Interesting things happen at boundaries – points that connect people, places and ideas. Such points raise interesting questions for interaction designers in terms of both process and outcome.
Sometimes boundaries are explicit but more often they are implicit and unseen, simply routes that connect places or destinations, often travelled but seldom acknowledged. The Old Bridge in Maribor is one such place – silently connecting the city, but yet central to the heart of the people and so it was entirely appropriate the bridge became the focus of the Embodied Vision Group.
An overarching theme of the group’s work was the concept of transitions – the idea of movement and its impact on the body and mind, in particular how this might translate into movement within the city.
The Old Bridge in Maribor has provided a crossing point for the people since 1913 so it provided an interesting location for a ‘cultural probe’ that sought to create a playful interaction among the people as they crossed the bridge. The aim being to slow their journey down a little, provide a moment for contemplation or simply to admire the view.
At each end of the bridge people were provided with digital cameras and asked to take a photograph while they crossed the bridge. Suddenly crossing the bridge became a different experience, the act of taking photographs facilitated chance meetings, exchanged glances and maybe more ….
At the conclusion of the project The Bridge was re-appropriated as a gallery to exhibit the pictures taken during the previous 2 days. People who had taken the photographs returned and walked the bridge to admire the work of the people of Maribor and perhaps hope to see their own contribution. The experience of the walk was changed so something that they do throughout the year – crossing the bridge – was just a little different, somehow more joyful.
VIDEOS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_s8SYBsX4RI
http://vimeo.com/4830674
