Ambiguity of (traffic) signs -playfully interacting with place encouraged by a photoplay

Abstract

This paper presents the case study of a project that investigated whether an art-based playful placemaking activity can cause individuals to reimagine the rules and expand the possibilities of public space. It studies how dynamics of place and signs may be shifted by giving a playful excuse to do so. The paper is based on a playful interaction called #playsign that took place during the spring of 2019 and presents examples, via images, of how new – even surreal - layers of perception of place can be enhanced. By enabling site-specific play and boosting ludic aesthetics, we can also generate a sense of attachment to a place.