Exploring the Role of 'Visual Catalysts' on Influencing People's Attraction and Use of Place

DATA TRIANGULATION
The core finding is that ‘visual catalysts’ have <strong>the</strong> capacity to influence, and redirect, <strong>the</strong>
attention and use <strong>of</strong> place to different reference points <strong>of</strong> interest. This can be concluded
through <strong>the</strong> collective analysis <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sessions in terms <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> observation patterns, duration <strong>of</strong>
‘stay’ in place, amount and flow <strong>of</strong> people, and ‘displays <strong>of</strong> affection’ presented in place. These
findings also suggest that <strong>the</strong>re is some potential for <strong>the</strong> experience <strong>of</strong> place to ‘linger’ beyond
<strong>the</strong> conclusion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ‘visual catalysts’, however conclusive evidence <strong>of</strong> this is not presented as
fur<strong>the</strong>r discussion <strong>of</strong> this notion is needed in parallel with <strong>the</strong> existing literature. Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore,
<strong>the</strong> findings also suggest that an attachment to place is possible to be catalysed and cultivated
as a result <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> VIVID festival and <strong>the</strong> interventions; many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> findings that have been
presented have a strong overlap with that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> attributes needed to establish an attachment
to place (such as <strong>the</strong> formation <strong>of</strong> memories, <strong>the</strong> increased duration <strong>of</strong> time spent in place,
and <strong>the</strong> increase <strong>of</strong> affectionate displays). The first data that has been triangulated to present
<strong>the</strong> notion that <strong>the</strong> experience <strong>of</strong> place is influenced is <strong>the</strong> patterns <strong>of</strong> what people observed.
PATTERNS OF OBSERVATIONS
As presented in <strong>the</strong> session breakdown <strong>of</strong> findings, <strong>the</strong> observation patterns show <strong>the</strong>re is
a significant contrast in <strong>the</strong> percentage <strong>of</strong> people who observed something, and what <strong>the</strong>y
observed, during <strong>the</strong> periods before and after VIVID compared to when <strong>the</strong> festival was
occurring. During <strong>the</strong> period where VIVID was active in <strong>the</strong> space, <strong>the</strong>re was a significant
rise in <strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> people who observed something – over half <strong>the</strong> sample as shown by
figure 5.13. This can likely be attributed to <strong>the</strong> fundamental basis <strong>of</strong> VIVID being a festival
which centres around <strong>the</strong> concept <strong>of</strong> visual appeal. It aims to attract people towards certain
reference points <strong>of</strong> a place through <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> light and illumination. People come to VIVID
with <strong>the</strong> expectation to observe, and as such are likely to seek out things to observe.
The increase in <strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> people who observed something during <strong>the</strong> VIVID festival is also
likely due to <strong>the</strong>re being a change in <strong>the</strong> normal conditions <strong>of</strong> a place, causing people to take
more time to observe <strong>the</strong> form and reconditioned elements <strong>of</strong> place. This has ramifications
for people’s experience <strong>of</strong> place in terms <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> festival shifting <strong>the</strong> focus <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> purpose <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
space from one which is predominantly about movement, to one <strong>of</strong> passive observation.
However, it is important to note that under half <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sample did not do any form <strong>of</strong>
observation whilst moving through <strong>the</strong> space during <strong>the</strong> VIVID festival. This suggests that even
acts <strong>of</strong> creative placemaking are limited in <strong>the</strong>ir ability to change <strong>the</strong> understood experience
<strong>of</strong> a place. This statistic could also have been exacerbated due to part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> space being
barricaded by fencing and <strong>the</strong> prevalence <strong>of</strong> security; two features which have <strong>the</strong> capacity to
cause people to move faster and take less time to observe <strong>the</strong>ir environment around <strong>the</strong>m.
This statistic may not represent <strong>the</strong> normal findings <strong>of</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r spaces found in Sydney where
VIVID exhibitions were being held.
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