Pixel Park
Claire Edwards, Jeremy Baker, Alex Wong and Sophia Lam

Play in the city

The solar powered, coloured cubes create a room-like space within a space to activate it day and night. The cube is synonymous with children’s building blocks (a nod to the past for many) and to contemporary building games, such as Minecraft.

Increasing urban density and the pandemic highlight the importance of public space, the need to spend time outside, the need for social interaction, and for more opportunities to be playful in the city. This activation invites people to take time out and relax in the space and/or be playfuls by reconfiguring the cubes to suit their individual or group needs.

The project invites all ages to engage with the space, it promotes spatial equity, it is a ‘free’ source of play, fun, and aims to encourage people to spend time in public space.

The idea is transformational, in that it is modular and adaptable. It can move to different locations, such as, Parramatta Square, Leichardt Plaza, or a regional town centre. The cubes are solar powered and low maintenance. The internal lights anticipated lifespan is 50,000 hours before replacement, and the cubes lit or not make for a playful activation at a reasonable cost, without onerous installation.

CCTV is prevalent in our cities, which would deter people from taking the cubes. Additionally, using the cubes may build trust among the community.

The project could be enhanced by using sensor technology to change the internal colour of the cube when they are picked up. This would add another playful dimension!