Where We Stand
Public Space Proposal, 2020
‘15 proposals for adapting outdoor spaces for social distancing’
Challenge
In total 15 design teams from around the world created ideas to transform their favorite outdoor areas into safe and welcoming spaces that people can use while social distancing.
Context
In October of 2020, HUSH had the opportunity to envision how public spaces could be adapted to allow social distancing as part of the Where We Stand initiative. The project was organized by editor David Michon in partnership with agency Ask Us For Ideas after personally being impacted by the closure of public spaces due to coronavirus.
The Proposal
We created a field of sculptural, functional objects that activates the heavily trafficked Bryant Park and creates gravitational center points for social distancing. The grid of objects is positioned between two large, typographic "ideas" that are meaningful to the local public. People express their affinity with their bodies by occupying the objects closest to their most important idea. The public space becomes a heat map that visualizes public sentiment around these big ideas through night-time illumination. The big ideas are changed on a regular basis and continue to be tuned to what is pertinent to the public interest.
Here’s a little more insight into some of our process…
and inspiration…
