Re)(Connecting
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
Category
Project Description
An installation of a series of urban equipment pieces with two opposite sound properties. One that boosts reflection of sound to ease the communication between two people with a safe distance and another that is sound absorbing, so it's possible to have a video call with a distant loved one in a silent environment.
Geographical Scope
Project Region
Urban or rural issues
Physical or other transformations
EU Programme or fund
Which funds
Description of the project
Summary
After being in a lockdown for almost two years, human interaction is more than needed at the moment, from the ones that are close to us to those who are in a distant city or other country. But can we just go back to the life that we were living before or are we changing for good?
Re)(Connecting is a project to bring people together by mixing art installation and physics in an urban environment. In a park or a square, sets of two different acoustic conches can be installed in the public setting for social interaction. One of them is made from recycled aluminum steel for reflecting sound, it can be paired up with another one of the same with at least 2 meter distance between them, this way two people can have a proper conversation with a safe distance. The other one is covered in Goma Eco Tiles, made from recycled shoe soles, absorbing the surrounding sounds and guaranteeing a silent and comfortable place for a person to have a call and connect with a distant loved one. The absorbing acoustic conches will also be equipped with solar panels, battery, power outlets and internet connection, to ensure this is a proper comfortable environment to have a video call.
Citizens from around the world have been living through catastrophic scenarios in the past years, from war in Syria to Covid-19 pandemic and, most recently, war in Ukraine. Re)(Connecting is a small but powerful intervention to help people connect with each other under these circumstances, taking the example of Starlink satellite internet connection provided by SpaceX to supply internet connection for Ukraine during this war settlement. In moments of despair, simple and common things like communication can be made very difficult or almost impossible.
Key objectives for sustainability
In terms of environmental sustainability Re)(Connecting will be constructed mostly with recycled materials. The reflecting acoustic conches will have its inner part covered in recycled aluminum from cans and finished in Goma Eco Tiles, a portuguese patented material made by recycled shoe soles, on the outside. For the absorbing conches, the finishes will also be Goma Eco Tiles but inside and on the outside there'll be solar panels to capture solar energy and provide electricity for the power outlets to be used by people.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
Re)(Connecting acoustic conches have two distinct aesthetics, the reflecting ones are parabolic dish shaped pieces and the absorbing ones are more enclosed and shaped like a conch. These pieces will be positioned in duos and groups, starting from 2 pieces and reaching 20 to 50 of them depending on the available area, so it can really pop up in the middle of a park or square and make a statement. Each pair of reflecting dishes will be identified with a different color of Goma as the outer finishing material, in a way that it's more easily recognizable where people should place themselves to have proper conversations with each other. The absorbing conches will be placed as one piece each, covered in Goma on the inside and with solar panels on the outside.
Key objectives for inclusion
In terms of inclusion, Re)(Connecting aims on the requalification of parks and low interest areas, to boost the traffic and engagement of the community with the surrounding area, offering the public a place to be together even when social distancing is needed.
The first place that Re)(Connecting will be placed is in the city of Porto in Portugal, more precisely in Parque da Pasteleira. This is a 7 hectare green space that is very rich but infamous to the city of Porto. The Pasteleira area is already undergoing rehabilitation since the inauguration of the City History Museum in 2018 and the celebration of music festivals during the summer time. Pasteleira Park has a bad reputation among Portuguese citizens because it has a past history of drug abuse in its surroundings, but this situation has been tackled in the past 5 years.
This is a public open space project which means anyone can use the urban equipment, also, it also works as an open-air art installation and a very interesting attraction for tourists as well.
Physical or other transformations
Innovative character
Re)(Connecting combines sustainability and aesthetics in the use of recycled materials such as Goma Eco Tiles and recycled aluminum, both obtained from ecologic circular systems. Goma Tiles have a sound absorbing property but also offer lots of different color combinations and custom pattern creations.
The shape of the dishes and conches are accessible to the majority of people, providing social inclusion to almost anyone who wants to interact with these pieces. The inclusive characteristic of the project is also in the rehabilitation of urban parks, squares and low interest areas and its surroundings for the citizens to use.
In addition, by providing power outlets and a good internet connection, it may be used by tourists as a comfort zone to navigate the web and connect to people. Furthermore, this connection can be taken to another level when in a catastrophic settlement such as a pandemic or war, being a tool for communication.
