EXPERIENCE DESIGN
Tin Sheds Gallery's Return to Community Relevance
Timeline
August 2023 - November 2023
My Role
Background Research
Conceptual Design
Prototyping
User Testing
Team
Kesnavi Parammanandhan
Dayal Paul Sebastian
Katie Gagliano
Tanay Shah
Divya Ravi
Introduction
Founded in 1969, Tin Sheds Gallery transformed from abandoned tin sheds into a vibrant art hub at the University of Sydney. However, its community engagement has diminished over time.
To revitalise this, a new initiative uses the Gallery's archives to connect audiences and spark dialogue about housing challenges. By linking past, present, and future issues, the initiative aims to renew relevance and engagement with Tin Sheds Gallery.
Goal
Foster open dialogue and strengthen personal connection amongst the community with Tin Sheds Gallery’s archives, and by extension the Gallery.
The Challenge
PROBLEM #1
Lack of Awareness
60% of individuals from the questionnaire did not visit Tin Sheds Gallery because they were unaware of it.
PROBLEM #2
Lack of Relevancy
After merging with the University's Architecture Faculty, Tin Sheds Gallery shifted its focus to architecture, resulting in a decline in community interest. Prioritising the architecture and design community, it overlooks students from other departments and local youth who could benefit from the gallery.
PROBLEM #3
Loss of Identity
The archives of Tin Sheds Gallery are presently not being adequately managed, with no proper online record available. This neglect of the archives contributes to a loss of the gallery's identity. Without these archives, the historical and cultural significance of the gallery is diminished, hindering opportunities for dialogue.
Defining the Problem
How might we use Tin Sheds Gallery’s archives related to housing to foster dialogue on the current and future housing issues amongst the community?
Design Process
Through the use of multiple design methods, housing was an emerging issue in the current community and a trend in the exhibitions presented in Tin Sheds Gallery.
DESIGN TIMESCAPE
Tin Shed Gallery's Archives
A study of Tin Sheds Gallery’s archives was conducted, revealing an emerging trend: housing. To address the current tensions of the housing crisis in Sydney, through the use of Tin Sheds Gallery’s housing based archives, we hypotheses that this would spark dialogue within the community.
DOUBLE VARIABLE METHOD
The Speculative Future of Sydney in 2050
The double variable method enabled us to speculate about life in Sydney in 2050, where the city and its residents contend with the dire consequences of unmanaged rising sea levels impacting housing and causing social instability. This speculative future underscores the opportunity for present-day collaborative dialogue within the community, addressing past, present, and future housing-related challenges, including the issue of rising sea levels, to mitigate social instability
Concept
The game, called TSG QUEST, consists of 'Action' cards sparking discussions on housing-related topics and 'TSG Archives' cards detailing specific Tin Sheds Gallery archives. With at least 6 players, collaboration is vital as participants engage with prompts on 'Action' cards. Each turn involves drawing a TSG Archive card and an Action card, like crafting a haiku inspired by a chosen archive within a 2-minute limit. This setup encourages creativity and fun during gameplay.
User Testing
To gather feedback on our concept and refine it, we organized a bodystorming session. Our goal was to pinpoint potential issues and uncover design opportunities. During this session, we assigned roles, with five individuals acting as participants and one person observing.
FEEDBACK #1
Lack of Retention
Despite reading aloud the TSG Archive Card information, players often forget it by the time they start the activity. To address this, the TSG Archive card can be referred to at any time during the game, addressing the problem of players forgetting archive information.
FEEDBACK #2
Lack of Depth in Dialogue
While enjoyable, the Action Card prompts didn't lead to deep discussions. We iterated on the cards to spark more meaningful conversations, drawing inspiration from 'We're Not Really Strangers' by introducing three types of prompt cards: Perception, Connection, and Reflection.
These cards encourage players to share personal experiences and discuss housing issues while engaging with the archives, addressing the lack of dialogue from the previous version.
FEEDBACK #3
Lack of Visuals
Players requested visuals to provide more context to the archive. To address this, the TSG Archive card now includes photos to offer additional context about the exhibition, addressing the lack of context in the previous iteration.
Final Concept
TSG QUEST is an engaging card game designed to spark meaningful discussions and open dialogues about past, present, and future housing issues while interacting with Tin Shed Gallery's housing-related archives. This interaction not only encourages players to explore the archives but also fosters an emotional and personal connection with the archives, drawing from their own housing experiences and thoughts.
Before the game begins, each player receives a set of Archive Information Cards, and they can always refer to the information on the Archive Information Card throughout the session. The game begins with players taking turns drawing an Action Card. For example, an action card might challenge players to create something, like writing a haiku about a specific archive, such as 'Piercing the Clouds.' The player who drew the card selects the best entry and rewards the chosen player.
ARCHIVE INFORMATION
Players are equipped with Archive Information Cards, providing essential archive details before the game begins.
PERCEPTION
Perception cards foster creative thinking to interpret and perceive the archives
CONNECTION
Connection cards help players draw parallels with housing issues, uncover unspoken narratives, and deepen their understanding of the archives
REFLECTION
Reflection cards encourage critical thinking about the archives and the sharing of personal reactions.
Impact
The game fosters collaboration and interaction, creating a platform for dialogue on housing issues. By engaging with the TSG archives, players gain insights into housing challenges.
Overall, TSG QUEST can create a lasting impact by promoting dialogue, education, and community involvement around housing issues, while enhancing the profile and sustainability of Tin Sheds Gallery.
Reflection
From walking past Tin Sheds Gallery every day as I enter the Wilkinson Building at the University of Sydney, to now deeply understanding the history and significance the Gallery holds, I realize that working on this project was an eye-opening journey.
The historical context of a space as small as the Gallery can be a powerful tool for discourse and community connection. As we explored the archives of the Gallery, there were numerous historical moments that paved the way for today’s Gallery to exist. By spearheading the background research of Tin Sheds Gallery, I was able to uncover various exhibitions that highlighted the housing crisis at that time, and how relevant those exhibitions are in today’s world, given the rental crisis in Sydney. Hence, I understood that the bridge between the past, present, and future could be found in these exhibitions, particularly in the theme of housing, which hits right at home for most of us. I led the conceptual design of TSG Quest, including the mechanism of the game and design of the initial card layouts. To refine the game's mechanics, we conducted usability tests. In this process, I recognized a critical challenge was ensuring that the game effectively sparked meaningful dialogue. By referring to existing game designs that address this, we were able to effectively iterate on the design of the cards.
You may be wondering, "Now what?"
As I walk through various buildings, there will be a question at the back of my head: I wonder what the history of this location is? What marks has it left on society? How is its past relevant to our current present and future? My biggest takeaway from this project is the exploration of the intersection of history and its role in bridging the gap for community engagement and design.
