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Ouculus; une fenêtre sur le TOD
By : Castor et Pollux, Ville de Laval, CollectivLab
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 17th edition
Discipline : Product
Categories : Industrial Design / Furniture - Urban & Street : Gold Certification
Categories : Industrial Design / Product - Signage : Silver Certification
Oculus (noun): a circular or oval window.
The task
For the past 10 years, the City of Laval has been working on its new vision development. Concerned to provide a pleasant and sustainable living environment to its citizens, the city has committed to rethinking its urban planning methods to create environments that encourage active mobility and healthy lifestyles.
The revitalization of the Concorde sector is one of the most important projects within this development strategy. This formerly industrial district is built around a multimodal transport hub. It is being developed according to the principles of Transit Oriented Development (TOD). In the coming years, a progressive transformation will therefore take place in this area towards a dynamic, densely populated environment focused on sustainable mobility.
Aware of the magnitude of the change that the project represents, the City wishes to accompany residents throughout this transformation. Its aim is to inform them about upcoming developments and to highlight the benefits of these changes on their quality of life.
This is the context to the contract given to the Castor et Pollux team. The task is to design a communication strategy and a custom support to inform about the revitalization project and its planning principles.
In response to this request, the Castor et Pollux imagines the Oculus, an urban furniture that acts as an informative window on upcoming or ongoing construction sites. Thanks to their organic shape and colors reflecting the branding of the city of Laval, the Oculus become iconic objects acting as landmarks near construction sites, arousing the curiosity of passers-by.
Communication strategy
The communication strategy is implemented through the object on several levels.
Captivate
The primary objective is to grab the public’s attention, creating singular, atypical, and visible sets from afar.
The project is a continuation of the narrative developed for the Place du Kraken, created in 2021 by Castor et Pollux. Echoing the mythical character of the giant octopus, the Oculus refer to enormous tentacles spreading out over the neighborhood, creating soft connections.
Emerging from the ground, the Oculus are defined by an organic, playful, and appropriable curve. Their interior shape refers to a speech balloon (like you would find in a comic), inducing the object’s communicative quality.
Discovering
Once the user’s attention is captured, they discover the object in greater detail.
The project is divided into three Oculus, each embodying a major orientation of TOD: se rencontrer (meet), se déplacer (commute) and s’ancrer (settle). Each orientation is conveyed through the object’s shape, its type of seating, and its written content. For example, the Oculus se rencontrer, offers two benches facing each other. The written content informs about the lively nature of public spaces and the creation of a collective living environment through outdoor spaces.
The window frames a view of a construction site and, through a transparency printing technique, the user sees the landscape in transformation superimposed on the future site. By superimposing an ambiance illustration and the landscape under construction, the Oculus create an augmented reality effect that communicates the new face of TOD.
Understanding
For the more curious, detailed information is inscribed on the inner and outer faces of the Oculus. Including a map of the future neighborhood, the content presented is adapted according to each Oculus: meet, move, and anchor.
Overall, the Oculus are elaborate communication supports. Transmitting information on several levels, they are unique, playful, and appropriable.
Materiality
The Oculus were produced entirely in Montreal. The decking is made of white cedar and the structure is made of plywood. To guarantee its solidity, the window was produced in UV-printed polycarbonate. The display is in self-adhesive vinyl, so it can be replaced and updated.
- Social and Environmental Impacts
- Informing about the positive outcomes of transforming a neighborhood into a TOD area.
- Raising awareness among citizens about the attributes of a sustainable city.
- Communicating the benefits of change on the quality of life.
- Providing a playful and immersive installation integrated into public space.
Collaboration
