Designers were asked to use Engage to gather community feedback on their proposal. See that people said
For Stage 1, designers were asked to use Engage to gather community feedback on what they would like to see in the select site.
Here is your chance to provide design feedback to the designer. Please be respectiful.
Grytgjutargången, located in one of Stockholm’s central shopping streets, is actively used during the day time but slightly problematic during non-business hours. Our design aims to enhance what people like and incorporate the missing qualities they have pointed out in our survey, ultimately making it a unique and exciting social space. Our design concepts to improve this space are its - contents, atmosphere, and form.
The contents. Pedestrians passing by Grytgjutargången are usually on their way to work, shop, eat, meet someone or take a shortcut to their destination. They don’t stop here on the way even though they might be looking for a place to sit, rest, or have a brief meeting. Consumerist culture forces people to buy a cup of coffee and sit at a cafe, even when they do not wish to spend money. That is why, in our proposal, we want to create a meaningful incentive within this space for people to take a pause without having to pay for it. We convert this space into a mini-arts and media exhibition space. Museums, individual artists or advertising agencies can display a ‘preview’ of their collections/ events on the interactive screens, put up posters to advertise upcoming exhibitions and shows, or display their works on the wall niches. Now people can be a part of the cultural opportunities that the city has to offer without paying an entrance fee.
The atmosphere. People have mentioned that this passage should be livelier and feel safer during odd hours. There is a popular film theater next door, from which the audience have to exit and walk through Grytgjutargången to find the nearest subway and bus stations. Often after a late screening, people feel unsafe walking through this passage due to drunk people loitering around, homeless people sleeping, or groups of men smoking and yelling. By making the space brighter, increasing visibility, and introducing a comprehensive LED lighting scheme, we encourage more positive public activity and discourage troublemakers from hanging around here. The mirrored ceiling adds another element of surprise and excitement, while also making the space feel larger.
The form. To cut through the rigidity of this space without breaking the existing structure, we plug in new edges (walls, floor and ceiling) that fit in place. Through parametric form-finding methods, we created a field lines map with attractor points to guide the shape of the structure and lighting; streamlining the users’ experience through the exhibition. The seating is designed to look like a gradual yet randomized extension of the walls. It can be constructed using prefab compressed wood blocks and interlocking timber joinery. We use timber since it is the most common and available material in Scandinavia, easy to maintain, and can sustain damage without looking worn out. Timber also brings warmth and domesticity to its user space, feels more inviting and has better acoustics, which people want. In practice this design can be realized easily using cutting edge technology that we have today, hence the title of the project.
