Other process work from previous weeks:
Week 5-6: Parameters
Week 7: 5 Proposals
Statement
In Part One, I had observed/participated in a café, inserting myself in a space involving a wide range of social interaction. I wanted to look into the idea of bonding over food, but within my own zone. This meant intervening in my home, and seeing how my family will react to my interventions, as they will be the participants.
My dining room was the most suitable space for this intervention, where there is the most happenings in the household. I want to look into the experience of occupying, eating, and exchanging over food, as I believe food is what creates social space. Considering this, I want to experiment with the space through a combination of experiences and objects.
My family members are often stuck in their own bubbles, resulting in the lack of family interaction. It is during a meal that we come together as one, where there is awkwardness. My proposals will be used as an opportunity to address these issues, creating a moment where we take a break from our schedules to spend quality time. Although I am expecting hesitance, lack of interest, and rejection, I am hoping my attempts will bring awareness to my family.
I aim to consider questions I would normally dismiss: How does a change in the space affect the exchanges? How will they respond? Does the dining table itself make a difference in our ritual? Will my intervention elevate/lower the bonding experience with my family?
Proposal
I decided to choose Proposal #5, consisting of a picnic mat, and a change in the location of dining. I thought this proposal was the most effective in my overall concept, which was to bond over food.
One of my key concepts was playing with the oxymoron of an outside activity indoors, highlighting how often my family and I spend our leisurely time indoors. Although my family are the main participants of my proposal, I am also inserting myself into my intervention, and I am hoping this experience will encourage myself and my family to spend more time outdoors.
Modifications
- Relocating from Dining Room to The Kitchen
- The area in the kitchen has more sunlight in the afternoon as opposed to the dining room, which gives a better emulation of “the outdoors”.
- There is also a larger space for the picnic mat
- New location does not disrupt flow of movement in the house (no need to walk around, avoid, step over the mat)
- The physical room for the intervention is not as important as the placement of the mat, what matters is what happens on the mat.
- One Big Picnic to Multiple Mealtimes
- Essentially a substitute for the dining table as opposed to a picnic.
- This was easier to organize and convince family members to participate, because I wasn’t wasting food by prepping a large amount of food, only to eat a bit and storing the rest in the fridge.
- Multiple Mealtimes may warm my family members up to getting used to dining on the mat, rather than a one-off moment that may be forgettable.
Document Artefact
I decided to present my documents through an album/scrapbook layout, which I will be making myself. I thought this was the most suitable approach to my work, as my intervention is very personal to me, much like an album you fill images in, and a scrapbook you decorate through your own direction.
Documentation of Intervention
What was your intervention (both planned and actually implemented?)
My intervention was to create an experience with my family members with the intention of bonding with them, by bringing an outdoor activity indoors.
How did you implement it?
I did this by laying a picnic mat on the floor in the dining room, proposing to have a meal on the mat rather than the dining table.
What were the actions, intentions, processes, methods, reactions?
The purpose of this was to highlight the amount of times we spend indoors, in our own rooms.
When was it put into motion?
The times I put these interventions in motion was mostly during the day, during lunchtimes. This is because it is a more informal mealtime, as opposed to dinner time.
What was the duration of the intervention, and why?
The duration of these interventions was between 10-20mins, as this is often the time it takes to finish a meal.
Describe and analyse how your intervention modulated/changed the social space. What was the change that occurred in the space, and how/why did it happen?
Placing the picnic mat in the kitchen required rearranging the space, moving chairs and appliances to open up the area. Because the picnic mat is a different colour to the rest of the kitchen, the mat stands out. It is the first thing you see when entering the dining room & kitchen area, bringing attention to the floor.
Identify the contexts and concepts relevant to the site and your intervention/interference. Why are they important or relevant?
A picnic is an activity of leisure, fun, and bonding, something that my family as a whole lacks. It is relevant as it is the driving force for my proposal choice, wanting to do something together with family. The oxymoron nature of having a picnic indoors is intentional in the way that it may help my family realise the amount of time we all spend indoors.
Situate yourself and your interests in relation to the social space.
The kitchen is a space where creation occurs, such as cooking, baking, mixing. This aligns to my own interests, where I have a passion for creating through arts and crafts. Yet when using the kitchen, it is obvious that creating happens on the counter. This intervention on the other hand, is happening on the floor, where I am creating a moment for myself and my family members.
Reflection
What went well?
My family definitely raised the questions I was intending, which was “Why aren’t you having your picnic outside?” “why are you doing this indoors?”
I also noticed that it was similar to a real picnic, with the sunlight and greenery from the window. The only thing that was missing was the breeze.
What didnt go so well?
As expected, my family was not interested in my approach, thinking it was unconventional and pointless. During the intervention, I did not feel that they initially tried to enjoy the experience, and instead felt like it was a chore, something they were only doing to please me. They did later come around and became more willing to participate.
What would I change next time?
I may try my original approach of creating one big picnic, as I feel that I might be more successful with convincing my family to participate. A believe a big picnic will make my family realise the seriousness of my intervention.
AUT Spatial Design 