Hello! I think your ides is super interesting because is a collaborative game that manage to have one team separated between two opposite (one with the solution the other without, one on the ground the other on a rooftop) so this what I meant by opposite.
At the same time this opposite are attracted by the game, they are working together, like in physics, in the difference you have union, and this is very poetic.
Also the idea evoke in me the idea of double, you have a representation of a puzzle and then you have the reality made of the same object but maybe oversized, this is also a category that seems pervading.
And the way you describe Nicosia, it made me think about this as well.
I have a question for you especially regarding the last picture, what are the relationship between for example, a passerby under that wall and a guard above it? On the ground level what is the kind of negotiation that happens in these liminal spaces?
Hello B+B - cool that you are making mock-ups. Maybe my brain is short, but I cant see what the two colours symbolise. Is it the border of the maze? Or indicated path?
Location - the idea of train station - I find it excellent - it is true that there are many people in hurry, but also many who are only waiting and might be more appealed and motivated to take part in.
I like Matteo´s link - the flash action, kind of performance in busy places. Spontaneous installation.
your idea sounds interesting. With the city like yours, it looks very inspiring. It makes me think about the size of your puzzle, more specifically about some large scale puzzle that might stay in a particular spot as an installation reminding your game. Participative art sculpture piece?
my post will be short today (i am unexpectedly indisposed, accept my apologise). I described the location in a separate post - Research, Framework, Network - the Pocket Park in Ouagadougou
I maintain still the same idea of location. We are advancing with some technical intervention in the area to avoid flooding (it is kind of improvised, the townhall is rather passive (or overloaded with other priorities) - so we have put some earth and rammed it - to the place where we would like to install the “TiP” structures in June).
I am sketching some alternative urban furniture (playful permanent structures not necessarily considered as playgrounds) - I will send you pictures when possible.
The major feature of the design is that it should be resistant. The children in Ouagadougou are usually very energetic, their way of playing is really intense - the swings last year that we have installed are already broken. The design should be also simple and clear - not very sophisticate details or unusual modes of use… hmmm
Hey Fran and Kai,
You probably know about this… there is an artwork called ‘Labyrinth’ by Mark Wallinger that spans all of London’s underground stations. It’s like a giant labyrinth of labyrinths, or a treasure hunt – each of the 274 stations has a different labyrinth hidden in it for people to find and play with. This video is a really good overview of it and also includes a lot of theory about labyrinths and their relation to London’s train network https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9P9opuZvxM … if you don’t have 30 mins to spare, there’s a shorter description on the Art on the Underground site.
Maybe there’s some link or starting point that could be taken from this?
Hey @BagelandBalloon
Sorry for the labyrinth spam, but here are some more labyrinths you might be interested in…
Hey Marina, I was thinking about your question of how to give prompts visible in different spaces without necessarily needing to rely on digital technology/smartphones… it made me think of semaphore, which uses coloured flags to convey information over distances. Flags of course also have a huge relationship with borders – something to be careful with so as not to stir up conflict – but perhaps it could be nice to use flags for productive communication and working together rather than separation, occupation and ownership.
Hi everyone, really sorry to miss the last meeting without any warning. I was travelling and I thought the place I would be would have internet, but it was super rural and I had no phone signal or wifi, whoops!
I was thinking about the differences in interactions when walking in the city and in rural places – I’ve always loved the camaraderie of walkers in the countryside, who always say hello to every stranger they (we) pass, and how this doesn’t happen in the same way in urban space. I like to repurpose familiar games or their mechanics when I create new games, so that people encountering them have a sense of familiarity or continuation from the outset. I had the idea of reimagining snakes and ladders in order to explore urban space and interactions, that could create a derive through any city (like the techniques the Situationists used, but with more of a sense of being part and engaged with the place and its people, rather than a spectator).
snake
—
ladder
—
city
Start: fly-posted sheet in public space with snake/ladder image and stickers containing the following instructions:
To reach the highest point in the city:
take a sticker and start walking
if you see a ladder or steps, say hello to the next person you pass
if they respond, you may ask for help to get to the highest point and/or continue walking
if they ignore you, change direction
if you see a snake image, walk back the way you came
when you think you are at the highest point you can reach, leave this sticker
The idea is this could be played in any place. Lisbon is a city that really lends itself to it, as it is so hilly. High points don’t just have to be just hills though – I’d love it if players ended up talking to people living in high buildings to get invited into high up flats/rooftops. The game could be played as energetically (climbing buildings, trees etc.) or as sedately (a wander around a city, looking at it carefully and meeting people) as a player likes.
