bus shelter billboard and geotagged google map project by yen trinh

‘I just wanted to say’ platform billboard, part of yen trinh’s multipart interventionist project

‘I just wanted to say‘ is a multi-platform interventionist project, the work of australian designer yen trinh, with images created in collaboration with graphic designer steven rhodes.

a play on the ‘priority seating for the disabled’ signs posted in most public transit cars, trinh’s signage designates ‘priority seating for people who want conversation’, helping facilitate, as the designer says, ‘a culture of friendliness’.

with a public installation currently in place in brisbane, australia, the project also encourages global crowd-sourced interventionism, through posting signs in public space and via a collaborative google map.

the billboard installed in brisbane, australia, designating these benches as ‘priority seating for conversation’

the grassroots implementation of the project has made signs and information available for people to download, print, and post in public. at the same time, a ‘priority seating’ google map page serves as an updatable hub and living archive of the project: in addition to marking where ‘priority seating’ signs have been posted, users are invited to geotag the sites where they have engaged in interesting, spontaneous conversation with strangers. individuals are also welcomed to use the map to open up the lines of conversation in real life, geotagging a spot on their commute with a comment including their name and transit routine.

‘priority seating for conversation’ signs posted in public

full view of the downloadable sign

through march 2011 public seating at the royal brisbane hospital busway station is framed by a 4-piece platform billboard for the project, designating the benches as sites of conversation.

the integrated google map seeks to document sign postings, record instances of spontaneous conversation, and encourage face-to-face talking