Thanks to all who came by the ITP Spring Show and gave their feedback. And a special thank you to Jemma and Jesse for their continued positivity and guidance.
Toy Design
I've decided to pull the trigger on an old idea: a sizable (3ft wide, 6ft tall), interactive plywood representation of the NYC subway system. Designed to be mounted on a wall, the wooden boroughs would accept dowels (denoting train stations) which exist to connect different colored bands (subway lines). This means that the subway system as we know it is gone and you've been given charge to rethink the paths that our colorful subway lines traverse.
Unlike some of my other work here at ITP, this project is mechanically thin. I'm choosing to focus more on tangibility as it relates to wall decor as well as child-like notions of what may be were we to only dream. I'm interested in seeing how people interact with the piece as well as what new subway routes people come up with.
I've abstracted the 5 boroughs so as to fit them semi-equally around one another. The faint circles will be routed out of the plywood and the typography will be screenprinted on top. I'm pushing for craft, elegance, and naïve functionality.
April 27, 2011
I ride the A/C twice daily. This exciting fact finds me seatless and surrounded by passengers that grimace as I brush through them toward a breathable space where I can practice my subway surfing.
Subway surfing - my definition, at least - involves a passenger standing in a moving car without assistance from the poles around them. Apart from the athletic challenge, I like knowing I've opened up a space for others to brace themselves.
So let's make a game of it, shall we? Above is a mock-up of a rotating plane that demonstrates the train's inertia and where one should place their feet in order to maintain standing - a bit like a lazy susan with a weight applied to one side.
The plane which rotates would be housed below a static surface upon which the subway rider stands. The blue feet will wobble around and it would be the riders imperative to follow its lead.
Here's an initial prototype on the A train:
April 13, 2011
What's your take on hobbies? How many is too many? After finishing this week's Toy Design assignment (reconsider the Jack In The Box), I'm feeling more invested in building things out of wood and threaded rods than with the letters and numbers on my computer.
I thought to deliver a sort of anticlimatic experience with my toy. If anticipation is focused towards the top, I thought, then let me consider the bottom. With some time, I found a solution that was undoubtedly outside of the box.
February 11, 2011