ARCHITECTURE OF WAITING
Realise | RCA GDL
Waiting belongs to one of the most overlooked practices of everyday life; it’s seen as a by-product of the everyday ebbs and flows and is hence rarely planned for, especially in public spaces. Rather than fixing pauses to make
space more efficient, this project embraces waiting as an inescapable practice. To take the tension away from the spontaneous pausing in public spaces, I re-design existing architectural elements to better analyse how waiting can be integrating within the built environment. By focusing on three elements – columns, bollards, and sign boards – I transform their existing function to make space for the human body such that they welcome people to take a moment, slow down, and wait.
In order to understand the difficulties people face whilst waiting in public spaces I conducted interviews and completed behavioural observations at Kings Cross, London. This helped me assess why people are prompted to wait, and how they seek comfort in doing-so in public spaces. The behavioural observations was a key starting point in studying the position of the human body which led way to the next phase of prototyping.
Thinking about the materiality of the elements was essential in insuring they add comfort and a warmth for users. In contrast to using hard stones or metals I experimented with creating a strong pulp which mimics terrazo and yet feels warm to the touch. The material was made using waste paper, alginate, wood glue, and bee wax for water proofing. The inside of the column is lined by a foam which similarly camouflages as terrazo; only when someone leans against it will the person that the uncomfortable looking material can actually hide comfort and a welcoming nature in it.