Design Distancing
2020
A captivating art encounter that encouraged participants to customise a t-shirt while maintaining a social distance of 1.5 meters.
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Conceptualised by Angela Budden and delivered in collaboration with Laura Lazaletta for the CREATE festival at the University of Newcastle. The project was one of three projects delivered during the festival.
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CREATE, Callaghan campus, University of Newcastle, Australia
About the project
Design Distancing originated as a creative response to the social distancing requirements imposed by the COVID pandemic. The initiative encouraged members of the university community to personalise their own CREATE-branded white t-shirt from a safe distance of 1.5 metres. To facilitate this, we provided fabric markers with extended 1.5-metre handles for drawing, and an array of fabric paint in toy water pistols for a unique painting experience.
Engaging in the art of show booth design, we crafted a colourful and attention-grabbing booth to paint the shirts in and house the paint pistols and markers. Spanning across two days, our staffed booth strategically occupied high-traffic pedestrian areas on Callaghan campus and many individuals eagerly took their turn to personalize their complimentary shirt. Upon completion, participants added their personal details to the shirt tag and the shirts were ready for pickup a week later, once the paint had dried and set.
By the conclusion of the project, an impressive 90 out of 100 shirts had been uniquely customised, showcasing the success and popularity of the Design Distancing experience.
