1. Cross-Context Translation
Restaurant
I went to a fine-dining restaurant during the restaurant week in NY. The prices were a lot more reasonable, and I was able to see some interesting interactions while visiting.
Human Behavior
A lot of the people visiting were dressed up formally.
They were trying to behave with manner.
They looked into the dish served, smelt it, and savored it.
Spatial Arrangement
The space was neatly arranged.
The place was a lot more quiet compared to other restaurants.
Interaction
[Waiter – Guest] The waiters took very close attention to the visitors, approached carefully in the right manner and timing.
[Guest – Food] Guests tried to fully savor the food, enjoyed the visuals and tastes of the food.
[Food – Plate] The plate of each dish seemed it was carefully selected.
Utopia and dystopia in food
It was a great experience seeing food in such an organized and complexed mixture. It was also interesting to think about how completely different ingredients are delivered to people in a complete dish. The procedure of food coming to our plate felt like utopia and dystopia; utopia for the ones that are consuming, and dystopia for the ones that are being eaten. It also links life and death. The death of animals and plants are connected to the lives of humans. It is an interaction between life and death, human and non-human.
2. Material Studies
Repeated patterns
Leaves
Snowflakes
Pillars
RGB Display
Zippers
New scenarios
Taking a closer look at this material property, we could divide it into two; unique repeated patterns and monotonous repeated patterns. As for scenarios where we could use this property, I think repeated patterns could be utilized anywhere. From a nanometer frame, atoms and molecules are repeated, from a space frame, stars, galaxies are repeated. Beyond physical space, even life and death is repeated(could be translated differently depending on religious context).
3. Rhythm & Pattern Collection
4. Function Follows Form
Spherical Form
Current Function
Ball | People use spherical balls while playing sports.
Different Context
Buoy | Used as a marker on the sea
The Sphere | A giant spherical screen in Vegas
Fruits | Some trees form fruits in spherical shape.
New Use
1. A sphere shaped companion robot that follows around people by rolling.
2. A sphere shaped car of which the body itself rolls instead of having tires.
3. A sphere treadmill for humans; just like the ones for hamsters for example.
Foldable Form
Current Function
Book | A foldable form usually feels like a book.
Different Context
Laptop | An electronic device that folds in half, sometimes even called a notebook.
Arm | Our body part, also folds, but not to make things compact, but to move around efficiently.
New Use
1. A foldable building, that folds in the direction of the sun to save energy.
2. A foldable TV, that changes its size depending on the video’s aspect ratio.
3. A foldable paper, that folds.
Grid Form
Current Function
Mailbox | Mailboxes in apartments are placed in grid form for residents to find their box easily.
Different Context
Cities | A lot of urban cities are built in grid form for efficiency.
Circuits | Micro chips are usually formed in a structured grid to keep the circuits simple and organized.
New Use
1.
5. System Intersection Points
Fast Food Restaurants
Systems
A digital interface for ordering is added on to a physical space where people go to for a fast/cheap meal.
Interaction and Conflicts
People interact with the kiosk to navigate through the menu and order their meal. Some find it difficult to use these kiosks due to lack of experience using them or a bad user experience such as small texts, missing images, or even paying with cash.
Unexpected Behaviors / Adaptation
1. Some people are made to ask the employees for help, which I find quite interesting because it could actually take less time for the employees to take the order rather than teaching someone how to use the kiosk.
2. Some choose to order with their mobile instead of using the kiosk. For me, I find it easier to use deal coupons when using mobile orders compared to the kiosk.
3. A few walk up to the counter and see what they can do from there. There usually is a line of people waiting to order at the counter.
Opportunities for Intervention
I don’t think there is much to intervene in this situation. The restaurants implemented kiosks to cut-off the budget spent on wages or for precise ordering, even though they knew it would cause difficulties for some people. Some people find it better using the kiosk because they don’t need to spend time waiting in line or have to talk to anyone just to order a fast food.
Airports
Systems
A long-distance transportation system connected augmented by a digital data system.
Interaction and Conflicts
I found people standing in line to drop off their bags. The experience seemed different depending on which airport you go to or whether you’re traveling domestic or international. In Newark, for a domestic flight, people had to print out their baggage stickers from a kiosk and attach them to their bags before approaching the counter. Some people stood in line without knowing that because there weren’t any signs telling them to do so. People started asking each other if this was the line for a certain flight, wether they had to print the sticker out before standing in line and so on.
Some required for assistance because they had physical difficulties, which also wasn’t thoroughly informed before standing in line. I found an old women on an airport wheelchair who then had to wait to be escorted by an employee of the airline. She and her family didn’t seem to be aware of this fact since they were trying to move away by themselves. They had a hard time understanding as well since they weren’t fluent in English.
Unexpected Behaviors / Adaptation
1. People were asking each other about information while waiting in line, which I find as a method of adaptation to an unwelcoming system.
2. Airline workers started announcing some information through a speaker since people were asking the same questions or were in line without knowing these information.
Opportunities for Intervention
Things would’ve been a lot more easier if they had a big sign in front of the line asking people to follow their process. It would’ve been easier for the airline as well since they would’ve had less people asking repetitive questions. An airport runs with a numerous different digital system, which they also could’ve utilized for a faster and smoother check-ins.
Cemeteries
I haven’t been to cemeteries in the United States, so the below would be my thoughts and experience based on the ones in my home country, South Korea.
Systems
A physical space connecting the system of the living, and the system of the dead.
Interaction and Conflicts
People talk with the ones that have passed away, telling them stories about what they have been up to recently or asking if they were happy on the other side of life. I saw families meeting each other after a long time, talking with each other about how they’ve been, somewhat similar to what they talk to about with their deceased. There wasn’t much conflict in cemeteries, but if there were, it was usually between the families and the management office, most likely about how they weren’t satisfied with how they manage the cemetery.
Unexpected Behaviors / Adaptation
1. The concept of cemeteries itself seems to be an adaptation for Koreans since we used to have lands in the mountains designated for burial. As we developed, we grew short in land, we adopted cremation to use smaller land space, then we came up with a cemetery for cremation, which has grown as a popular method of burial.
2. People started to bring artificial flowers as ornaments to their space in the cemeteries, which of course isn’t biodegradable and end up being trash. The cemetery office banned artificial flowers at some point since they had to throw them away after heavy winds and other weather conditions.
3. People usually visit the cemeteries during Lunar New Years, Korean Thanksgiving(Chuseok), and their deceased’s death anniversary. Both the Lunar New Years and Chuseok are 3 day holidays with the middle-day being the very day of celebration. We used to visit the grave on the day of celebration, but after moving our grandparents to a cemetery, we started visiting the day before or the day after, where there are just a little less people visiting.
Opportunities for Intervention
Sometimes its hard to go to the cemeteries for all three events(Lunar New Years, Chuseok and the anniversary). Since there is a physical space, the cemeteries, we usually think about our deceased only during these occasions. I sometimes don’t think this process has to be restricted to physical space, it could be in a digital space. I could be thinking about this since I’m in NY, long apart from the ones I miss.