A Journey for Intimacy
An interactive exhibition exploring the re-establishment of human connection after isolation.
Individual project
14-week project
2021 Spring
#publichealth
#socialevent
#experiencedesign
#exhibitiondesign
Project Brief
The Bureau of Public Health is looking to imagine the future of social gatherings in a safe, enjoyable, and enriching way that has adapted to our new reality by proposing an exhibition experience for showing at Salone Del Mobile that highlights our innovative solution for the future in 2023.
A Journey For Intimacy is an experimental in-person social gathering held by the Bureau of Public Health at Salone Del Mobile 2023.
In this transitioning period of resuming post-pandemic life, we are developing a vision for in-person social gatherings that will connect people more meaningfully through multi-dimensional intimacy and build a reciprocal and healthier society.
When life has been isolated and virtual for such a long time, we are eager to intimacy more than ever. When digital technology has been involved with our life so much, it needs to connect us more instead of isolating us.
A Journey for Intimacy: envisioning the possibilities of multi-dimensional intimacy in future social gatherings.
The Journey
Visitors will experience 3 curated types of intimacy – recreational intimacy, intellectual intimacy, and emotional intimacy to expand their understanding of multi-dimensional intimacy.
This exhibition guides behaviors through audio, visual, and space affordance to create an intuitive experience, where the visitor can focus on experiencing instead of trying to figure out the rule.
The space and route are designed to promote emotional progression. Therefore, visitors need to follow the route and experience rooms in sequences.
Encounter the Exhibition
The exhibition is located at a public square near Piazza del Duomo. I chose this location because it combines a diverse mix of people. From designers who visit Salone Del Mobile, tourists from all over the world, to local residents, they can all encounter this exhibition.
The organic-shaped boundary walls create interesting contrast from the historical surroundings and it is highly visible for people who come from multiple directions.
Starting Room
Here, the visitor will have an overview of the exhibition. The exhibition contains three main activities; visitors will experience recreational, intellectual, and emotional intimacy as they move through each activity. These curated activities and the space designs aim to create emotional progression and, in the end, connect visitors meaningfully.
In addition, the visitor will get a pair of smart audio devices in the “Starting Room.” It will augment their audio experience, collect information anonymously and generate a personalized visual summary at the end of the exhibition.
/ episode 01
Reconnection
The “Reconnection Room” is about experiencing recreational intimacy. Having fun together, creating a collaborative sharing experience is the most approachable yet delightful intimacy we can have. The visitor will enter a dark round space with horn and disk shape installations. Space will respond to the sound and movement visually to encourage group exploration and expression. Visitors will warm up as a group here and prepare for further explorations.
/ episode 02
Flow
The “Flow Room” is about experiencing intellectual intimacy. The rapid collision of minds creates chemical reactions between different people. Space will work as a public conversation forum where visitors can discover ongoing conversations visually and link with different groups freely. The color patterns and texts on the ground will evolve and merge as the conversations continue, guiding people to exchange ideas more dynamically.
/ episode 03
Reliance
The “Reliance Room” is about experiencing emotional intimacy. Through experiencing emotional intimacy, we can create more profound, trustful, and unexpected connections. The system will pair two visitors, guide them into a pod through audio and lighting. The pods are designed into an embracing but not enclosed space to provide a sense of perceived privacy, together with the warm tone lighting, creating a secure and supportive atmosphere. The guiding questions projected on the partition will guide visitors to talk about the emotional and spiritual topics that people usually feel difficult to bring up.
Reflection room
As the epilogue of this journey, the “reflection room” is a space for reflecting and sharing. We want visitors to walk away more connected, mentally fulfilled, even getting a new friend. In this room, visitors can get their unique digital souvenir from the podium and feel a sense of belonging from the combined pattern on the wall, which represents all the encounters and connections happening in this space.
Digital Souvenir
Light will guide the visitor to put their smart audio device on the platform, and the data collected throughout the journey will start to download. Every visitor will get their unique visual wrap-up of the journey and be able to share it. The ratio of purple and orange indicates the time ratio of talking and listening; How dark the blue is related to the average distance between the visitor and the people he/she interacts with; the size of the pattern shows the number of people the visitor interacts with during the exhibition; the shape of the pattern means the emotional ups and downs during each activity.
A Temporary Exhibition With Sustainability And Mobility In Mind
Considering the temporariness of this exhibition (stays for seven days during the Salone Del Mobile), I kept the limitation of construction time and the minimum environmental impact in mind when designing the exhibition.
I decided to use the tensile fabric structure to achieve an organic and minimal looking. The exterior walls could be printed digitally to be highly visible during the day and can work as the screen for projection during the night.
The installations designed for this exhibition will be transported and reused in more affairs, and the design could be applied further in public spaces serving more people.
What’s next?
I believe that meaningful connections between individuals nurture a supportive and reciprocal society. I hope this exhibition is a starting point for the public to rethink and reimage the role social gatherings play in our lives and how technology and considerable design can connect people more meaningfully.