Seek!
Inviting public spaces through the joy of discovery and supergraphics.
Client: University City District
Industry: Public Spaces & Government
Services: Experiential and Visual Design, Sourcing and Manufacturing
Design Brief.
University City District (UCD) is a partnership of world-renowned anchor institutions, small businesses, and residents dedicated to improving the economic vitality and quality of life in Philadelphia's University City. Their mission is to revitalize community through place-based, data-driven investments in world-class public spaces, public safety, and support for small businesses along their commercial corridors. FutureTogether worked with UCD to create a public art installation for social activation at The Porch , a park located next to the Amtrak train station in Philadelphia. The goal of the installation was to invite visitors to discover and enjoy the public space by highlighting programming and amenities in a fun, artistic way.
Outcome.
Seek! at the Porch, experienced by thousands of visitors, invited inquiry into the park and added much needed visual vibrancy in the community at a time when a neighboring park in Schuykill Yards was opening. The continuous improvements, activities, and interventions that UCD deploys at the park (of which Seek! was a part of) rekindled interest in the space and brought new audiences to the public square.
Social Impact.
We created an abstract and universal design that speaks to the constituencies that converge and share the park. Because it is next to a transportation hub, The Porch is a microcosm of the city—a place bustling with commuters, tourists, students, and unhoused individuals sharing amenities at the park.
Environmental Impact.
Large floor graphics were produced using a novel, aluminum-based foil that was durable and conformed to the different pavers at the park. Once the installation’s colors had faded, the foil was removed and recycled so that no trace was left behind.
The Seek! installation at The Porch at 30th Street, encourages passersby to engage with our space. Nonpermanent designs and public art engage public space users like few other things. We can't wait to work with FutureTogether again!
Nathan F. Hommel, ASLA - Director of Planning and Design
A Place For All.
The development of Seek! was sparked by a performance we produced for Design Philadelphia, Spin!, at the park. The performance showcased an acrobatic dance number on a flying seesaw, bookended by a party and temporary floor graphics. The UCD team liked the graphics so much that they wanted to create a more durable, experiential art installation—which meant our brainstorming meetings centered around how the new graphics could better tell stories of the parks’ use, showcase how visitors interact in the space, and strategize how this installation could act as an invitation to join these activities.
Graphic Motion.
We evolved our original designs into graphic interpretations of motion and interaction. A bean-like shape became the baseline interpretation for standing at the park. We then used our research at the site to shape the “bean” to perform like park visitors. The final graphics express steps and movement as paths of varying lengths and colors.
Promoting Discovery.
Once we developed the graphic system, we worked on laying out the patterns in the park, matching them to park activity. The system incorporated three activity groups: Walking through the park, sitting at the park, and meeting at the park. We also worked on developing a color palette to signify sections within that could be used as cues for visitors and that aligned with the existing color palette of the park’s furniture.
Intentional Materials & Testing.
With a design system and layout approved, we researched materials to print on which yielded an aluminum-based graphics foil designed to replace vinyl—a significantly more sustainable alternative for floor graphics in public spaces.
New Life Same Park.
Seek! temporarily highlighted the best of The Porch for thousands of visitors simply by introducing a colorful, inviting, playful design intervention.
Links & Media.