After installing and observing our interventions, we learned
that the process of design for public spaces is a complex and risky process.
One of the groups even received a stern response to moving a piece of furniture
a few feet, which is something that was not expected but is understandable
since the users of the space know what they need best. The parameters for our
interventions were very strictly guided by the court staff and the
installations had to meet a rigorous set of guidelines. Throughout the term, we
came to understand that legally, it takes a very (very very) long time and much
effort to change anything in the court because of the restrictions of the law.
I now fully understand why it is such a complex process. The government is
trusted by the public to represent all it’s constituents, therefore, any change
that will affects the public has to go through a rigorous analysis and be scrutinized
down to a t.
We were extremely lucky to be offered the opportunity to
share our designs with the public and test it on the site. Paul, and the rest
of the staff, are very passionate about serving the public and improving the experience
for the users of the court. They understand more than anyone the intricate
process that comes with changing the built environment inside the court, therefore
they were excited to assist us in our tactical installations as we attempted to
address issues they described. Even when we were finishing the on-site
installation, members of the staff came to us and offered us their valuable
input to how we can improve the design to better serve the public. We ended up
returning the next day to adjust some of the text on our signs to ensure they
aligned with their comments. This course is highly aligned with Wentworth’s
guiding principles on applied and practical training. The on-site live testing
of the designs offered an irreplaceable insight into understanding the role of
the designer.