Interaction Design Institue Ivrea, 2005

Contact me

Join Urbanseeder

How it works

How it really works

Press Material

Download Hi-Res
Download Low-Res

Acknowledgements

Software development and information architechture: Ofer Luft
Physical objects co-production : Oren Horev
Video co-production and editing: Dana Gordon
Video direction of photography: Vinay Vennkatrama
After Effects editing: Tristam Sparks
Illustrations: Alejandro Zamudio
Pattern generation code: Chia-Ying Lee

Thanks

I would like to deeply thank my thesis advisors, Heather Martin and Yaniv Steiner and all the people who contributed, participated and helped me shape this thing.

The Context With my cynical take on current technology mediated services, and their effects on our cultural behavior, I set out to provide an alternative solution.

A game that initiates and plays out in the physical ream, aiming to return love seeking to the streets (away from the internet). I wanted to introduce chance as a main player and create a more laid back, natural, fun experience through which we can increase the chance of finding a mate.

The Concept Providing a means to create accidental anonymous public encounters between us and the people we find attractive, yet too shy to approach. Twisting fate.

Specifically designed for missed opportunities, those situations where we are intrigued by a person we see, yet intimidated by rejection and not decided enough to take the risk in making a direct approach; when we choose to hold back and remain with the hope of running into that person again, surrendering to fate.

It is similar to leaving a note for someone we fancy. Only instead of leaving our phone number, we leave an indirect link to our whereabouts in the city, inviting that someone to join us in our public activities so we can gradually get to know each other. What we hopefully end up with is familiarity, comfortable situations and the context of shared activities, all needed to spark a conversation. It's less then 'Can I have your phone number?', and more than just 'Hope to see you around...'.

How it works Members maintain a private page, where they list their planned whereabouts in the city. They grant individual access to this page by giving away access codes. Actively, the member can disseminate physical tokens containing a code, such as stickers. Passively the member can wear his code, and allow who ever is interested to take it.

The vision The codes are visual. Each member is assigned a pattern. The pattern comes in the form of textiles made into garments , or imprinted his physical tokens. When a photograph of any segment of this pattern using a digital camera device such a mobile phone, is sent to the service, a link to the member is returned to the photographer.

My Work The results of my work consist of a concept for patterns, and a pilot with unique number codes, Urbanseeder. My process, initiating from critical illustrations, development of the concept and iterations is described in under Process.