Fear in public spaces does not necessary derive from actual\u00a0danger but from perception of insecurity mainly due to the sense of\u00a0\u2018otherness\u2019. People are afraid of the unknown and the unfamiliar.\u00a0Driven from Italy\u2019s multicultural scene, which creates tension\u00a0between populations (i.e. local inhabitants and immigrants), this\u00a0project aspires to promote urban safety through inversing fear.\u00a0Interactive light projection encourages the interaction between\u00a0users, while increasing luminosity in a public square at night (Piazza\u00a0degli Alpini).<\/p>\n
The idea of \u201cshadow\u201d is employed to represent the figure of the\u00a0unknown \u201cother\u201d that aims to dissolve. In fact, in psychology,\u00a0\u201cshadow\u201d refers to the unknown side of our personality that we\u00a0reject or remain ignorant of. Just like the \u201cotherness\u201d, \u201cshadow\u201d\u00a0remains dark and scary. The interactive light projection \u201cswitches\u201d\u00a0the shadow figures of unknown people in the square and transforms\u00a0into playful and colorful light. One can see as his own shadow the\u00a0gesture, movement and pace of the other. Eventually, he\/she could\u00a0engage him in an interactive mirror game. The project encourages\u00a0gradual interplay between strangers.<\/p>\n