Chien Wen Hsu
Taiwan

32 Hours a Day

This three-mode tiny liminal space at two ends of the world comes from the concept of time zones which change in units of 15 degrees longitude. Made possible by the result of the improvement of communication technology, across these global time zones, millions of long-distance relationships (LDR) have been formed. Lost physical connection is compensated by communication technology, this project redresses this.
LDRs are between people who are geographically separated…In my own experience of LDR, I have 24 hours a day, they have 24 hours a day but our one day is 32 hours due to the 8 hours time difference. We can sense the overlap of this extra non-existent 1/3 day but our best attempts to synchronise always happens on a monotonous screen.
When people have communication with the other end of a screen, we can observe different levels of intimacy by their behaviour without asking who they’re talking with. The design guides the user in three posture modes, public, semi-public and private. A series of interactive spaces are available for having a nice chat or bad fight. The first mode is open for instant needs, allowing the user directly to walk in, lean and begin. Secondly, the setting in the semi-public scenario eg office allows the user to sit well, nicely and formally. The range that the other end behind the lens can see is limited, making sure the quality of this serious moment. The last design is for the most intimate situations, the user will take a lying or semi-sitting position with soft light for atmosphere and screened for proper privacy.

We are reminded whilst the distance between the world is drawn closer by tech the distance between people is drawn further apart by the lens. This cross-timezone travelling machine between screen and lens, helps us to find a way back to what we have lost by default. To make an LDR desirable in this corner of liminal space, we need a structural but soft combination to immerse ourselves. When someone elegantly melts in the corner of a shared flat, we could naturally notice but won’t pay it too much attention. The LDR users can enjoy a good quality experience by cherishing every single opportunity to overlap with each end of this world.
This is a space for any kind of long-distance relationship, a critical business strategy and us, today now at this very moment.

Keywords: longdistancerelationship, LDR, timezone, crosstimezone, timedifference, overlap, lens, liminalspace, dusk, dawn, light, structural, soft, behaviour
Mediums: Graphic of diagram, concept drawing, design perspectives, GIF, user scenarios photography
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Website: https://www.chienwenhsu.com