Pioneer Square
Project Name : MAP THE SQUARE Lot Size : N/A Building Size : N/A Location: Pioneer Square - Seattle, Washington Project Type : Urban Public Art Installation
Today, Seattle is the 18th most populous city in the United States and its original neighborhood, Pioneer Square has enormous potential to become a more socially-vibrant, lively urban core. Pioneer Square is home to stark contrasts. Art galleries, boutique restaurants, high-end housing and blossoming tech startups within historic buildings are contrasted by homelessness, development limitations, a hub of mental health facilities and lack of urban-enhancing amenities. Many empty or under-utilized properties await the development of future change, and the Map the Square team sought to influence this design change by inviting the public voice. Map the Square is a physical art installation and digital interactive urban mapping project that elevates public conversation around design and the built environment in Pioneer Square. The week-long physical installation coincided with the Seattle Design Festival’s block party in Occidental Square, the heart of the neighborhood. In response to the festival’s theme, “Design Change,” the Map the Square team asked: 1. How can we help the public and local stakeholders articulate the problems in the urban built environment in this neighborhood? 2. Is it possible for our installation to allow the public to voice their solutions to those problems? 3. How can we strengthen the voice of the inhabitants, businesses, tourists, and caretakers of Pioneer Square in the discussion and development of their neighborhood? 4. What design elements will transform Pioneer Square into a more vibrant, socially sustainable urban environment? In partnership with the local business improvement association and local businesses, eight Map the Square kiosks were displayed in front of neighborhood storefronts. The playful and approachable kiosks empowered the public to stop, look and interact with the colored tag elements and the neighborhood, asking the public to show us where they felt a change could take place. Participation was encouraged in the built environment and through social media using #mapthesquare, introducing a digital and networked conversation around the exercise. The design team recorded tag locations and written input, and tracked the feedback on an online map, now a permanent record for the public, business owners, and city officials to use as a guideline for future development. The project’s home base, in a local gallery, showcased the project and provided a space to gather and discuss the neighborhood’s future. This investigation crafts a template for the public to have a voice spatially that can be heard and taken into action in many other urban spaces.
DIGITAL MAPPING An online digital map serves as an overall visualization for public integration.
Kiosks Simple, readily available materials and spray paint graphics made up (8) easily moved kiosks with tags and instructions.
Each tag associated with an urban intervention and color informing the public of good urban elements. Blue = Acess & Entrances Red = Sociability Yellow = Uses & Activities Green = Comfort & Image White = Write your own
People were encouraged to take photos of the locations they would like to see changed with their chosen tag.
People were encouraged to take photos of the locations they would like to see changed with their chosen tag.
Park(ing) Day The kiosks were installed at three additional locations for International Parking Day.
A-Gallery At the end of a two month install, this information will also be transposed onto the online map.
Phase I. Public Art Installation and Data Collection • • • • • •
8 Kiosks Over 200 tags tied 2 Gallery Receptions 3 Park(ing) Day stalls Social media presence: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter Countless conversations, questions and community interactions around improving the built environment in Pioneer Square
Phase II. Data Analysis + Strategic Plan Integration The Map the Square team continues to gather and analyze the public’s feedback. The resulting data will help build a series of maps that will highlight hot spots, patterns and commonalities. These maps will be folded into the local business improvement association’s strategic plans as guidelines for future development.
Today, Seattle is the 18th most populous city in the United States and its original neighborhood, Pioneer Square has enormous potential to become a more socially-vibrant, lively urban core. Pioneer Square is home to stark contrasts. Art galleries, boutique restaurants, high-end housing and blossoming tech startups within historic buildings are contrasted by homelessness, development limitations, a hub of mental health facilities and lack of urban-enhancing amenities. Many empty or under-utilized properties await the development of future change, and the Map the Square team sought to influence this design change by inviting the public voice. Map the Square is a physical art installation and digital interactive urban mapping project that elevates public conversation around design and the built environment in Pioneer Square. The week-long physical installation coincided with the Seattle Design Festival’s block party in Occidental Square, the heart of the neighborhood. In response to the festival’s theme, “Design Change,” the Map the Square team asked: 1. How can we help the public and local stakeholders articulate the problems in the urban built environment in this neighborhood? 2. Is it possible for our installation to allow the public to voice their solutions to those problems? 3. How can we strengthen the voice of the inhabitants, businesses, tourists, and caretakers of Pioneer Square in the discussion and development of their neighborhood? 4. What design elements will transform Pioneer Square into a more vibrant, socially sustainable urban environment? In partnership with the local business improvement association and local businesses, eight Map the Square kiosks were displayed in front of neighborhood storefronts. The playful and approachable kiosks empowered the public to stop, look and interact with the colored tag elements and the neighborhood, asking the public to show us where they felt a change could take place. Participation was encouraged in the built environment and through social media using #mapthesquare, introducing a digital and networked conversation around the exercise. The design team recorded tag locations and written input, and tracked the feedback on an online map, now a permanent record for the public, business owners, and city officials to use as a guideline for future development. The project’s home base, in a local gallery, showcased the project and provided a space to gather and discuss the neighborhood’s future. This investigation crafts a template for the public to have a voice spatially that can be heard and taken into action in many other urban spaces.
DIGITAL MAPPING An online digital map serves as an overall visualization for public integration.
Kiosks Simple, readily available materials and spray paint graphics made up (8) easily moved kiosks with tags and instructions.
Each tag associated with an urban intervention and color informing the public of good urban elements. Blue = Acess & Entrances Red = Sociability Yellow = Uses & Activities Green = Comfort & Image White = Write your own
People were encouraged to take photos of the locations they would like to see changed with their chosen tag.
People were encouraged to take photos of the locations they would like to see changed with their chosen tag.
Park(ing) Day The kiosks were installed at three additional locations for International Parking Day.
A-Gallery At the end of a two month install, this information will also be transposed onto the online map.
Phase I. Public Art Installation and Data Collection • • • • • •
8 Kiosks Over 200 tags tied 2 Gallery Receptions 3 Park(ing) Day stalls Social media presence: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter Countless conversations, questions and community interactions around improving the built environment in Pioneer Square
Phase II. Data Analysis + Strategic Plan Integration The Map the Square team continues to gather and analyze the public’s feedback. The resulting data will help build a series of maps that will highlight hot spots, patterns and commonalities. These maps will be folded into the local business improvement association’s strategic plans as guidelines for future development.
