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Personal space in cities

Personal space in cities

Handson Design

Indicating visually and in real-time a 1.5 meter safe zone around public space users with an interactive floor
  • Location

    New York, USA
  • Year

    2020
  • Status

    Not realised
  • Theme

    Keeping a distance
  • Sub-theme

    Indicating proper distance

Case Description

With the interactive installation ‘Personal Space in Cities’, interactive art studio Handson tries to spatially indicate the distance that needs to be respected during the pandemic. The system monitors the speed at which people are moving, the size of personal space that is required, the time spent in proximity of one another, and the number of people a user has come in contact with. The experience of moving through public space changes dynamically, supporting users in real-time to respect distancing rules.

Relation to Resilience

The project aims to enable new forms of interaction between people and to allow people to consciously be present together in public space. It attempts to counter the ‘dehumanized experience’ of being part of a ‘network of strangers’. As a result, the installation contributes to a sense of connectedness among city dwellers.