PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

When preparing for the workshop, there was the task of gathering subjects to participate in our research. Our research is specific to Ohio State’s campus so our focus was finding people involved with OSU. We recruited students, faculty, and employees to participate in the workshop. Our recruitment and documentation team completed this task by using social media and EventBrite. However, our entire studio helped to gather participants by communicating through text and group me. Once people were signed up, the participants were divided into prototyping teams. The teams were divided evenly by age and major. The teams then collaborated together to come up with prototypes and concepts to transform the parking garage.

DURING THE WORKSHOP

The prototype workshop took place on January 31 and February 1st, 2020

As the participants entered the workshop on Friday night, they received a blank post-it note and a simple prompt – “what comes to mind when you think of a parking garage?” Their minds were taken into the parking garage as they were presented with an overview of our project. As the night proceeded, small groups were formed in order for each voice to be heard. Group discussion was started with another prompt – “what would you like your experience to be in the parking garage?”. Participants selected their answer from a long list of adjectives. Some of the words included were bright, safe, amused, informed, etc. From here participants were guided to expand upon their word and brainstorm ideas of how their word could be reflected in the design of the parking garage. Group members shared their thoughts and made connections around the table.

“Make the parking garage more of a sensory experience. Right now the parking garage is an in-n-out experience” – Emma from table 2.

The rest of the night continued with groups sharing their ideas and developing as many concepts that came to mind. Thoughts big and small flooded the room. By the end of the night, each group had one idea they were going to continue to develop. A user journey activity helped the group think about their idea from a user perspective. What will they feel during their interaction with the parking garage?

Day two started off with groups revisiting their concept. Tours to the parking garage helped the groups envision their designs in the space. Supplies were provided that allowed the participants to take their concept from words into three-dimensional forms. Groups worked together for hours refining their ideas and prototype. Each group was given the chance to share their ideas and thought process. Everyone was given insight to their prototypes. 

OUTCOMES

There were a total of 5 teams that each came up with ideas for transforming the parking garage and creating a culture of care. Team #1 focused on playfulness and creating a memorial to remember those who passed. Their concept focused on the space between two parking garages to create swings between the buildings. Team #2 focused on transforming the top of the parking garage into a garden and included an interactive screen. They wanted to focus on using biophilia and then using the screen to focus on the positivity on Ohio State’s campus. The screen could include history about OSU, directions, and other features about campus. Team #3 focused on creating a different theme on each floor of the garage. The focus started with Ohio State, then Columbus, then Ohio, and then the United States. Each floor would have a different interactive element and would also include a jukebox to play music. This team wanted to focus on identity through culture, where you came from, and where you live. Team #4 focused on using an interactive screen to spread positivity through news articles. This team wanted to use an interactive element to make people happy and make someone’s day. The last team, #5, focused on creating floor wars and lighting in the garage. Their idea was to create screens on each floor that would pose daily questions. The majority answers would then change the color of the lighting on the floor of the garage. Each concept brought interesting ideas that our collaborative studio used to create their own ideas and prototypes.