COVID CONFESSIONALS
Covid Confessionals is a rapid response public installation temporarily constructed in response to Covid-19 along the Rail Trail in Charlotte South End. Responding to a call for installations which appropriate light as a primary medium during a pandemic, the design team developed a collection of “confessional booths” made of iridescent curved walls, defined by a 6-foot radius, which produce a vibrant field of color through play of reflection and light. The confessionals act as room-sized face shields that encourage physical distancing, while also casting colorful raking shadows of color and caustic light effects in response to sunlight and artificial night lit conditions. The ground plane surrounding the urban shields demarcated distancing measures with a corresponding chalk painted grid and a set of vibration activated light pads generously spaced to encourage physically distanced interaction and play. The project tries to demonstrate how design can provide a safe space to support the health and well-being of the community in a time of social isolation.
Project team: Alex Cabral, Sierra Grant, Will Hutchins, Noushin Radnia, Alex Casar Rodriguez, Robby Sachs, and Elvie Sumner