Social spaces - cumulus conference Paris 2011

www.socialspaces.be

Social Spaces

• A collaboration between two art schools situated approx 20 milesfrom each other in Belgium

• 8 educational prog in design/art• 4 research groups:

• Play&Game• Image&Word• Art/Object/Design• Social Spaces

MAD-faculty

• Exploring the social character of media, art and design

• Based on three pillars:• Public space• Social design• Social media

• Topics such as textiles, health(/care), art in public spaces, …

Social Spaces: what?

• A cross-disciplinary team of about 15 researchers, designers, ...

• Partners in variety of domains (social, cultural, technological, ...)

Social Spaces: who?

- Try to work with non-evident users in mind

- Work from a participatory perspective (designers & the one you're design for at same

level)- Search for hybrid solutions- Create risky objects* Life after creation

* open* documented

* the work of you, (other) experts and the audience

Social Spaces

Mapping toolkit

low-tech & open

Started from the digital(multitouch tables)

map-It

Creating Spaces

The Process: www.creatingspaces.be

AToM

• A Touch of Memory• Creation of Smart Objects for people with

dementia (and their family, caretakers,...)– Sensing what is happening– Recognising patterns– Communicate via a network– Take action

AToM

• An example• Madame Courtois – daily walk

around the block– Smart objects: living room, coat,

front door, cane,...– Sensing: daily routine – Pattern: leaving living room, takes

coat, walks into hallway, takes walking stick and walks out of front door

– Recognises break of patternCommunicate to Mme Courtois

AToM

Some questions: – Which objects to use? (emotional, functional,...

value)– These objects should sense what?– How can they help the persons with dementia?– Should we focus on helping or on making life

more pleasant, exciting, fun,...?

– What is the role of the person with dementia? Should give them a level of control.

AToM

Map “the life” via interviews, 24h observations,...– Next:

• Hands-on visualising of life with people with dementia

• Finding marginal practices of objects, routines,...

• Participatory design – Low-tech prototyping– Critical artefactsEnd result: creation of

multi-sensory interaction & interface design combining the physical and the digital

AtoM – research approach

Some very preliminary observations• Interesting objects/routines

– Hard: Time, agenda, music• We do not want to focus on monitoring or alarm

systems– Not for people with dementia, but for their

environment• Changed the way we perceived people with

dementia as “not normal”– More seeing them as a cultural different

group– Eg taking a bath 10 times a day

AToM

Start of Master Module > december 2011• What are your experiences in combining

research + education?• What are your experiences in working with such

a “delicate” group?• How to create the multi-disciplinary

approach with your design students (who tend to “live” in their own disciplines)?

Thank you...Check www.socialspaces.benielshendriks@gmail.com

AtoM: some questions