change your view

Based on the idea that contemplating natural environments has a restorative effect, I am proposing to create installations that could be used in empty city centre shops using imagery or cctv footage of natural environments.  I had a positive response from Matt Easteal of Brighton and Hove Council Environmental Improvement Team,  who explained the purpose of the large scale images they have been positioning on disused buildings. They are intended to combat vandalism and graffiti. Passers by agree that they enjoy looking at them: an alternative to the hoardings but not an advertisment.

Stand still, step up, mark one

One way to have a moments respite, to escape the claustrophobia of the crowded environment is to step up. First trial of a step to nowhere, somewhere to stand still, elevate yourself , a look out post . We realised that the surface area makes you stand up straight, not so relaxing. Also that maybe you need something to lean on.

 

literal interpretations

A fairly literal interpretation by Dominic Schwarz, uses the elements that my time out survey brought up.What these pictures don't show is what might be the effect on the user of eye level grass. Could moss be incorporated into seating like this using something like - Senseware demonstrated a Terramac a material that supports flexible planting surfaces for moss? - unfortunately the terramac material was only for the Milan exhibition not currently available commercially.

rfid

There must be a way to use rfid technology to provide alternative views, messages, virtual reminders of elsewhere, directions to respite?

negotiating crowds

Sometimes making your way through crowds of people can be hugely frustrating. Envisage yourself floating above the crowd. Perhaps a step to let you perch on a shelf overlooking the street would be a moment for time out before you lower yourself in to the current again.

the colour of midsummer

Nearly everyone who responded to my Do you need time out? survey has a preference for a rural or natural environment and outdoors rather than indoors. Perhaps this is predictable . Perhaps there is some kind of collective subconsciousness that responds positively to growth? This is midsummer on the england scottish border : as much green as I have seen in the past year, without a building in sight.

eye movements

My survey 'Do you need timeout' has also generated ideas from areas such as the treatment of post traumatic stress, where unanticipated triggers can provoke spontaneous memories that cause panic attacks. EMDR Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing is a technique where the patient is encouraged to use bilateral eye movements (e.g left-right-left) when recalling traumatic and distressing events. This technique has been found to reduce the intensity of the  memory. I am wondering whether there might be a connection between this and the sensation you get on a speeding train? I often find my thought processes run smoother when I am in motion - watching the world go by?

hiding places

Getting peoples preferences on their version of a space for time out has generated some good nuggets of ingredients to chew on so far:

• ' a haven of the unexpected' that is 'deliciously enclosed' 
  
• ' a womb like flotation tank'
• ' pre-menstrual huts complete with stacks of plates for smashing'
• ' padded cells'

with 

• 'natural colours and patches of intense pigment'
•  wind and breezes quite popular