We’ve seen loads of pop-up urbanism over the past few years, from parks to libraries, all designed to turn dead urban space into lively ones. But how do you stop people from immersing themselves in their phone screens in public? By building a larger screen, where they can be immersed together!
A group of designers in Auckland — who go by the name Oh No Sumo — installed this tiny theatre on a street corner that they describe as a “hardscape”, where “members of the public retreat individually into the media offered on their mobile phones”. The timber-and-fabric tent is designed to counteract that innocuous behavior: YouTube videos and short films, playing on the screen from a projector above the entrence of the building, give people a reason to stop by and hang out.
Who chose the videos? The public, via the internet, of course. People could suggest videos and films online, and the Oh No Sumo team would add them to the playlist. “Short movies previously shared online, are projected for the public to enjoy, offering similar media to that sought out on their phones,” explain the designers. “A community must be linked not only virtually but also physically.” This particular pop-up theatre is now a thing of the past, but keep your eyes peeled — this seems to be a trend.
Picture: Simon Devitt