I'm Fan Marin,
nice to meet you.
I am a future-driven product designer that has previously worked on startup ventures, communication tools, and luxury branding. In May 2020, I received an MFA in Design & Technology from Parsons School of Design. As s business strategist turned designer, I act as the bridge between business goals and user needs to create an intuitive solution. I have helped cross-industry clients design change that matters by spotting opportunities in unmet market needs and making business more innovative and agile.
I'm Fan Marin,
nice to meet you.
I am a future-driven product designer that has previously worked on startup ventures, communication tools, and luxury branding. In May 2020, I received an MFA in Design & Technology from Parsons School of Design. As s business strategist turned designer, I act as the bridge between business goals and user needs to create an intuitive solution. I have helped cross-industry clients design change that matters by spotting opportunities in unmet market needs and making business more innovative and agile.
“Times Of Times”
Redesign Brooklyn Times Plaza
An urban interaction design aims to transform the physical “Times Plaza” in Brooklyn and share the community heritage through AR storytelling.
Scope
Problem framing
Research
Concept development
Validation
User testing
Implementation (Unity)
Tools
Figma
Adobe CS
Unity
VR Headsets
Duration
2020-2021
NY Role
UI UX design
Design strategy
User interview
Visual Identity
Final Pitch
WHAT'S THE CONTEXT?
New York City Plaza Program and Parsons Urban Design Program collaborate and select our team to present the final proposal to renovate an underutilized Times Plaza in Brooklyn, New York.
Two UX designers, one developer, and one architect formed the team. The team was small, and we worked agilely by continually updating our concepts from user feedback and design critique.
THE CHALLENGE
The challenge is redesigning an urban plaza, and a new User Experience flow, with improved user engagement from an abandoned traffic-heavy spot. Deliver a compelling proposal in 3 months.
GOAL & MATRICS
Our short-term goal is to build more human-centric urban spaces with a sense of togetherness and cultural heritage.
Our long-term vision is to raise the urgency to revitalize more abandoned and dangerous urban spaces during rapid real estate development and urbanization.
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Identify safety concerns and pain points of the current user experience
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Understand residents' challenges and unmet needs
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Improve local engagement rate with the plaza
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Propose potential solutions with XR technology
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Enhance community bonds through this project
The Outcome
DESIGN APPROACH
RESEARCH PROCESS
PROJECT AREA
Some Facts About Times Plaza
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Major interaction of three two-way arterials
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Multi-modal hub
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New residential and commercial development
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Major entertainment and shopping destination
ON-SITE RESEARCH
SECONDARY RESEARCH INSIGHTS
1. NYC Plaza Programming
Source: Public Life and Urban Justice in NYC’s Plazas, Gehl Studio & J. Max Bond Center
2. THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Although the neighborhood is predominantly residential, Flatbush Ave and Atlantic Ave have a lot of commercial and mixed-use facilities. Along with the central transit station nearby, it indicates the possibility of high footfall on this plaza.
3. IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW
Interview Script
SYNTHESIS & ANALYSIS
We identified three common concerns by phone calls to 20 residents ranging from 16 to 70 years old.
1. Many long-term residents protest against the plaza change by new tech firms because they don't benefit from it.
2. Senior residents growing up here have strong memories from the first family immigrants generations ago. But they never have a chance to share these stories. They think Brooklyn is "losing its distinct charm through massive urban development."
3. New residents view Times Plaza as dangerous, loud, and a place to "avoid going if unnecessary."
PERSONA
We use the above synthesis insights to create three personas as our target users.
USER NEEDS & GOALS
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Preserve Brooklyn's unique culture and history.
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Have a safe spot to wait for the bus, walk, and sit
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Have a pedestrian-friendly plaza with less worry about dangers from the traffic
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Have a public program that can benefit the residents, not just a new tech hub
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Bond with other residents who share similar memories and generational immigration backgrounds
Design Statement
NEW USER JOURNEY MAP
OPPORTUNITY
How might we transform Times Plaza into a place that invites residents to sit and bond through stories?
DEFINE STRATEGY
Design an XR Immersive experience that has at least two of the following core functions
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Record and share residents’ stories
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Transform physical Times Plaza
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Add food court, seats, water fountain for rest and gathering
MOODBOARD
TWOFOLD PROPOSAL
Tier One: Plaza Physical Renovation
Renovate the Plaza as a safe spot for recreation and gathering
How might we transform Times Plazas that invite residents to sit and share stories?
IMPLEMENT MODELS IN UNITY
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Add a strip of trees along the wider street (Atlantic) to form a noise buffer.
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Use the built-in area near Head House as a water fountain and performance space. The water fountain also can be used for traffic noise reduction.
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Close 4th Avenue, expand the plaza, and make it safe and accessible to the pedestrian.
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Add seatings for gathering and bus waiting.
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Support Vision Zero by including cycle infrastructure.
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Build a plaza that supports diverse and flexible programming.
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Designate food truck, holiday market area, space for vendors, and local small businesses.
Tier Two: Brooklyn AR Storytelling
Engage visitors with Brooklyn heritage via AR mobile storytelling
We designed a Story Recording Installation to invite residents to record their stories as part of Brooklyn's historic preservation and community bonding.
After analyzing experiences in many cities, we’ve identified three key factors that influence our decision of building the installation and what this installation can potentially achieve.
1. Visibility
Activation can invite residents to the renovated spaces. Design interventions were barely visible from the sidewalk. 35% of people walking by had no idea they were even passing a plaza. When First Fridays featured music and food trucks, many people became aware of the plaza’s existence.
2. Approachability
Often, a redesigned space can be intimidating, and community members may wonder if it’s a place for them. Programming would be essential to ensure all members of the community felt welcome.
3. Flexibility
Programming allows spaces to be adaptable and serve multiple functions as a place to mingle using design (public art) and programming (live music, food festivals, and art walks). While certain fixtures of design are permanent, programming is not. The alley can fulfill its original purpose when programming isn't scheduled—a public right of way.
AR Mobile Application + Sticker with QR code
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The app overlays audio narratives on stickers to geo-locate memories in the locations where they occurred.
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Check out archives of images of buildings from different years, linking the oral history to photos of the changing neighborhood with the timeline.
Stickers on the bench & floor connect users with an interactive past and present experience.
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When scanned, your phone will pop up with images
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Landmarks
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Narratives of Brooklyn residents in audios
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Location-based historical images of before and now
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PLAZA MODEL WALK-THROUGH
TAKEAWAYS
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Think outside of the box when it comes to large system design.
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Ask questions about the people who live in the places and invite them to envision and co-create the spaces to maximize shared value.
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Please pay attention to the physical, cultural, and social identities that define a place and integrate design with its ongoing evolution.