Urban Speaker — Tompkins Square 2010

The Urban Speaker is an art installation that transforms public space into an instant stage for mass communication. This portable urban furniture allows people to broadcast their voice in public by calling a telephone number from their mobile phones.

The Urban Speaker resembles construction signage and blends in with its urban surroundings. It consists of a tripod with an amplified loudspeaker, smartphone, battery and a traffic sign. The signage instructs passersby to dial a phone number to speak in public. Users who place the call get an automatic answer and can speak their mind for sixty seconds after which the call is terminated. A QR (Quick Response) barcode on the sign allows some mobile phones to instantly access the urbanspeaker.mobi website for location, event and other details as well as quick dialing of the installation's phone.

This video document's the Urban Speaker's first public appearance in Tompkins Sqaure Park, New York City on October 8th, 2010 as part of the Conflux 2010 festival. Approximately 200 phone calls were broadcasted in public during this four hour event.

Installation by: Carlos J. Gómez de Llarena
More info:
http://urbanspeaker.mobi
http://med44.com

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• urban
• art
• installation
• mobile
• conflux 2010
• new york
• tompkins square park
• east village
• architecture
• media
• med44
• carlos j. gomez de llarena

[Kakashigirl250]

I always get a voicemail. Does that mean someone is using it?

[med44]

@Kakashigirl250 the project is not live at this time, but will be sometime again. somone hacked into the voicemail and left that random message. follow @med44 on twitter for updates on when it will go live again. thanks!

[waltermcgrub]

thats my beatbox at the beginning. badass.

[LauraLoves2Laugh]

when will it be up and working again?

[tedtrash]

I wonder if the novelty of calling the urban speaker just to make noise will wear off.

I understand the desire for spontaneity but you would likely get more meaningful uses of the device if the number was on a website rather than on a sign on the device itself.

There you could publish proceedures including how far you need to stand back from the device.

It would be a shame if such a useful device were deemed a public annoyance by the people who could benefit most from it.

[Kakashigirl250]

@med44 thanks for letting me know. Can't wait till I can use it haha!