Washing Line Effect: Response

After visiting town with washing line and images in hand, the feedback we recieved from the public, kindly stopping to help us with our intervention, was rather impressive. Quite a large percentage of the people stopping on their own accord were of the older generation, interested or possibly just being nosey as to what our line of images was about! Middle-ages males were the easiest to talk to and get useful information out of and eventually, younger females agreed to participate with our project. We analysed the responses with the intention of determining the site for our final intervention; the responses were as follows:

Security Worker, middle-aged male: "I would definitely change the space [Piccadilly Gardens] because of the dirty, high-rise buildings".

Retired, male O.A.P: "I love this image of a park with the river running through where all ages can relax in the summer and on nice weekends...I'd like to Piccadilly Gardens back to how it used to be".

Student, male: "It'd be great to see a nice, big TV area with places to relax, like the one near the wheel but more in the centre and more of a laid back atmosphere for people more my age".

Retired, female O.A.P: "Tennis courts would be a great addition to the centre, open to the public and free of charge, which would encourage a more active lifestyle...a leisure centre for students with a lot of it ourdoors".

Middle-aged male: "A big amusement park is lacking in Manchester! It'd make use of some of the wasted spaces and it'd bring some great fun into the centre".

Retired, female O.A.P: "Maybe some type of community-based projects occupying some of the unused spaces like in some of these images [image: wasteland on outskirts of the city]. I'd recommend brightening up some of these dark alleyways because women at night avoid them for safety...maybe paint the walls bright, playful colours or fit some bright lights there. I love the alleyway in the Northern Quarter covered overhead with the umbrella art".

Two male friends, middle-aged: "Unused spaces made into bridal, cycle or walking paths to make people feel safer".

Young female, student: "I once heard Manchester had everything but a beach, so why not bring a beach to Manchester centre!!".

Middle-aged male: "See all of these pigeons around here, they're everywhere. And we are lacking a good Manchester Zoo. It'd be a great attractive...maybe even a mini zoon...a Pigeon Zoo!".

Two friends, females: "Bring more 'real Manchester' back into the centre, like the Northern Quarter and Aflecks'...I'm not a fan of all these new, modern buildings. It's not what Manchester is about".

From analysing all this data, we felt it was best to look at the least used areas in Manchester, forgotten-about places or avoided places, and places where people may feel uncomfortable. These included areas such as alleyways that may look unsafe at a first glance, or bright, enclosed spaces that are wasted, inbetween high-rise buildings. We settled upon quite a main alleyway just off from Piccadilly Gardens where people would still be near, so it wouldn't be too much of an issue directing people to a random space. Our intervention would be aimed at attracting people to this space they'd usually overlook and provide them with an area that is enjoyable to be in and making them feel relaxed in their own city.