Word Space (WS) is a project conceived to make a pertinent and temporary impact upon public space by means of words, texts or short phrases emitted from a device configured by a set of individual luminous characters.

This project makes sense when the device is activated in public space, incorporating expressive, radical, and symbolic nuances, in relation to context, location or activity. PARTICIPATE WITH A SHORT TEXT!

Word-spacing is a property of the programming language cascading style sheets for web pages, known by the acronym CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). The CSS is used to define appearance and general format, and is recognised by common web browsers. The word-spacing property in "CSS" language refers to the amount of space between words, or separation between them, in the same way that the letter-spacing property makes reference to the spacing between letters.

This relationship between written language and programming language serves as a starting point for a project which aims to be a support for displaying messages, and setting them out clearly in a particular place. An element of communication in public space, articulated by a technological device where content is provided by people who wish to participate by issuing a short text, previously submitted by internet.

Programming languages ​​are designed to simplify, in a logical way, complex operations performed by computers, and therefore all machines and browsers must respond to the order transmitted in the same way, an order which cannot be ambiguous or leave room for interpretation. For example "word-spacing: 2px;" in machine code transmits a value which applies to the entire text format, but has nothing to do with the meaning of words or the transmission of content.

The Word Space Project is a relational artifact, which becomes useful once content has been contextualised. The concepts acquire meaning from the relationship established between words, sentences or phrases and the space of the city in which the project intervenes. Space, in this case stands for location, a complex construct between physical space, social space and temporality. This clearly affects the interpretation and reading of messages. A technological device for the temporary occupation of the street, and potentially, a tool for critical reflection, and for use in a public demonstration and a collective protest.

HOW IT WORKS?

It consists of a set of 28 programmable characters in the form of 35 LEDs which emit light in RGB colours. Each character is 33 x 50 cm, and may be combined together in different formats. A horizontal arrangement results in a strip 924 cm long by 50 cm wide. A combination results in a rectangular area of 231 cm by 200 cm wide. Each element constitutes a fragment of a screen which may be constructed by multiple combinations, grouping each programmable module in a different way, to be used in outputting content such as sentences, words, data or drawings.

The device can be mobile or fixed. It is portable, and can be lifted by a group, creating a performance in urban space. It can also be placed in a fixed location, such as a wall, a fence, or a gate. Either way, it may be activated by combining preprogrammed content (collected by the website and / or by a specific workshop), with contributions made on the street.

TOPICS
Spaces and grids, creative action and citizens

We are in a moment of transformation in the relationship between spaces and grids, places and networks. Also a moment of transformation in how the creativity resulting from collaborative processes, with the presence and the action of citizens, can impact upon the way of constructing the city.
It is a moment to test out cooperative methodologies for transferring knowledge or abilities, as well as debating and proposing various forms of thinking about the concept of “place”. DISPOSITIVOS POST- #2 WORD SPACE proposes an action which impacts upon these ideas, gathering phrases to be displayed within public space.

PARTICIPATE WITH A SHORT TEXT!

About the city ( its policies, its changes, its projects...), about neighbourhood, people, expectations, demands, praises, wishes,
incoherencies, needs, habitability, customs … Would you like to propose something? We're gathering phrases, your own writing or someone else's quotes. There will be a public action in Paris on the 20th of September, and in front of the Germenetes site in Barcelona on 13th September. The action forms part of PARK(ing) DAY (París and Barcelona).

{chronocontact}Word_Space{/chronocontact}

WHERE HAS WS BEEN SHOWED?

20/09/2013 is presented at the PARK(ing) DAY in Paris

06.10.2013 GERMANETES, BARCELONA (Consell de Cent between Viladomat and Compte Borrell

19.10.2013 Word Space en colaboración con Ada Vilaró y Sergi Estebanell en Escena Poblenou 2013

24-25.05.2014 Tallers Oberts Barcelona in Hangar, as a part of the resident projects exhibition.

WORD SPACE is a project from IDENSITAT with PRATIPO LAB (Raul Nieves), produced by a collaboration between IDENSITAT and DÉDALE Culture, technologies, innovation sociale. This collaboration is part of the ECLECTIS. European Citizens’ Laboratory for Empowerment CiTIes Shared(1).

DISPOSITIFS POST is an IDENSITAT project which recommends various environments in order to imagine interventions and uses of public space in a future beyond a scenario conditioned by decline and crisis. It is located in the Eixample Esquerra district in collaboration with the group Recreant CRUILLES and Fundació Antoni Tàpies, and in the Poblenou district in collaboration with Hangar. DISPOSITIFS POST will run throughout 2013-2014 and is part of ECLECTIS.

(1) ECLECTIS (European Citizens' Laboratory for Empowerment: CIties Shared) is a European cooperation project, aiming at implementing an innovative structuring European process to favour citizens’ integration in the urban making, valuing European diversity, intercultural dialogue and new technologies as sources to stimulate creativity and new practices. Proyecto co-financiado por la Unión Europea - Programa Cultura- proyectos de cooperación.

(2)PARK(ing) Day is the name of an annual, one day global event during which participants transform parking spaces into places for people to congregate (any of these transformations is called a “PARK(ing) Day Installation”).