2. GOAL
Create a conversational
space between the men’s and
women’s restrooms using an
interactive graffiti wall

3. GOAL
Bathroom wall as social object:
the new era of the bathroom
graffiti.
Design a space that promotes
conversation between two groups
in a place where they normally
wouldn’t communicate

4. CURIOSITY
WHAT WOULD PEOPLE SAY TO EACH
OTHER WHEN NOBODY IS LOOKING?
Anonymous messages in a known
territory: will people be polite?
WILL people use it? HOW will they
use it? WHAT will they say?

5. MECHANICS
TEXTING THE WALL
SEND an SMS message to a phone
number.
The message appears on a sketch
projected on the walls of both
restrooms.
One number for women, one
number for men.

7. SKETCH

10. Once both systems were
running reliably, men and
women both contributed, with
surprising results.

11. NUMBERS
95 messages
to the Wall 51%
49%
47 women
vs. 48 men
Women
Men

12. CONTENT
Bathroom talk: “Anyone else notice that
women use ten times as much toilet paper as
men? What’s up with that?”
Philosophical: “I feel more like I do now
than I did when I got here” / “This stall is the
/
center of the digital universe. Think about it.”

13. CONTENT
Random: “In soviet russia we use pencil.” //
"Are you going to the peace corps reunion in
Senegal?”
Conversation: "Where is a good place to
get brunch?? / "I like Jane's on Houston. But
/
iz crowded!"

14. CONTENT
Surprising: "Annie are you really running
into the bathroom to read this? Lol-Chelsea"
"Intentionally not avoiding the creepy stall to
do this..."

15. “Annie's hot. “Seems like you
She likes it don't hear too
doggy style.” much Lynyrd
Skynyrd on the
“Hey liesje radio
hodgson, for anymore...”
a good time,
text jay at “Hello my name
650 575 5366” is Prometheus.”
“8==== D”

16. ANALYSIS
Theory: Men at ITP were
deliberately well-behaved, while
women attempted to have fun with
the project by embracing the
stereotypes about bathroom graffiti.
Substantive discussions are
unlikely to occur. Instead, the
conversation becomes more
annotative.

17. FINAL THOUGHTS
We successfully created a
space used by both men and
women.
Moving Forward: design
layout for conversation, not
annotation.

18. THANK YOU
Atif Ahmad, Bruna Calheiros, Michael
Gambale, Matt London, Patrick Muth