Digital Product Design
Lean Prototyping
User Testing
Product Activation
User Engagement
User Onboarding
Prototype Testing
User Experience Review
Before the Second World War, work and play were not as distinctly separated as they are today. As cancel culture continues to heighten reputational risks and HR polices define organizational culture more than any other force, organizations of all sizes need a pressure value. This exploration of an unregulated online space pokes audiences to explore its relevancy, and risks in an otherwise hyperpolicied digital architecture.
An open invitation to play, The Virtual Smoking Area invites the broader Greenwich Village Community to enter an online world through an avatar that can 'hangout' with other online participants and engage on a variety of themes or initiate exchange on a new theme over video chat or text.
Context:The concept of work-life boundaries has drastically evolved, particularly as organizational cultures become more defined by stringent HR policies and reputational risk management. The Virtual Smoking Area challenges this hyper-regulated digital landscape by offering an unmoderated space for connection and informal engagement. Inspired by the social function of smoking areas—once physical, now increasingly absent—it reimagines the spontaneous conversations and serendipitous encounters they fostered. This exploration is an invitation to rethink how play, notions of freedom, and community intersect in digital spaces.
Participants use a QR code to enter the space built on Gather.ai through their smartphone. They can choose a variety of levels of self-identification, including complete anonymity. Using on screen controls, users can walk around the digital space and enter video chats if they are in close proximity to others. All conversations are private and unmoderated. Users can engage in any way they seem fit. Only text based interactions are public. Users can gather under various 'umbrellas' to engage on different topics, or start a new topic of conversation. Other uses can see who's under which umbrella and can join them if they choose to do so.
Process: Participants accessed the Virtual Smoking Area through a QR code, launching a Gather.ai-based environment via their smartphones. They created avatars with options for varied levels of self-identification, including complete anonymity. Users navigated the space, joining video chats when close to others or participating in public text conversations. The digital environment featured themed “umbrellas” where users could engage in topic-driven discussions or initiate new conversations. Public message boards allowed asynchronous interaction, while proximity-based mechanics replicated the dynamics of casual, in-person encounters.
Parked at the intersection of 14th Street and Fifth Avenue, a Pop-Up Truck with digital displays ushered users to the online space. Over two days, 289 users entered the Virtual Smoking Area, and engaged in a variety of synchronous and asynchronous actions including exploratory loitering and group/ one-on-one conversations, and posts on the digital message board. It also allowed members of the The New School Community that work/ study from home to socially engage in a manner that official platforms currently do not allow for.
Outcome and Futures:The initiative attracted 289 users over two days, who engaged in diverse ways: loitering, group and one-on-one conversations, and asynchronous posts on the digital message board. The pop-up truck on 14th Street and Fifth Avenue acted as a dynamic entry point, creating visibility and buzz. Beyond its experimental roots, the project revealed an unmet demand for informal, unregulated digital gathering spaces. It also bridged the gap for members of The New School community working remotely, providing an alternative to rigid, formal communication platforms. The Virtual Smoking Area highlights the potential for intentional yet organic interaction spaces, underscoring the value of play and freedom in digital design.
Digital Product Design
Lean Prototyping
User Testing
Product Activation
User Engagement
User Onboarding
Prototype Testing
User Experience Review
Before the Second World War, work and play were not as distinctly separated as they are today. As cancel culture continues to heighten reputational risks and HR polices define organizational culture more than any other force, organizations of all sizes need a pressure value. This exploration of an unregulated online space pokes audiences to explore its relevancy, and risks in an otherwise hyperpolicied digital architecture.
An open invitation to play, The Virtual Smoking Area invites the broader Greenwich Village Community to enter an online world through an avatar that can 'hangout' with other online participants and engage on a variety of themes or initiate exchange on a new theme over video chat or text.
Context:The concept of work-life boundaries has drastically evolved, particularly as organizational cultures become more defined by stringent HR policies and reputational risk management. The Virtual Smoking Area challenges this hyper-regulated digital landscape by offering an unmoderated space for connection and informal engagement. Inspired by the social function of smoking areas—once physical, now increasingly absent—it reimagines the spontaneous conversations and serendipitous encounters they fostered. This exploration is an invitation to rethink how play, notions of freedom, and community intersect in digital spaces.
Participants use a QR code to enter the space built on Gather.ai through their smartphone. They can choose a variety of levels of self-identification, including complete anonymity. Using on screen controls, users can walk around the digital space and enter video chats if they are in close proximity to others. All conversations are private and unmoderated. Users can engage in any way they seem fit. Only text based interactions are public. Users can gather under various 'umbrellas' to engage on different topics, or start a new topic of conversation. Other uses can see who's under which umbrella and can join them if they choose to do so.
Process: Participants accessed the Virtual Smoking Area through a QR code, launching a Gather.ai-based environment via their smartphones. They created avatars with options for varied levels of self-identification, including complete anonymity. Users navigated the space, joining video chats when close to others or participating in public text conversations. The digital environment featured themed “umbrellas” where users could engage in topic-driven discussions or initiate new conversations. Public message boards allowed asynchronous interaction, while proximity-based mechanics replicated the dynamics of casual, in-person encounters.
Parked at the intersection of 14th Street and Fifth Avenue, a Pop-Up Truck with digital displays ushered users to the online space. Over two days, 289 users entered the Virtual Smoking Area, and engaged in a variety of synchronous and asynchronous actions including exploratory loitering and group/ one-on-one conversations, and posts on the digital message board. It also allowed members of the The New School Community that work/ study from home to socially engage in a manner that official platforms currently do not allow for.
Outcome and Futures:The initiative attracted 289 users over two days, who engaged in diverse ways: loitering, group and one-on-one conversations, and asynchronous posts on the digital message board. The pop-up truck on 14th Street and Fifth Avenue acted as a dynamic entry point, creating visibility and buzz. Beyond its experimental roots, the project revealed an unmet demand for informal, unregulated digital gathering spaces. It also bridged the gap for members of The New School community working remotely, providing an alternative to rigid, formal communication platforms. The Virtual Smoking Area highlights the potential for intentional yet organic interaction spaces, underscoring the value of play and freedom in digital design.
