In semester 1 of my MA I began looking at the necessity of commuting. Working from home or in satellite offices are becoming increasingly popular in attempts to reduce congestion and improve the “home/work balance”.
My intention at the start of the project was to result in designing some form of home office that created a distinct divide between home space/time and work. However as I was researching I discovered some factors of the commute that I find could result in a better working mentality.
- Chance meetings – During the commute you may meet someone who will influence your day/week/life.
- Temporal moments – Something that may happen or you might see on the commute that influences you.
It was then I decided that instead of trying to work around the commute, it could be more useful to work with the commute. At the moment a train journey can be considered a waste of time and people tend not to engage in conversation with others. On that basis I designed “The Doodle Train”. The carriage walls would be lined with cardboard (as it is perceived as a non-precious material) to encourage people to be creative with the space. No seats are provided in a bid to spark social interaction as they use the cardboard to create something in the space. Doodling and tearing up the walls would be encouraged to provide inspiration. The intention is that the space is for someone who is suffering from mind block or lacking motivation at work and also to utilize the time spent on the commute.
Best add some small print….
Obviously this idea is merely a concept and I can guarantee no commuters were harmed during the design process.
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Living in Design 