Final Design: Sharing Architecture 2014

Exhibition Launch and Lecture

CIT Bus stop from Google Maps

The main bus stop for CIT is located on Rossa Avenue, to the east of Block C.  The stop is identified by a pole, rubbish bin and real time passenger information sign.  The sign does not identify with the campus or give any indication to non locals where it might be located.  

The footpath is narrow at 1.5m wide, and causes users to congregate in a linear fashion as they wait for the bus, something which is unconducive for communication amongst groups of people.

There is no designated shelter against the weather or seat for users at the stop.  People lean against the garden walls of adjacent private properties for comfort as they wait.

Discussions with CIT staff about the bus stop revealed that ownership at the location is an issue which has hampered efforts of the college to have a bus shelter erected.  Given that the footpath in this location is narrow, it would be necessary to procure extra space from the adjoining property and to date this has not been possible.  Neither has it been possible to affix a simple shelter roof to the adjacent garden wall.

POP UP BUS SHELTER @ CIT

Look and talk about work of Michael Rakowitz

Here are some possibilities sourced on internet of makeshift shelters made with bamboo and plastic.

Cork Sharing Architecture Workshop: Bus Shelter

POP UP BUS SHELTER @ CIT

Initial Brain Storm / recap. what we did last time/ what we learnt. Back to basics

What is a bus shelter for?

1. Rain Protection  a roof     what kind of roof?

Walls  where?

what materials?

2. Rest  while waiting/ temporary seating?

What other potentials can people see that a bus stop could provide?

Communication, conversation, wifi  Information on the city/ local community  etc

Show and tell : Students share photo’s and app data collection

Together discuss CIT and its lack of Bus Shelter. 

Have image up.  All this info could feed into design

People should be as free to do what it is they wish they should not restrict themselves just with the idea of the bus shelter we see everyday though this is difficult. ( see Rakowitz design for homeless shelter)  . .  students all gather at a certain space on campus to wait for bus if raining currently, can this feed into a design?

Introduce workshop project

Pop up bus shelter

1. Divide the group into pairs.

2. Each person is given paper for sketching and planning.

There are materials: Plastic sheeting (building supply store) ,  bamboo poles ( from garden centre) and string available also need scissors/ blades, gaffa tape?  

I think umbrella’s as a design option too could be fun if we could gather a good few.  

3. Each pair given 1 hour to discuss/ brainstorm  draw and then make their  bus shelter in workshop space.

4. Workshop group reconnects. Each couple do a show and tell of their design and creation to rest of group.

5. The group then through a process of consensus discuss which design will be taken to the bus stop or does a whole new design have to be created combining the ideas that have emerged from each of the other designs or improvements to ‘most promising design could be made’.  

Also option for each design to be recreated or carried to bus shelter and photographed

( shared learning happening/ critique and discussion)

After Lunch  . . .

6. Then the group could go down to the bus stop and construct the ‘Pop-up Bus Shelter' that has emerged from the morning workshop.  Take photo’s

This would all be really playful and fun.

Being in situ should generate a whole new set of information, findings and learning.

7.Return back to workshop space.  The images taken in situ could be displayed on projector.

What have we learnt? What else could be added to this? Talk about findings

2011 CSO commuting data for Cork City

These maps give you an idea of the work Cork City Council have to do to implement a 'modal shift' towards bus commuting.  The car reigns supreme.  I've overlaid the 208 bus route data for your reference.

208 bus route

On this map you can see CIT with respect to the 208 bus route....not so close!  The different symbols denote the type of bus stop; pole (triangle) and shelter (square).

Martin's map 14th-16th April

Trying to get an animation working for this but I think when I've only data from 2 days it won't have the impact I'm looking for.  When we have data from multiple sources I can start doing interesting things too.  Got some data on 208 bus stops from bus eireann and will overlay them on this data.

Emergency Shelters

Though the shelters in this link are as a result of migration, I thought that they might be interesting to put up here all the same.

I've dropped in some of the images from the main article, but the article is a short, interesting read that gives context to the shelters. 

http://www.colorsmagazine.com/stories/magazine/89/story/in-calais-afghans-sleep-in-a-jungle-and-albanians-in-a-hotel

crystal palace

“Crystal Palace”: “It’s an urban sculpture. It seems that something violent happened to this bus stop, but actually the broken glass shows more something precious. The situation is turned – the attention is grabbed from the aesthetic, not from the act of destruction. The intention was to provoke some emotion or empathy.”

http://www.baptistedebombourg.com/en/works/crystal-palace-0

Workshop idea

Create intervention in existing bus shelters that respond to user research findings complaints.

Tactically intervene and improve the bus shelter:


"The project was an illustration of my belief that the city holds a vast amount of untapped ability. The structures, surfaces, objects and systems that underpin its daily operations have the potential to do more, to perform an alternate function, or assume an entirely new role in the mechanism of the city. Reprogramming The City explores a new paradigm of urban creativity and resourcefulness that treats the hardware of the city as a platform of opportunity, and infrastructure not as the end result of a previous creative process, but the beginning of a new one."

Scott Burnham http://scottburnham.com/work/



SpY’s interventions do not jump out at you, they wait until you come across them. They are not a monologue, but rather the result of a dialogue between the artist and the surroundings, between the passer by and the piece.”



Repurposing the city’s bus stops as light therapy stations. scott burnham

BUS STOP SYMBIOSIS http://www.designbuzz.com/bus-stop-symbiosis-an-interactive-seating-arrangement-for-the-waiting/




Temporary paint: people can input message on how to improve bus shelter. leave a plastic pen hanging??

Art in Transit: city of providence Rhode Island

Interesting proposal for inclusion of long term art interventions for bus shelters:
https://www.providenceri.com/efile/4558


Proposal call out here :http://www.providenceri.com/planning/transportation-corridors-to-livable-communities-0

Project results here: http://www.ripta.com/transart-

My favourite below

Proposal/ call out here: http://www.providenceri.com/planning/transportation-corridors-to-livablecommunities-0

Temporary shelter

Cocoon 

The design for “Cocoon” is one that is supposed to be a temporary relief shelter for those sticky situations where there may not be a whole lot of time to get out, but if you’ve got time to put together this quick fix; this could be a great solution for you.

Plywood Ice Skating shelter




Transpaarent Temporary shelter



Make shift shelter somalia 



Temporary shelter after Earthquake in West China




Temporary survival shelter








Rain biggest Factor in Ireland:  not wind proof but pretty

Tanzania waiting- makeshift

Workshop brain storm

Image: CIT bus Stop photograph by Martin

This image by Martin has captured my imagination. It is a bit like a blank canvas that we could play with with the student group.  If we supply a variety of materials that the students can play with for making there own DIY bus shelters. eg umbrella's , plastic sheeting, wooden poles, corrugated plastic, perspex, chairs. . . anything else sourced . . . they could make interventions in this space that we could then photograph. 

I am aware that the path is narrow here and that is probably why there is no permanent bus shelter  but I think it could be fun and playful to do this. The images would look great with the students eg holding up plastic sheeting or sitting in make shift spaces.