Research+&+Statements

Payphones in Toronto:
I'd like to focus on the use, interaction and activities between people and payphones in downtown Toronto. I find it interesting, especially with the rise of the cellphone, how the boundary between private and public space is steadily becoming harder to define. As we continue to move at a faster pace, it seems that the payphone can no longer keep up as an adequate communication tool.

Research Statement:
For the purposes of this project, I intend to look at the way payphones are being used in downtown Toronto to properly access, along with written reseach material, whether or not payphones are still a necessity in the city. Who uses them and for what purpose? Where are they located, why, and how can they be more accessible?

Critical Position:
The dismantling and negligence of payphones is not only discriminatory against those who chose not to own or cannot own a cell phone but also a hazard as cellphones are not entirely reliable (yet). The city of Toronto is lacking in its payphone availability and quality in comparison to other large cities and a reassesment of its current efficiency is needed. A possibility would be to make payphone use a public service provided by the city. Another could be to make phone booth spaces a more comfortable and functional space in order to encourage users and ward off any future neglect.

Concept Map:


Research Photos:

Visual Essay Sildeshow: media type="custom" key="217967"

Online Articles & References:
Social Design Notes: [|Repurposing Payphones] Blogto: [|Nasty Public Payphones Cost a quarter More to Use] CBC News: [|Ads to Bolster pay-phone revenue] Spacing Montreal: [|What do payphone rate hikes mean for Montreal?] Now Magazine: [|Got a quarter, but no phone booth] Wired: [|Booths silence cell phone boors]