In Situ: Ackert Park is a project on recreating the experience of being in a physical space through design. Ackert Park is a 3.5 acre linear park nestled in the Delmar Loop area in St. Louis, MO. This small neighborhood gem serves as a relaxed play area for children, a gathering place for young adults and a rest stop for those on a stroll. The set of three small instructional "books," In Situ: Ackert Park tries to capture the park's intimacy and bring the reader into the park by engaging the senses and inviting a sense of play and discovery moving through each book.
This first book prompts the reader to "please touch." This looks at the tactile quality of experience, emulating different textures found in the park's play area. Created through laser cut wood, foam, and other mix media.
This second book prompts the reader to "please flip," as this is a flip book. The first side captures a small instance where a leftover wrapper on the ground is flipping in the wind. The flip side describes snapshots of dialogue captured while at the park, such as a mother telling her daughter to weave her legs "in and out" while learning how to swing.
This third "book" prompts the reader to "please shake," producing a quiet shuffling noise. Upon opening, the spiky balls of the Sweet Gum tree that litter the park area are revealed, along with some wood chips. While these things can be quite annoying when they're all around the park, in isolation and with a little attention they can be quite interesting and even delightful to discover.