Exhibit Proposal for Chicago Children's museum

1. Hide + Seek
Kate Pemberton, Van Vuong, Katie Wasserman

2. This is Jorie...
photo taken Katie Wasserman

3. photos taken Katie Wasserman

4. spontaneous

5. spontaneous
intuitive

6. spontaneous
intuitive
memorable

7. Memories of Hide and Seek

8. “When my sister and I were
younger we’d look for any
space that was juuuuuust
big enough to fit us.”
image: flickr username ccarlstead

9. “I used to hide in the way back
of a closet. It was a bit scary
to think you might not be
found, but that was the
draw.”
image: flickr username Indie Photos

10. “Any place that had elements
that resembled an adult
space were great.”
image: flickr username courosa

11. “I can say unequivocally that
hide and seek has provided
some of the happiest
moments in my life.”
image: flickr username tm22

12. Where are kids hiding?

13. concrete
2-6 year olds Looking
through
4-8 year olds
In boxes
peepholes Behind clothes in
Behind doors closets
Under tables In cabinets
In clothing racks
Under beds
Under chairs Behind
curtains
In bathtubs In closets
Under shelves In trunks
In bushes
Under blankets In trees Behind shelves
young old
In deep dark places
0-2 year olds
Peek-a-boo
Between objects
Around corners
In places just
big enough
abstract

14. concrete
Looking
“You are in a through
peepholes
In boxes
Behind clothes in
closets
Behind doors
In cabinets
totally obvious
Under tables
In clothing racks
place” Under beds
2-6 years
Under chairs Behind In bathtubs
“Whereclosets
In are you?”
curtains
4-8 years
Under shelves In trunks
In bushes
Under blankets In trees Behind shelves
young old
In deep dark places
“Covering
Peek-a-boo
your eyes Between objects
makes you Around corners
invisible” In places just
0-2 years big enough
abstract

15. concrete
Looking
through In boxes
peepholes
Behind clothes in closets
Under tables
Behind doors
In cabinets
In clothing racks
Under beds
Under chairs Behind
curtains
In bathtubs In closets
Under shelves In trunks
In bushes
Under blankets In trees Behind shelves
young old
In deep dark places
Peek-a-boo
Between objects
Around corners
In places just
big enough
abstract

16. What are kids learning?

17. Understanding visibility Estimating if you’ll fit
Planning where to hide Using all your senses

18. What did we come up with?

19. Exhibit Objective
Creating extraordinary hiding places in
a familiar environment.
Inspired by the place where kids play
most, we have taken the common notion
of home and its components and played
with scale and affordances to create a
sense of wonder and intrigue.

20. Our inspiration

21. Hide+Seek
Form language
photos from Google

22. Hide+Seek
Spatial feel
photos from Google

23. Hide + Seek exhibit

24. Hide+Seek
Room layout
Dining room
Living room Bathroom Bedroom
Peek-a-boo area

25. Come inside!

26. Dining room
Living room
Living room

27. Dining room
Living room
Living room

28. Dining room
Living room
Living room

29. Hide+Seek
Living room components
Couch section Couch corner Coffee table

30. Hide+Seek
Living room components
Bookcase Arm chair

31. Hide+Seek
Dining room components
Table Chairs

32. Bathroom
Bathroom

33. Bathroom
Bathroom

34. Hide+Seek
Bathroom components
Toilet Plumbing

35. Hide+Seek
Bathroom components
Vanity Bathtub

36. Bedroom
Bedroom

37. Bedroom
Bedroom

38. Bedroom
Bedroom

39. Hide+Seek
Bedroom components
Loft bed Wardrobe

40. Hide+Seek
Bedroom components
Desk Desk chair Laundry basket

41. Peek-a-boo
Peek-a-boo

42. Hide+Seek
Peek-a-boo bench

43. Front porch

44. Hide+Seek
Architectural elements
Interior walls

45. Hide+Seek
Architectural elements
Front porch

46. Hide+Seek
Architectural elements
Hinged gate
Modular walls
components
Front facade

47. concrete
young old
abstract

48. Additional exhibit details

49. Hide+Seek
Colors and materials
Plywood Vacuformed plastic Store-bought

50. Hide+Seek
Wall graphics
11” x 14” frames
Artwork
18 x18 wall art (quilt? or painted)
Mirror 18 x24 mirror
18 x18 wall
Quilts

51. Hide+Seek
- ft of space between all
3
fixed components
Accessibility - 5ft turning radius

52. Hide+Seek
Wow!
Thank you!

53. Appendix

54. User Testing at CCM
When testing our prototype at the Children’s Museum,
we tested different structures to learn more about how
they might afford hiding and seeking. We had several
models that were modular and allowed manipulation
of space. We observed how different children and
their parents interacted with them. The height of the
parts allowed the kids to feel fully hidden but also was
a great size for parents to interact with them from all
directions as they hid. Parents could peek over the top
as kids crouched in the corners. Some kids expressed
that they wanted to be fully covered too.
photos taken Katie Wasserman

55. User Testing at Institute of Design
During early stage prototyping we observed some did not afford hiding and seeking as much as we
kids interacting with different materials and structures. had hoped, but we did learn from observing the par-
Our initial concept was hide and seek in a nature ent and children in the environment (the classroom).
environment. We built prototypes of a tunnel made While in the classroom we observed the interaction
of fabric and different parts that afforded games of between parent and children as they sat on a table.
peek-a-boo. There were different openings where they After about 20 minutes of interacting with the pro-
could peek their heads through and parts that flipped totype, Hans (the father) was tired and sat on table.
open and close. There was also a tree prototype that The kids still wanted to play with him even though he
had spinning parts. clearly wanted to relax. The kids climbed over him
and started playing as if his body was a jungle gym.
We learned about scale in this user testing. The holes This observation helped us design seating for parents
we created in our prototypes were a little awkward in the exhibit.
for the kids because one was too high. The size of
them afforded multiple kids to interact with and poke
there heads through. We did learn the initial models
photos taken Katie Wasserman

56. Hide+Seek
Moving forward after testing
Insights Goals
1. Large scale activities and those which allow spectators to
• Create large and small scale elements within the
watch from afar create intrigue. environment to help children understand the world
around them.
2. Familiar objects and activities limit the imagination and
possible affordances, therefore unfamiliar activities • Create experiences that promote curiosity to engage
encourage exploration. in unfamiliar activities.
3. Through trial and error children experience cause.
• Create a space that is flexible and allows
manipulation for a unique spacial experience.
4. Construction and building provide children with a sense
of ownership and helps create an authentic experience. • Incorporate a variety of textures and materials to
create a richer and more tactile experience.
5. Children intuitively find hiding places in new
environments and encourage other people to play along.

57. Hide+Seek
Exhibit components
Living dining room Bathroom Bedroom
Couch section (2) Coffee table Vanity Loft bed
Couch corner (2) Dining table Toilet
Wardrobe
Bookcase (2)
Dining chair(2)
Plumbing
Desk
Bathtub Desk chair
Arm chair
Laundry basket

58. Hide+Seek
Exhibit components
Outdoor Walls
Peek-a-boo bench (2) Living room wall Front facade
1 2 3 4 5
Living room/bathroom wall Window/wall units
Bathroom/bedroom wall Hinged gate wall unit

59. Hide+Seek
Component estimates
We received initial estimates from RedBox Workshop for three
exhibit components. Having heard from them after finalizing all
of the components we were unable to make modifications. Future
modifications can be made to the components to lower costs.
Arm chair Couch section Peek-a-boo bench
Plywood Vacuformed plastic Plywood
$7000.00 $9000.00 $3500.00