Have you ever seen a film, heard a song, or discovered a new artist that was so impactful, triggering a craving for deep discussion, yet somehow none of your friends or family have seen it or seem to show any interest? What if there was a place where everyone was given the same basic knowledge on a subject, and was in the mood to have a thorough conversation? The best part is, you don’t have to look at a screen or search through comment sections to get there.
Talking Space is a concept for an outdoor, in-person discussion forum, sponsored by Meta, where people can come to learn about and then discuss pop-culture topics. The intention is to create a space where real-life connection and conversation are encouraged as opposed to online commentary. This concept would also provide Meta with an opportunity to reorient themselves towards healthy human connection by utilizing their platforms to provide information and content for the physical space.
The Talking Space is designed to be an outdoor rotating exhibit that can also be broken down for travel. Set in a park, it is accessible to pedestrians and is central enough that people can casually pop in and out during their day.
Visitors would read provided information on a specific topic, then use the incorporated seating area to talk about their opinions and questions on the topic with friends or strangers. It is an opportunity to hear perspectives from people inside and outside of your circle.
The topic will be changed every month so that there is always a new piece of information to talk about. Topics can be current events or historical, but will always be politically neutral and centered around things like films, art, music, or other cultural phenomena in an effort to maintain a positive and light-hearted atmosphere.
The introductory panel will always explain the intention and ideology behind Talking Space and give a general summary of that month’s topic. The topic chosen for this example model is titled The Effect of Biopics i.e. Bob Dylan. This example is exploring the effect that biopics of historic cultural icons have on current culture through the lens of Bob Dylan and the recent biopic about the artist titled, A Complete Unknown.
The next three panels give detailed information about the topic, broken down into three sections. In this case, the panels are broken into “Bob Dylan in Life”, “A Complete Unknown”, and “Takeaways”. Every new version will have the last panel be main takeaways from the information that summarizes the content into quick and easy digestible bullet points, and will also have three questions that act as conversation starters. After participants chat about the topic, they can write their conclusions on provided papers and magnetize to the back of each panel for others to read.
The graphic identity is inspired by classic forms of analog communication such as news papers and telegrams, and uses natural materials combined with semi-reflective metal to symbolize the act of reflection in meaningful conversation. The only color in the brand pallet is Meta’s blue as a way to subtly tie in the sponsor. The seating is also arranged in the shape of the Meta logo.
Overall, it is a simple concept that would rely heavily on the participation and cooperation of the visitors, but if respected and executed well, it could become a very fun and staple experience in parks across the country.
Originally the plan was to make it very simple with only two small structures, but this was quickly changed to allow for more people to participate. The second draft of the structure had a raised walkway with seating in the center, but this set up was difficult to make ADA compliant, and the seating area felt too disconnected to the rest of the experience.
