odd invitations at the beach

probing for social traction at the beaches of sydney

odd invitations at the beach

in collaboration with

University of Sydney

collaborators

Miguel Bruns, Marius Hoggenmueller, Anusha Withana, Eduardo Velloso, Mohammad Obaid

publications

motivation

Compared to the previously explored odd invitations at a party environment in the Undertable, where people arguably already came with a more "socially loose" mindset, the beach is a more open public setting. It sits somewhere in a social grey-zone where people typically visit to relax or for leisurely purposes, but not necessarily to interact with strangers.


Acknowledging the unique and unpredictable dynamics of public spaces, this project develops a structured method to probe for when and how social traction can take place in public spaces by incrementally scaling conspicuity of a designed intervention, in this case at the beaches on the East Coast of Sydney.


By starting with a relatively innocent and simple intervention and incrementally increasing its conspicuity, the research seeks to understand how different qualities – such as familiarity, gameplay, cuteness, and technological novelty – attracts or fails to attract attention and engage participants in a meaningful way.

a thrifted coffee table found in a second hand store in Sydney

I started with a simple thrifted coffee table found in a second-hand store in Sydney.
The initial idea was to probe how people would apropriate a displaced object as a 'common good' in a public space.

airtag on the beach table

To follow the object's journey, I installed an Airtag to the table so that I could easily find it at the beach as it moved.

airtag on the beach table
odd invitation on the beach
transport in Sydney during the beach study transport in Sydney during the beach study

Simply the oddness of carrying the coffee table on public transport was often enough of a conversation starter. It got me speaking to a stranger who happened to host an art gallery in the CBD area down the bus line, and invited me to the opening after our conversation about the project.

gallery visit during the Sydney beach study
preparing the beach study materials
beach study toolkit

One Guerrilla Prototyping tactic I developed as part of my PhD was to build a portable toolkit for design improvisation and research documentation on site.

With all preparations in place, I was ready to start probing the relations between design props, participation, and the social dynamics of the beach environment. This was an iterative process where each iteration built upon the previous one.

table variant of the beach table
Plain table on the beach Plain table on the beach Plain table on the beach

01 / 06 · table · design

a table to share

I left the thrifted table on the beach with the airtag tucked inside, wondering whether people would borrow it, leave it for others, and use it in unexpected ways. an ordinary table in a place that is usually table-less felt like a useful starting point.

01 / 06 · table · encounters

almost a new home

Teenagers returning from a surf joked around with the table and draped a wetsuit over it. Another group posed for photographs, carried it to their spot and planned to take it home. I had to ask for it back, as they understood it as ownerless furniture, up for grabs.

sticker variant of the beach table
sticker sticker

02 / 06 · sticker · design

permission, with a small request

After learning from local colleagues that furniture left outside in Sydney is often understood as free to take, I added a small permission sticker. It invited people to borrow and play with the table, while making clear that it belonged to the beach. This was a modest first step towards a more conspicuous invitation by signalling intent.

02 / 06 · sticker · encounters

noticed, but left alone

People often stopped to read the sticker and then walked on. Moving the table closer to the beach entrance helped more visitors notice it, but nobody took up the invitation. Permission seemed useful, but the sticker alone did not give a compelling reason to stay.

flowers variant of the beach table
flowers variant of the beach table flowers variant of the beach table
flowers variant of the beach table flowers variant of the beach table

03 / 06 · flowers · design

a small gesture of kindness

I added flowers and a handwritten invitation to pick one and give it to someone else. The bouquet made the table easier to spot from a distance, while offering a low effort way to turn curiosity into a small social gesture.

03 / 06 · flowers · encounters

a travelling invitation

Three schoolgirls picked flowers and gave them to two women sitting on a park bench. Another visitor used a flower to stage a mock proposal to his friend, later tucking it behind his ear. The invitation was working, although the encounters started to wander away from the table.

jenga variant of the beach table
jenga variant of the beach table
jenga variant of the beach table jenga variant of the beach table

04 / 06 · jenga · design

keeping play at the table

Next, I wanted to try and keep the interaction closer to the table. I chose Jenga as a familiar game, with simple rules and an embodied, playful challenge that needed little explanation.

04 / 06 · jenga · encounters

an invitation can be blocked

Before I finished setting up, a visitor already challenged me: "the loser has to sprint into the water". Later, someone who sat down rather closely beside the table seemed to discourage others. After half an hour, I moved it, and a mother and child stopped by to play a few rounds.

tablecloth variant of the beach table
tablecloth variant of the beach table
tablecloth variant of the beach table tablecloth variant of the beach table
tablecloth variant of the beach table

05 / 06 · tablecloth · design

a table with something to say

I adapted the interactive tablecloth from my train study into a capacitive-touch sensitive soundboard. Nine embroidered tiles played abstract sounds, drum sounds or beach and Christmas-themed clips when touched. An occasional idle tune hinted at its interactivity, while tic-tac-toe pieces gave a familiar way into the otherwise ambiguous setup.

05 / 06 · tablecloth · encounters

curiosity needed an opening

Swimmers did not immediately realise the embroidery could be touched, and one worried about an electric shock. Later, a curious visitor approached me and stayed for a half-hour conversation. With lots of enthusiasm for the unusual craft, she invited nearby spectators to join us and recorded a social media post, helping the encounter gather momentum.

undertable variant of the beach table
undertable variant of the beach table undertable variant of the beach table

06 / 06 · undertable · design

connecting through touch

I adapted the Undertable so that touching another person while holding its conductive edges made the table tilt. Movement replaced the original airflow, which could go unnoticed on a windy beach. A handwritten note explained the interaction, and an idle movement occasionally drew attention to the table.

06 / 06 · undertable · encounters

a daring invitation

Some visitors read the note but held back out of caution due to the visible wires. Two siblings lifted the table to inspect it, and one urged the other to shake his hand as he though it was a trust exercise. A passing stranger eventually took his brother’s place, opening an unexpected social encounter.

sjoerd hendriks

design researcher

contact@sjoerdhendriks.com

© Sjoerd Hendriks all rights reserved.