Three Design Concepts – Du Zhanhang

Concept 1: The Talking Bench

Entry Point: Auditory and Storytelling Experience

Every bench “speaks,” conveying Naples’ sound memories and stories.

Design Philosophy:

Transform Naples’ oral tradition into an urban memory installation. The bench hides a simple solar-powered sound wave player. When visitors sit down, it triggers audio playback—including city stories told by Antonio, dialect songs, and the sound of waves.

Key Features:

1. Solar power module embedded in the upper edge of the backrest, automatically powering the speaker.
2. Touch-sensitive playback: Large tactile buttons on the backrest or armrests.
3. Multilingual support: Available in Italian, English, and Spanish.
4. Recording program: Local elderly can regularly record “Today’s Story” to update content in the system.

Experience Design:

Visitors like Lucia can sit and rest while listening to “local sounds,” feeling the city’s warmth.

Local elders like Antonio can participate as “storytellers” in content creation.

Materials & Aesthetics:

Inspiration: Curved backrest mimicking ocean waves.

Materials: Waterproof oak + bronze frame (symbolizing Naples’ coastal culture).

Colors: Gradient of navy blue and off-white.

Innovation Points:

• A “passive interactive” urban storytelling device.
• Low-tech intervention without screen operation.
• A “co-voice memory project” involving both elders and visitors.

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Concept 2: Shadows of Stories

Entry Point: Light, Shadow, and Temporal Experience

Shadows are not just shelter—they are the language of urban time.

Design Philosophy:

Utilize the sun’s movement and shadow projection to materialize the “sense of time during rest.” The bench’s awning is engraved with historical figures and scenes of Naples. When sunlight passes through, patterns are cast on the ground or backrest, forming changing “shadow stories.”

Key Features:

1. Time-oriented design: Different text content is projected in the morning, noon, and afternoon.
2. Projected text/patterns: Hollow aluminum plates create readable shadow information.
3. Integrated awning + navigation: The awning includes directional signs and distances to Naples’ attractions.

Experience Design:

Lucia can rest in the shade while “reading the sun.”

Antonio can tell visitors stories about the figures and places in the projections.

The bench becomes a “storyteller activated by the sun.”

Materials & Aesthetics:

1. Perforated polycarbonate (anodized aluminum) + cool gray wooden seat.
2. Curved awning structured like a “sailboat’s sail.”
3. Light-colored ceramic tiles embedded in the ground to reflect text.

Innovation Points:

• A “power-free storytelling system”: Shadows are the content.
• Integration of time, culture, and navigation.
• The bench as a “cultural map activated by the sun.”

Concept 3: The Social Bench

Entry Point: Human Connection and Interactive Experience

A bench where strangers meet, communicate, and smile.

Design Philosophy:

Tailored for sociable elders like Lucia and Antonio, this “dialogue bench” features two semicircular seating areas with a shared “story tray” in the middle. Equipped with QR codes and mini-games, it encourages interaction between visitors and locals.

Key Features:

1. Face-to-face structure: Semi-circular layout fosters communication.
2. Light interactive system: QR codes embedded in the central tray, allowing visitors to scan and listen to audio self-introductions by local elders.
3. “Get to Know You” card system: Small drawers in the tray hold bilingual (Chinese-English) topic cards (e.g., “What’s your favorite seaside memory?”).
4. Shared plant module: A herb or lemon tree in the center, symbolizing friendship and natural vibes.

Experience Design:

Lucia can sit and draw cards to chat with Antonio.

Conversations between elders and visitors become “micro-social interactions in Naples.”

Local volunteers regularly replenish the “topic cards.”

Materials & Aesthetics:

1. Olive wood + metal structural frame.
2. Renewable clay pot for the central planting module.
3. Overall layout forming a “small roundtable social island.”

Innovation Points:

• Urban micro-social interaction institutionalized.
• Low-tech interaction promoting cross-cultural dialogue.
• The “social bench” as a business card of Naples.