Safe and Sound

Safe and Sound TM explores the definition of what a shelter really is. Inspired by the George Pompidou Center by Renzo Piano, the structure abstracts the idea of protection and security, by inverting the normal anatomy of a building. With its loud, glossy, red pipes - the structure’s most distinct feature - S&S straddles the line of safety and crisis by representing both a safe haven and place of danger. The pipes wrap around the 3-part glass/metal structure like a snake, forcing inhabitants to continually question they’re own security as they sit inside the bus stop, shielded from the dangers of weather, but now vulnerable to the structural dangers of the S&S. As a building, Safe and Sound TM definitely serves as a destination for temporary shelter, and was designed in such a way to encourage the entrance of large groups, and the exit of a single person. However the overall design of the form orbits around the concept of temporariness. Inhabitants are always reminded of their vulnerabilities, and while this may have a negative connotation, the action of constant self reflection - over one’s physical and mental stability - is certainly something many MIT students, faculty and affiliates can benefit from in such a stress academic environment.

I. Pipes: In this design, the glossy, red, plastic pipes were designed to resemble something familiar to the inhabitants as they often find them in trains/buses. The color was also intended to be something that attracted people towards it (as the color red often does), similar to a bright exit sign - a place where you can escape from danger.

II. Structure: The Bus Stop was composed by three metal forms which not only serves as the structural backbone of the model, but - contrastingly to the red pipes - they were supposed to make the people inside the bus stop feel a sense of relief, as the material is very robust and sturdy.

III. Windows: The windows, which give the people inside the bus stop a front, back, and top view of all the area surrounding the structure, enable the bus stop inhabitants tosee the weather dangers, but remain protected by S&S.

IV. Seats: Similarly to the pipes, the seats of the S&S were designed to be made of a really shiny plastic (yellow in this case) as a way of enticing people inside the structure.