ARKI_PROTOTYPING
Prototyping 1:1 is one of our major tools that is always used in several stages before the actual building takes place. Prototyping is aimed at gathering insight and analysis in the physical development of the design ideas. We use cheap and accessible material for prototyping; amongst them are soda crates, moving boxes and our self-designed arki_boxes.
These boxes stand between being a design object and an experimental research tool. Their most prominent characteristics, adaptability, flexibility and visual appeal make it possible to regard different arrangement of boxes as ever-changing urban statues. Furthermore such qualities give citizens ample opportunities to appropriate, create and define urban spaces. From the country that developed LEGO, this will be the next major trend to hit the world.
The box capitalizes on a simple modular element to obtain knowledge of users’ complex spatial behavior. The data collected from monitoring these arrangements and analyzing them serve as a solid foundation for designers to further develop the space. By giving the users the chance to actively shape any given space into their desired set-up, the box functions as an inspiring element and triggers creative thinking. It allows the citizens to build and test ideas repeatedly and see how changing the built form could influence how people use the space.
