A device to read the city

By reading we mean finding another possible form of seeing, moving, listening

Project template

Context The project starts from a concept that an urban environment can be read, analyzed and criticized as a text. By aimlessly wandering and drifting we can name exactly what we see, hear. List making can make very explicit what is missing, and who is not present or what is successfully hidden. If the city can be read it can also be annotated Posters, newspapers, graffitti, clothing, performances in public squares, protest, traffic serve as footnotes, annotations with very diverse comments.

More context

Many services and "smart solutions" provide comfort but also drastically reduce the level of unpredictability in a city. In a highly scripted cities, filled with prohibitions, navigations, how can we use scripts to enforce and strenghten unpredictability?

What is it? (physical description)

A physical device and a publication closely connected, working together. (Used as a method to encourage chance discovery and unproductive inefficiency, activated by a workshop)

Components:a device

• a tube that can be carried with you and accompany your walk
• a tilt sensor
• device is multifunctional, can be used to observe and to listen to
• what material its made from? fabric

a guide - printed

• a manual for the device
• collect scripts

workshop (scripts writing, a walk, exchanging and performing scripts and rituals, sharing the "unsmooth" encounters)

• scripts writing
• a walk to perform scripts

documentation of the workshops and the project

Why make it?

In a smart city ruled by obsession with perfection, maintenance and efficiency, how do we measure to whom those spaces are serving? And who decide what is the norm? This project is an attempt to find new forms of observing the city, to understand who is present in a particular space and what are their real needs and desires? What kind of city do we actually want? For the people performing this to be brave and curious, be concious of the unwritten structures that are designed into the 'city behaviour' and try to break them. At the Gemente visit, we were told that 98% of our behaviour is without having to think about it, but we do not belive that is true, our behaviour in this environment is really dictated by the rules and restrictions that are in place. Re-claim a city that does not feel yours with these little breaks of paths.

Allows continuously overwriting many parts of one street ( seeing a familiar place within a very different context)

Different narrative, objects, words, sounds, observations revealed

Plan

Week 1:

concept

writing scripts

Prototype 1

Design of the device - come up with ideas, sketches, materials, all rthe inspiring visual references

Power the device - find the

Week 2

Editing of the scripts

A guide - template

Finalize the device

Plan a workshop

Send invites for a workshop

Week 3

Print the guide

Workshop

Adjust the guide if time allows with insights from the workshop

Week 4

Playing cards

Drinking wine

Celebrating the project

Finalizing documentation from the workshooooop

scripts inspiration

https://teaching.ellenmueller.com/walking/assignments/exercises/

Prototyping the device

We work on the (sensor) hardware while also thinking about the look of the device.

Technical aspects for the technical aspects we need:

• Tilt sensor
• Wires
• Microcontroller with SD card
• 3 leds
• battery
• maybe resistors

Led one turns on after one step. This led is corresponding to the observer section of scripts in the publication/guide. This will prompt the curious pedestrian playing to go to that section and perform a chosen script.

Led two turns on after 200 [could be changed, temporary value for testing] steps. This corresponds to the listener section of the publication/guide. This will prompt the curious pedestrian playing to go to that section and perform a chosen script.

Led three turns on after 500 [could be changed, temporary value for testing] steps. This corresponds to the listener section of the publication/guide. This will prompt the curious pedestrian playing to go to that section and perform a chosen script.

It would be nice if after this, the succession would continue in a loop, to have the pedestrians be able to keep playing after, choosing to perform new scripts.