Public art / Cultural project / Urbanism / Design

Public Gathering Activator (P.G.A.) is a mobile device designed and built to activate social encounters in public spaces. The project is the result of an exchange established between the University of Antwerp (Belgium) and the Catholic University of Pernambuco (Unicap), and was conceived, coordinated, and constructed by professors Diego Inglez de Souza (University of Minho/Portugal) and Lula Marcondes during the Design-Build workshop held at the International Design Week (IDW) in February 2020.

Following the path opened by the project T.A.D. (Terreiro* Activation Device)—a mobile device built during IDW 2019 that aimed to foster social integration in public spaces—the P.G.A. – Public Gathering Activator comes to life as a new mobile apparatus designed to receive and welcome people indiscriminately, functioning as a catalyst for encounters within the city.

Technical Information
Workshop Coordination:
Diego Inglez de Souza (University of Minho/Portugal)
Lula Marcondes (Unicap-Icam)

Coordination of IDW 2020:
Johan de Walsche
Marleen Goethals (University of Antwerp)

Participants:
Shi Jie Chou
Leen de Kort
Lucas Philips
Dorian Van Spaendonk
Thijs De Roover
Ellen De Schrijver
Thibaut Vanheuckelom
Saideh Zamani
Arthur Hollants
Lynn Michaux
Brent Van Camp
Ellen Vanderlooven
Myrthe Coenen
Elisa Gaman
Jonne Michielsen
Tinne Hoskens