The InstaBooth is a telephone booth-inspired portable structure that captures citizens’ past stories and present opinions, particularly opinions regarding the use and design of public spaces. The aim of the InstaBooth project is to employ design approaches to engage local communities in a situated debate on the future of their urban environment. The Instabooth uses tangible and hybrid interaction such as multi-touch screens and media façades to facilitate face-to-face and digitally mediated discussions.
The design of the InstaBooth combines multiple interaction techniques, including a number of QUT-developed display and interaction technologies, into a hybrid (digital and analogue) media space. Outside the InstaBooth, urban design proposals are projected onto adjacent building façades and pavements. Inside the InstaBooth, visitors can activate a multi-touch screen in order to browse media, write a note, or draw a picture to provide feedback. The specific design of the internal and external interfaces, the mutual relationship between these interfaces with regards to information display and interaction, and the question of how visitors can engage with the system, are all part of the research agenda of this project.
My role as lead designer and fabricator of the InstaBooth meant I was involved with the form making and drafting as well as the CNC routing of the parts that make up the booth. This was done based on the discussions within the design team and a number of collaborative workshops with various stakeholders.
My role as lead designer and fabricator of the InstaBooth meant I was involved with the form making and drafting as well as the CNC routing of the parts that make up the booth. This was done based on the discussions within the design team and a number of collaborative workshops with various stakeholders.
Funding / Grants
QUT Engagement Innovation Grant (2014 - 2015)
Team
Other Team Members
Lead Designer and Fabricator: Anna Svensdotter Masters of Research: Ben Carden
Partners
Other Partners
Nicole Gavin, Cancer Care Services, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, QLD
Associate Prof Martin Tomitsch & Joel Fredericks (PhD Candidate), University of Sydney, Design Lab
Prof David Gillette, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, USA
Dr Gabriela Avram, Lecturer in Digital Media and Interaction Design, University of Limerick, Ireland
QLD Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability – Office of Women
QLD Department of Public Works
Logan City Council
Kelvin Grove Urban Village Principal Body Corporate
Aveo
Heart of Pomona
Local InstaBooth instances have also been successfully exported, built and deployed by our colleagues at: University of Sydney California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, USA University of Limerick, Ireland, with further interest from: Lima, Peru; Tsinghua Uni, Beijing, China; Plymouth, UK.
