exercising and studying.
Phase 2: Ready, set, CrossFit The exercise area is inspired by CrossFit exercises, creating an integrating point for both students and family members of different ages. CrossFit is one of the most complete disciplines because all the muscle groups of the body are worked on and strengthened.
Benefits Lose weight and lose fat Increased muscle strength More resistance Build relationships Although CrossFit has individual challenges, it is usually practiced in a group. While one performs an exercise, others can do different ones, and even do some in pairs or groups. Thus, everyone goes through the different routines set by the monitor and works on the different muscle groups. Therefore, experiences are shared among all and peers can serve as support for training and as a source of motivation.
YOUTH DO IT
My nest under the tree The outdoor study area generated for students is inspired by the nests of trees, turning the furniture into intimate and relaxed areas to study that blends with trees. Studying does not have to be synonymous with confinement and seclusion. Providing spaces that promote this activity and help promote socialization, will make a neighborhood have a better and greater connection.
Fresh air and natural light On a mental and health level, enjoying the fresh air benefits a lot; and not to mention natural light, the most beneficial for the eyes.
Walks and let the mind wander Mentally reviewing the classes of the day, thinking about what doubts you have and pending things while taking a walk makes the mind relax and distract.
Encourage creativity Getting out of the routine, doing different things and visiting new places are simple activities that expand the mind and help it innovate. It’s a perfect way to get inspired for a job, or how to express the ideas you’ve been working on - get out there and watch. As Picasso said: “Inspiration exists, it just has to find you working”.
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“The combined use and perception of space by distinct social groups, as opposed to personal space. The social space is produced by societies according to the spatial practices that exist within society. The produced space is a set of relations between objects within the space’ (Carter, 2004).
Triangular space on Diezerplein has been spotted. Because of its location and existence of main shops of Dizerport, It would be logical to assume that initial idea was to make this space as a social space.
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Social or Public Space A Place for Everyone
“Trees in this triangle remained as the main point of design, seating areas has been created along the trees and green line has been added to the seats to create more enjoyable time.
A Digital Signage added to the space attract people as free internet spot while it would serve its other services as municipality application.
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Internet, Social Media and how Zwolle Municipality can benefit from it
E-Democracy or Digital Democracywhich is the use of information and communication technology(ICT) in political and governance processes. (Ann Macintosh(2004)) M-Governance is the strategy of ensuring that citizen self-service functionality and information are accessible and consumable using mobile device technology such as smartphones and tablets.
Benefits of M-Governance - Cost reduction - Efficiency - Transformation/modernization of public sector organizations - Added convenience and flexibility - Better services to the citizens - Ability to reach a larger number ofpeoplethrough mobile devices
Digital Signage Having a Digital Signage would work as complementary of the municipality’s application to provide free internet access point, first as advertisement of their application, second as meeting point of people while its screen keep informing them for new services of the municipality, asking people to give their comments about certain thing or accepting suggestions for any matter that they wish for
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Conclusions
To conclude with our case study proposal, we can say that these different projects were designed to bring everyone together in the neighbourhood. With that in mind, our outdoor living room promotes a divergence of all which includes the diverse community of Diezerpoort, the outdoor creatures, the plants, and the trees. Through the process of research and making, we have learned so much more about this community and its’ residents. For the green, design was a tool to create a harmonious ecosystem that promotes the plants and insects. And as for the humans, design opens an awareness to respect the other inhabitants and to treat the neighbourhood like it is our second living room.
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Colophon 2020 Report Case-study 9.0 / our outdoor living room Corpo-real / Master Interior Architecture Tutor Irene Müller Students Vana Šulentić Susan Marcia Chombo Bruno Marie Hong Susan van den Berg Pei-Jung Lee Xian Zhang Qiong-Ge Yan Soroush Javadi Asl Arda Pehlivanli Marieke Teunnisen Graphic design Studio Damiaan Renkens Production Drukkerij Loor, Varsseveld ArtEZ University of the Arts Rhijnvis Feithlaan 50 8021 AM Zwolle corporeal@artez.nl www.corpo-real.artez.nl www.artez.nl
ArtEZ, Zwolle location