The
project creates a Spatial Urban Social Network where people choose to live in
different amenity group neighborhoods such as a restaurant neighborhood,
fitness neighborhood, or childcare neighborhood based on their 'urban spatial
profile'. Ones urban spacial profile is marked by the urban spaces that
one frequents outside of their apartment dwelling over time. The contemporary
urban experience offers a series of destination spaces for various levels of
social interaction that draw us out of the isolated, private 'box' of the
apartment unit to
progressively engage in the amenities and facilities of the urban landscape.
The desire to project ones whereabouts at given times to a larger network is increasing with online social networking sites such as foursquare, the Facebook 'places' feature and personalized Google maps.
The project programmatically positions the 'destination' to the domestic apartment unit to create ease,
efficiency and free up time for new types of social interaction. The
proposed project features the 'Restaurant Neighborhood.' The amenity group neighborhood acts as a 'group
or community' within the larger spatial network of the other amenity
neighborhoods. The
'tool' for social interaction is spatial- a floating dining cube that is
accessible from the domestic apartment projects over a public restaurant.
The dining cube has privacy glass that lets you make your self 'visible' or 'not visible'. This allows for many types of
social interaction: you can be alone and still have the backdrop of the
restaurant. . You could have a private dinner in your apartment but still
access the ambiance of the restaurant
or you can go to the restaurant etc. . .
The
intent is that the spatial tool and programmatic relationships set up allow for the apartment to open itself up to be a spatial 'profile page' of
sorts that is more dynamic and organic than online social networking. You get
to know the others in the larger spatial network and know when they have chosen
to make themselves 'visible' and then find them in real time. You can make yourself visible to
others and they can come find you.