My M. Arch thesis examines how urban spatial design interventions can foster spontaneous encounters, activating overlooked city spaces through shared experiences. The project investigates the relationship between self and others, addressing the problem of the “vanishing nearby”—the erosion of empathy as individuals grow increasingly detached from engaging with foreign consciousness in their mundane, everyday lives.
Chapter One: How might I bring strangers from afar into presence—while also inviting those nearby partake in a shared virtual journey?
For the first design, I imagine a polished steel sheet folded into a bench, catching the flickering neon lights from Times Square and reflecting them into Vancouver. The silhouette of a person could appear on the surface, shaped by the light and shadow, creating an atmospheric condition—something glowing and strange enough to draw in a passerby to travel with you.
Chapter 2: Writing helps us remember. It lets us feel seen. But what if writing could also become a way to forget pain—together?
WRITTEN LANGUAGE, WORDS
Condition:
- The writing needs to fade away over time
- A surface to write on
- An object to write with
