Time drag —
A new breed of public transport stops
Redesigning the way we wait for public transport
In 2012 I spent a vast amount of time researching places that are designed for waiting. Non-places where we wait for buses, trains and trams. Places we sometimes spend more time at than we actually do travelling, but rarely question.
A strong interest in public environments led me to research how transport stops could be elevated into cultural meeting spots, enhancing their surroundings and functioning as landmarks.
My project’s outcome became a series of proposals for interactive art integrated into the waiting platforms of Sydney’s new light rail. Three locations – Town Hall, Surry Hills and The Rocks were chosen – and each stop draws inspiration from its unique surroundings and encourage exploration along the network, making transportation into exploration.
Stop 1: Sydney Town Hall
—Time dragThe installation is named after a phenomenon known as ‘time drag’, which makes time seem to pass slower than it actually does when we wait. The installation consists of a set of clocks that move very slowly when trains have just left and speed up when a train is approaching. It ironically nods at the famous Town Hall clock and will give stressed commuters some perspective on time.
Stop 2: Surry Hills
—Book Swop StopWhat is a library thirty years from now? Library ruins of bookshelves have stood model for this functional piece of art. In the cozy and proud neighbourhoods of Surry Hills this installation becomes a second living room where people can exchange knowledge. Surry Hills library will also be able to use the stop for cultural promotion.
Stop 3: The Rocks and Museum of Contemporary Art
—Time displacementIn the avant garde area of the MCA, people are expecting something daring. This installation gives the participant a glimpse of realities in distant places and different time zones, giving you a feeling of being able to step right into another metropolis somewhere else in the world. While you watch the other side, cameras and video screens inside this black concrete cube record you and feed a slightly distorted image to the other end.
—Time displacementIn the avant garde area of the MCA, people are expecting something daring. This installation gives the participant a glimpse of realities in distant places and different time zones, giving you a feeling of being able to step right into another metropolis somewhere else in the world. While you watch the other side, cameras and video screens inside this black concrete cube record you and feed a slightly distorted image to the other end.
The floor mosaics
The mosaic is a classic feature of historic subway systems. A modern take on the floor mosaic is what ties this system of installations together.
