A Conversation Space_Proposal + Program

Student Proposal

Columbia College Chicago Interior Architecture

Research Methods Final Studio

Design Proposal Natalie Page Williams Interior Arch December 2021

Opportunity Statement

The 2020 pandemic that led to a global shutdown also led to the unveiling of several failing systems and strong opinionated differences in America. Two years later the country is still facing social and political turmoil, that continues to give rise to extreme discord between states, communities, and individuals. The country is divided, and nothing is being done to help bring people back together in a way that promotes healthy negotiation + conversation, and understanding.

Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy, and mutual valuing. - Rollo May As referenced in the quote above, communication is a powerful tool that can strengthen relationships and bring people together. After an isolating pandemic, individuals are in need of connection. With the introduction of a safe conversation space at the popular Sunday's on State Street summer festival, people will have a designated container for their voices to be and feel heard.

HEALING, HEARING & SELF EXPRESSION

Space + Affect

Chicagoans need help healing and reconnecting. Whether they are looking to meet a stranger, reconnect with someone, or just want their voice to feel heard, this forum holds that space for people to process, heal, play, and grow. This will be a free talk space that welcomes all including our neighbors, children, co-works, teens, the homeless, millionaires, and policymakers. By designing a space that sparks curiosity, vulnerability, and open-mindedness, individuals can come together and create conversations that open up new worlds of understanding and possibility.

Centering around the idea of conversation, this pop-up space holds three different levels as well as an open forum for people to get into a space to talk and discuss. The three levels include a public speaking space, a one-on-one talking space, as well as a communication playground.

The goal of this space is to help people move from a place of uncertainty, fear, anger, and loneliness, to a state of optimism, love, acceptance, and community.

Key Words

Activation Participation Conversation DESIGNING A CONVERSATION SPACE By first designing an exterior that fits the programmed square footage, the next step is activating the interiors and the senses through elements that spark conversation. As more choose to participate, more conversations will be had.

Creation

Activation

Participation Conversation

SPATIAL HIREARCHY & ORGANIZATION

Bubble Diagram

approach

Public Speaking

Forum 1-on-1 Play

Historical Data

Forum NOUN 1. A place, meeting, or medium where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged.

Exploring Precedents

THE ANCIENT ROMAN FORUM The Roman Forum was a site located at the center of the ancient city of Rome and the location of triumphant religious, political, and social activities. It is believed that people first began publicly meeting in the open-air Forum around 500 B.C. when the Roman Republic was founded. As the city of Rome grew with the rise of new leadership the forum gradually progressed and expanded as well.

Designed to accommodate 1400 people, the Forum became a multi-purpose site that held various functions including elections, public speeches, criminal trials, gladiatorial matches, social gatherings, and other commercial affairs.

Key Takeaways: Though the Roman forum closely resembles a modern-day "public square," I find the idea of an open space that actively engages people in the participation of all types of discussion to be unique. The exchanging of ideas is what can lead to the creation of community, and needed change.

Historical Data

IMPACT ON DESIGN The Roman forum was a place that was accessible to all and similar to what I want to create, is a space that is centralized, easy to get to, and is open to all walks of life.

This allows for equal opportunity for people to be able to enter the space, free of charge.

Exploring Precedents

The centralization of the forum as a "meeting place" also inspired the idea of creating a welcoming hub for my proposed design. This hub would cater to many different functions including greeting people, interacting with art+, media, and people, and directing people in the direction that interests them.

In addition to this, seeing that the forum served as a multipurpose space gives me confidence in the ability to design a space that also accommodates several different functions all while remaining open.

The "open-air" concept I think will be essential given Covid, and wanting people to feel safe while conversing.

Questions: How can I design a space that serves as a space for conversation and makes people feel safe while Covid cases continue to prevail?

Historical Data

Soap Box NOUN 1. A box or crate used as a makeshift stand by a public speaker.

THE SOAP BOX - SPEAKERS CORNER

Exploring Precedents

The term originates from the 19th and 20th centuries when street corner speakers in England would actually use old wooden crates originally used for the shipment of soap to elevate themselves and speak to a crowd about whatever subject was on their mind. Historically this was often a religious or political speech.

Today the term soapbox is still used to describe a person who has something to say, often about a subject they’re passionate about. The expression we often use when we hear someone talking with gusto is, “There they go, on their soapbox again.”

Hyde Park in London is still known for its Sunday soapbox orators who have continually assembled since 1872 at what is known as Speakers' Corner to orate their views on a wide range of subjects.

Key Takeaways: Though rare to see someone today physically standing on a wooden soapbox, it's not uncommon to see opinions being expressed through blogs and online forums.

Historical Data

IMPACT ON DESIGN An open space with a platform that serves as a place for people to stand on to share opinions publically is not commonly seen in Chicago. Why is that? Are we afraid of what could be shared?

Exploring Precedents

When you're up there standing on a soapbox sharing your views, there are endless possibilities when it comes to whom you might attract or push away. This interaction is solely up to the participant and their choosing to listen or not is consensual in its own way. No one is being forced to listen, and I think giving participants that choice is key. When you google Speakers Corner in Hyde Park London, you can view a variety of images that shows how the space changes as people fill the park. Designing a space that is adaptive to changing capacities is important because you never know how few or how many may choose to stick around.

Standing on a soapbox takes a lot of courage, vulnerability, and passion. Back in the day, they might have thrown tomatoes at you, but I think today we are facing a bigger issue when it comes to safety and self-expression.

Questions: How can I design a space that allows people to speak openly about topics, and makes them feel safe? Should everyone have the opportunity to speak? Should there be some type of clearance or security involved to protect the participants and the speaker? Should this space be more like a Ted Talk or speaker series? How do we move past the spreading of misinformation?

Precedent Studies

Burning Man Center Camp Located in the center of Black Rock City is Center Camp, which houses food, coffee, water games, seating, and a stage. Center camp is a place for burners to rest, replenish, play, and connect with others. It is also the largest temporary freestanding tensile shade structure in the world. With almost an acre of shade.

Surrounded by art, magic, and events such as the talks that are given, burners often feel comfortable to spark long conversations. and process here.

Obersvational Data

TED Ideas Worth Spreading TED Talk LLC is an American media organization that posts talks online and in person at large venues for free with the goal to o inform and educate global audiences in an accessible way.

TED Talks are generally ticketed events, that has a list of the speakers and the topics that they plan on sharing.

Given their popularity, generally a lot of people show up to these talks for they can be both entertaining and informative.

Precedent Studies

Sparking Curiosity Hello? Who's This?

Have you even seen a phone lying around and you decided to pick it up to discover what was on the other side? Curiosity is an important element to the art of conversation because it opens the mind and releases judgment.

The mystery on who is on the other side of the line is a playful design that helps build imagination in your environment. This tool can allow people to talk, sing or whisper at a distance which encourages social interaction.

Obersvational Data

Chat Rooms & IM Online Talk Spaces While a chat room allows for to conversations with multiple people in the same conversation differentiates instant messaging (IM) are typically designed for oneto-one communication. For example, Omegle is a free online chat website that allows users to socialize with others without the need to register.

The service randomly pairs users in one-on-one chat sessions where they chat anonymously.

This anonymity and being in a online space can create a sense of safety.