In big cities, getting from place to place is just another part of everyday life, but constant pollution from structures like busy motorways is damaging our health in more ways than we might realise. In addition to the long-term effects like heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory issues, air pollution has been shown to actually reduce our cognitive ability. An exciting new installation in London is set to tackle this issue through design.
Design studio Fieldwork Facility aims to combat the awful health effects of air pollution through supergraphics, engaging local minds on their everyday travels.
Following their ‘Plants not Pollution’ project, the studio were invited by Hammersmith and Fulham Borough Council to design some supergraphics for the Hammersmith flyover; a popular throughfare for pedestrians and cyclists, under an elevated motorway in London.
The puzzles’ difficulty are specifically designed to ensure they can’t be solved in the duration it takes to pass by, as the aim is to keep minds engaged as they travel through each day.
The studio, whose focus on communication, innovation and place, took the opportunity to ask the question of how design can help counter the negative effects air pollution has on local commuters and residents. After discovering that air pollution degenerates our cognitive ability, the project ‘Brain Teasers’ was created to keep passers-by stimulated with riddles and mazes.
Painted in bright colours across the grey walls of the flyover, the murals immediately catch our attention. The puzzles’ difficulty are specifically designed to ensure they can’t be solved in the duration it takes to pass by, as the aim is to keep minds engaged as they travel through each day.
Can you solve any of the puzzles?