Public spaces like parks, squares, and plazas are essential to urban life. These areas should offer opportunities for relaxation, escaping the busy city life and connection with others. But, most of the time people are for themselves, lacking meaningful interactions. This phenomenon is particularly striking in urban neighborhoods, where anonymity is growing, and the sense of community is shrinking. However, several studies have shown that belonging to a community has a positive effect on people’s mental and physical health (Cramer, Pawsey 2023), (Kitchen, Williams, Chowhan 2011). Baumeister and Leary (1995) describe belonging even as a fundamental human motivation.
Therefore, the research investigates if interactive installations have the potential to transform the public space into an environment that breaks the social isolation by creating playful experiences that invites people to interact with the installation itself and create a space that encourage social engagement. Can such shared experiences between different people of different background and ages help to strengthen the sense of belonging, strengthen the community and connection within a neighborhood and create a space where people come together?
Personal motivation
I am living in a new neighborhood with a great nice park as the center of it, which actually could be a great place of community and interactions. However, the park is rarely used by residents of the neighborhood, primarily due to its lack of amenities. Only few weeks ago few benches were installed, but overall, the space remains largely uninviting.
Next steps
In the next step, I would like to take a closer look at urban design with a focus on public spaces. How are they defined and what must be considered when constructing a public space. I also want to focus on the social dimensions of public spaces. In the second part of research I will dive deeper into the design aspect. That includes learning about interactive installations, the different types available, tools and methods used to create them and studying best practices.
Bringing all these topics into a cohesive concept and finding a type or direction for interactive installations that can be universally used in different public spaces, can be challenges during this research.
Literature
K. M. Cramer and H. Pawsey, „Happiness and sense of community belonging in the world value survey“, Current Research in Ecological And Social Psychology, Bd. 4, S. 100101, Jan. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.cresp.2023.100101.
P. Kitchen, A. Williams and J. Chowhan, „Sense of Community Belonging and Health in Canada: A Regional Analysis“, Social Indicators Research, Bd. 107, Nr. 1, S. 103–126, März 2011, doi: 10.1007/s11205-011-9830-9.
Baumeister, Roy F. and Leary, Mark R., “The Need to Belong: Desire for Interpersonal Attachments as a Fundamental Human Motivation”, Psychological Bulletin 1995, Vol. 117, No. 3, 497-529
