Phase 2 | (Week 5 to 8)

Define, Test and Prepare

This phase is all about testing and refining my ideas, which feels like a big step forward. I know I need to push myself to experiment more and put my work out there for feedback, even if it’s a bit intimidating. I’m especially looking forward to connecting with people who can offer insights and help shape my project. At the same time, balancing everything—research, making, and preparing for my case study presentation—feels like a challenge. I expect there will be moments where things don’t go as planned, but I see that as part of the learning process.

By the end of these four weeks, I hope to feel more confident in my direction and have a stronger foundation for the next phase.

Tutorial with Ben

Strengths

Major Feedback

To Be Defined

Next Steps

Case Studies

The Homeless Project" by Kat Kopecka

"Off The Streets" by Megan Chandler

"Flowering Street" by Mingjun Jiang

"There's Another Side to the Story" by Publicis London for Depaul UK

"Homelessness Awareness Campaign" by Lydia VanDriel

"We Are All Homeless" by Willie Baronet

Defined Project Proposal

Problem

Transit spaces—train stations, airports, and bus terminals—are designed for efficiency and movement. As a result, certain people, objects, and everyday moments become invisible. Commuters move through these environments on autopilot, rarely noticing what exists beyond their immediate purpose. This lack of awareness reinforces social and spatial invisibility, particularly for marginalised individuals and forgotten elements within these spaces.

Tension Point

Transit spaces symbolise motion and progress, yet for some, they represent stagnation and exclusion. While commuters pass through with purpose, others remain unseen—blending into the background, ignored in the flow of movement. The challenge is to shift these spaces from passive, impersonal zones into places where overlooked aspects are noticed and acknowledged.

Solution

This project explores how small, strategic design interventions—such as printed materials, reworded signage, interactive elements, and visual distortions—can break commuter autopilot and prompt moments of awareness. By placing subtle disruptions in transit spaces, the aim is to make people pause, notice, and reconsider their surroundings.

Research Question 2

How can design disrupt commuter routines to reveal what is usually overlooked in transit spaces?

Initially, my research question aimed to create structured interactions between commuters and homeless individuals. However, through further research and feedback, I recognised the ethical and practical challenges of direct involvement, including concerns around agency, consent, and the risk of reinforcing stereotypes or oversimplifying the complexities of homelessness.

As a result, I have shifted my focus to addressing commuter indifference and reshaping perceptions of social invisibility in transit spaces. This broader approach explores exclusion, anonymity, and the way transit environments dictate who is seen and who is ignored. By removing direct engagement with homeless individuals, the project remains ethically responsible while still fostering awareness, empathy, and engagement through design interventions.

Why is this a problem?

Why is this happening?

How my idea may help solve it?

How it will be measured

Aims and objectives

Research Methods

Target Audience

Reading

The Art of Noticing- Robert Walker

Non- Places- Marc Auge

Space and Place- Yi-Fu Tuan

Mobilities- John Urry

Watching

Watching has been a critical part of my research, not only in terms of films, documentaries, and case studies but also in real-life observational research. By observing transit spaces firsthand, I analysed behavioural trends, overlooked details, and how people interact with urban infrastructure.

Observational Research in Transit Spaces

Visual Media Analysis & Case Studies

Lectures

Listening

Moving through a transit space is often an impersonal experience—people pass through without lingering, without truly seeing. But what happens when we stop and listen? When we attune ourselves to the unnoticed rhythms, the hidden stories, the quiet moments of connection?

Brian Eno’s Ambient 1: Music for Airports

Audio Recordings

Research

Transit Spaces as Shelter

The History of Hostile Architecture

Vancouver Public Library: A Case Study

Homelessness in Different Parts of the World

Why is Homelessness Overlooked?

Good Intentions, Unintended Consequences

Finding Balance

Survey

The survey provided key insights into how people interact with and perceive transit environments, offering valuable data that informs the direction of my project. Below is a breakdown of the findings based on each section of the survey.

https://www.gixelcreative.com/survey

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Experts

Psychologists

Dieticians/Nutritionists

Ex Detective Inspector in the UK Police

Instagram Diary

https://www.instagram.com/unseenunnoticed/

From the beginning of my project, I set out to document the unseen in transit spaces—the overlooked objects left behind in train stations, airports, and bus stops. My goal was simple: capture these forgotten items and share them on Instagram as a digital diary.

I decided to keep the format consistent: one post per finding, combining a still image of the object with a short video of its surroundings. By doing this, I aimed to highlight the things people pass by every day but never really see—discharged tickets, lost receipts, abandoned bottles—objects that reflect the transient nature of these spaces.

videos and found objects

A Shift in Perception

The Power of Motion Blur

Reframing the Unseen

Reflection

Observational Research

For the past eight weeks, I have immersed myself in the unnoticed corners of transit spaces—paying attention to what is left behind, what gets ignored, and what tells silent stories of movement. My process has involved both observing and documenting, taking notes on small but significant details that most commuters overlook.

The art of looking closely

Taking notes on the overlooked

The impact of observing

Direct Press

For my direct press, I have chosen a bottle of water, slice of bread and piece od cardboard—each carrying a deep connection to both travel and survival.

Why Water?

Why Bread?

Why Cardboard?

Scanning

Scanning allows me to preserve the fragile details of these objects—the creases, stains, and marks of use that tell a story about their journey. Unlike photography, which captures an object within a wider scene, scanning isolates the item, forcing a closer look at its texture, typography, and wear.

Why Discarded Receipts and Tickets?

Why Found Objects?

Why Maps?

Workshop- Polish School in Jersey

17.02.2025

As part of my ongoing research into transit spaces, and overlooked narratives, I wanted to explore different perspectives on these topics. While much of my work has focused on public perception, design interventions, and structured engagement models, I realised that there was one perspective missing: children’s.