Case Description
‘Physx’ is a concept design that explores how social distancing can be encouraged in a dynamic way. Proposed to be implemented in front of the Rotterdam Centraal train station, this public space installation offers an interactive surface for people to walk, which indicates visually and in real-time a 1.5-meter safe zone around individuals. The design consists of “a tight tend surface, made out of elastic fiber, raised from the ground of about 50cm. Once a person steps on the membrane, it absorbs the pressure, bending in a depression-like valley. The membrane stretches and reveals the inner fibers that are in different colours. Automatically a coloured “safe zone” of 1,5m with different intensities is generated around the person, defining the distance that should be kept while interacting with the other people.”
Relation to Resilience
The installation enables people to experience social distancing measures in a dynamic and vivid way. It thereby plays an informative role, helping people to explore and understand social distancing measures and their implications. Being a public and open-ended installation, ‘physx’ may also spark conversation among citizens about the measures that are installed.