The series of environmental objects Space Unites. Space Creates. Space Separates. Space Sorts by Sabīne Vārtiņa has received the Merit Award of the interdisciplinary design community SEGD, which is presented in recognition of artistic concepts and creative solutions in experiential design projects. The series of objects, which speak about discrimination in public space, were developed last year as Sabīne’s graduation project at the BA Interior Design programme of the Art Academy of Latvia.
Space Unites. Space Creates. Space Separates. Space Sorts is a witty provocation that makes one see and feel the discriminatory factors present in space, building empathy towards different groups in society. «Accessibility solutions in public spaces are often uncomfortable and humiliating. Asking people for help, obstructing the flow of people, and being in the spotlight are just some of the emotional barriers that are hard to break. It often results in staying out of the public building and out of the society altogether,» comments Sabīne Vārtiņa.
The series consists of five environmental objects that address issues such as accessibility, non-compliance with smoking restrictions, non-ergonomic space, and gender-segregated toilets. The solutions of all the environmental objects are based on the experiences of discriminated people. Read more about the project here.
The SEGD Merit Award is given annually to the best experiential design projects from around the world that stand out for their creative concepts and solutions. Space Unites. Space Creates. Space Separates. Space Sorts is one of the 20 works that received the award this year. The jury was impressed not only by the designer’s ability to draw attention to social injustices in the built environment but also by the aesthetic qualities of the environmental objects: «These deceptively simple installations are beautiful but also arresting and intriguing. Their construction and execution — clean lines, extremely cohesive color, beautiful type — make the elements stand out even in visually busy environments.»
Sabīne’s bachelor thesis supervisor at the Art Academy of Latvia — architect Ieva Lāce-Lukševica. Technical support — Edgars Liepiņš.
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