Tag: Forming Ideas

How do ideas actually form? This project is seeking to piece together the formation of circumstances that lead to an idea first popping into the mind.

BEYOND DIGITAL: MATERIAL OPPORTUNITY

The emerging digital economy offers opportunities for those with good craft or art skills to create new businesses by revisiting traditional materials, methods and techniques and selling to a growing conscientious consumer market.

Introduction

Exploring the intricate relationship between digital advancements, material innovations, and traditional craftsmanship reveals a multifaceted technological landscape. This blog post highlights the importance of material science, the resurgence of traditional industries, and the opportunities that arise from merging cutting-edge technology with time-honoured practices.

The Fourth Portal will provide examples of how traditional materials and forms of labour, can be merged with digital technologies to create alternative local economies. Further blog posts will hone in on time-honoured materials, including paper, printing, textiles, lime, esparto and cork.

Origami folding esparto paper. Photo: Hector Pintura

Thinking technology

When we think of technology, our minds often gravitate towards digital advancements, such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and the Internet of Things. While these innovations are undoubtedly transformative, they represent just one aspect of the technological landscape. Equally important are the groundbreaking strides made in material science, which have far-reaching implications for various industries and our everyday lives. The Fourth Portal will draw parallels between material innovations and their diverse applications of today and those of yesteryear. We will examine how new advances can shape a sustainable, connected and technologically advanced future and undo some of the previous damage.

Defining material science

Material science is a multidisciplinary field that sits at the intersection of physics, chemistry, and engineering. It seeks to understand the underlying properties, structures, and behaviours of materials, ranging from metals and ceramics to polymers and composites. By uncovering these fundamental characteristics, researchers can develop new materials or enhance existing ones, enabling a wide array of applications across various industries. Material science plays a vital role in driving innovation, solving complex challenges, and improving the quality of life by fostering advancements in sectors such as healthcare, energy, transportation, and consumer products, among others.

Material innovation

Material innovation refers to the development and enhancement of new or existing materials to meet the ever-evolving demands of various industries and improve the overall quality of life. By leveraging advances in material science, researchers can create materials with unique properties, superior performance, and tailored functionalities. From nanomaterials and smart materials to biodegradable substances and advanced textiles, material innovation drives progress in industry sectors. Ultimately, these innovations not only complement digital advancements but also play a crucial role in addressing global challenges and shaping a sustainable future.

The Tights Ball and Dress, a 5-year programme researching and raising awareness of the impact of nylon tights on the environment. Photo Jason Wen.

The Role of material innovations in addressing Global Challenges

The role of material innovations in addressing global challenges cannot be overstated, as they offer groundbreaking solutions to pressing issues like climate change, resource scarcity, and pollution. By developing sustainable materials, such as biodegradable plastics and advanced textiles, researchers can reduce waste and minimise environmental impact. Furthermore, material innovations in areas like energy storage and renewable energy technologies can contribute to a more sustainable and resilient power infrastructure. These advancements also have the potential to improve access to clean water, promote energy efficiency, and support the development of eco-friendly transportation systems. Ultimately, material innovations play a pivotal role in driving progress towards a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future.

The interplay between digital and material technologies

The interplay between digital and material technologies creates a symbiotic relationship where advancements in one field propel progress in the other. Digital technologies, such as advanced simulations, modelling, and data analysis, accelerate the development and understanding of new materials, while innovative materials, in turn, contribute to improved performance and novel applications for digital technologies. This dynamic collaboration fosters a continuous cycle of innovation, driving the creation of cutting-edge solutions across various industries, from healthcare and energy to transportation and consumer products, ultimately shaping a more connected, efficient, and sustainable world.

Past material innovation has created new forms of employment 

Material innovation has historically generated new forms of employment by enabling the growth of emerging industries. One notable example is the plastics industry, which emerged in the early 20th century with the advent of synthetic plastics like Bakelite and Nylon. These innovative materials revolutionised various sectors, including automotive, packaging, and consumer goods, leading to the creation of countless jobs in manufacturing, research, and development. Similarly, the rise of advanced materials such as semiconductors during the 20th century spurred the development of the electronics industry, generating numerous employment opportunities in areas like chip manufacturing, device assembly, and engineering. These instances demonstrate the potential of material innovation to catalyse economic growth and job creation.

The Waste.Agency, 4-month intervention in a disused HMV record store in the City of London asking how we built an economy of consumption and wastefulness.

Impact on traditional industries

As material innovations led to the development of new and improved alternatives, some traditional industries, such as esparto production, faced decline or eventual obsolescence. Esparto, a fibrous plant used primarily for making paper, ropes, and baskets, lost its market share due to the emergence of synthetic materials like plastics and more efficient paper-making technologies. These innovative materials and processes offered advantages such as lower production costs, increased durability, and greater versatility, making them more appealing to manufacturers and consumers alike. Consequently, industries built around traditional materials like esparto struggled to compete, leading to a decline in demand, job losses, and, in some cases, their eventual disappearance.

Advanced technologies and the resurgence of traditional methods

Advanced technologies, such as AI and machine learning, can play a significant role in facilitating the resurgence of traditional methods by optimising production processes, enhancing product quality, and reducing waste. By employing AI-driven data analysis and predictive modelling, traditional industries can better understand market trends, consumer preferences, and supply chain dynamics, enabling them to make more informed decisions and adapt to evolving demands. Machine learning algorithms can also assist in refining manufacturing techniques, improving resource efficiency, and minimising environmental impact. Ultimately, the integration of advanced technologies with traditional methods can help create a harmonious balance between sustainability and innovation, fostering the growth of these revitalised industries while preserving their unique heritage and cultural significance.

Mental health

Transitioning from corporate-type jobs to traditional work like those found in the arts and crafts may offer mental health benefits for some individuals. Engaging in creative activities and craftsmanship can provide a sense of fulfilment, purpose, and personal satisfaction that may be lacking in corporate environments. The hands-on nature of traditional work can foster a tangible connection to the finished product, giving artisans a sense of accomplishment and pride in their creations. Moreover, working in a less structured and potentially less stressful environment can improve work-life balance and overall well-being. By pursuing a career in traditional arts and crafts, people may find opportunities for self-expression, personal growth, and a deeper connection to their work, positively impacting their mental health.

The Mind Room is a space within Fourth Portal dedicated to highlighting apps and innovations focused on helping various issues around mental health

Conclusion

The intersection of advanced technologies and material innovations, alongside the growing appreciation for traditional craftsmanship, is shaping a multifaceted and dynamic landscape. While digital advancements have been transformative, the impact of material innovations in addressing global challenges and improving various industries is equally significant. As the world moves towards a more sustainable and connected future, the resurgence of interest in traditional methods and artisanal skills presents unique opportunities for individuals to thrive and create businesses that cater to the evolving demands of the market. By embracing the potential of both cutting-edge technologies and time-honoured practices, we can foster a balanced and resilient economy that benefits all.

John M (with assistance of Bot)

Headline Image: Ceiling at UEA 2015 multi-award winning and COP26 showcase building employing traditional building materials and methods. (Business Enterprise Centre, Norwich) Photo: John McKiernan

FOURTH PORTAL LUCIA HOUSE

Our virtual house with its own venue is now operational, and people love it! We are open for viewing. Come and glimpse the future.

The virtual Fourth Portal Lucia House is on the leading edge and employs state-of-the-art technology. It uses a combined semantics/physics engine to create an online social experience corresponding to real-world expectations, including interactions with books, records and other objects.

Guests move freely around a shabby-chic virtual 2D environment at will, allowing for richly rewarding social interactions. Each room has sound isolated from the neighbouring room. While a guest is in a room, audio attenuation permits voices to fade as the person moves away from other users – as happens within a real-world space.

There are presently 28 unique virtual rooms live across four floors. More floors and rooms, including a pub and tunnels, are being added during 2023. All programming is done in-house. The team has decades of experience building complex programs and can swiftly decorate and adapt spaces to individual client requirements. The Creative Director is credited with 70 major VFX productions across cinema and television. Fourth Portal Lucia House is presently in beta mode as we scale capacity. We welcome all visitors to our open house viewings and appreciate all feedback.

Click here to see when we have our next open house viewing.

John M

A FUTURE GLIMPSED

A co-designer of the New Scotland Yard Control Room commented on LinkedIn that Discussion Festival is a glimpse into the future of meetings. Fourth Portal Stage 3 testing focuses on the virtual Lucia House and how this developing business model will soon become the new normal. 

New Scotland Yard Control Room 1969 and 2000 (Google images)

Communication and relationships

A co-designer of the Bank of England and New Scotland Yard Control Rooms commented on LinkedIn, Discussion Festival is a glimpse into the future of meetings. Denis O’Brien spent his career in and thinking about design and ergonomics. Control in the context of a Control Room is probably misplaced as the room is a room for communications; control is a result of communication, not vice-versa.

Denis is one of several people whose work involves understanding systems and have become intrigued by the developing Fourth Portal Lucia House hybrid. Investigating how to build a hybrid concept began in 2018 and has concentrated on how people will communicate and form meaningful relationships in the future.

A straightforward concept

On paper, the hybrid concept is simple; a location where a person can talk to others in the room and simultaneously elsewhere.

The concept is not new; teleconferencing dates back to the 1980s and was available much earlier. Technical issues developing publicly accessible hybrids are audio, not visuals. Conversations bleeding into one another and audio feedback are the main challenges for hybrid spaces to become more broadly available. Solving the audio issues is complex and the reason why audio is attracting large amounts of public and private funding for research and development. In time, affordable technical solutions will overcome problems concerning sound.

Swedish Prime Minister Tage Erlander using an Ericsson videophone to speak with Lennart Hyland, a popular TV show host (1969). Image via Wikipedia

The end of real-world meetings?

So does the emergence of hybrid equate to there never being a reason to meet another person in real-life again, as it can be done virtually? No, and far from it.

Articles and research discussing virtual meetings, gigs, consultations, shopping and metaverse are often simplistic. The tendency is to concentrate on technology and the pros and cons of whether hybrids are taking off or dying. These arguments are symptomatic of an economic transactional mind-frame, even when people believe they are not talking about economics. Writing and research on hybrids should instead focus on human behaviours and need. 

Hybrid will dwarf Facebook and YouTube combined economically. This is how extensive the hybrid market will become. Does this also mean Facebook and Google will dominate the space? Unlikely. If anything, Facebook and Google may end up in an exhibition cabinet in a virtual museum along with Ask Jeeves and Myspace.

Not social media

Three aspects of modern hybrid communication make this period different from the transformation brought about by social media.

  1. How humans communicate and form meaningful relationships
  2. Accessibility to global communication systems and the cost
  3. Developments in machine learning, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, linked data and semantic technology.

1. How humans communicate and form meaningful relationships

Is there any evidence that the invention of the telephone destroyed the ability to have meaningful relationships? No.

The invention of the telephone enabled the expansion of meaningful relationships with people who would otherwise have been almost inaccessible. Society’s fascination with telephones soon faded and was absorbed into everyday life, becoming just an instrument for communication.

Through communication, relationships are formed. Hybrids are no different. They will become just another instrument or tool for people to use to connect with another human with the added ability to also engage with an object or activity.

2. Accessibility to global communication systems and the cost

Laying cables and building exchanges made the rollout of the telephone a slow process. More than a century after its invention, half the world still did not have direct access to the telephone. This has changed dramatically even since the launch of social media around 2004/5.

Satellite communications allow communication to inaccessible places. Relay systems even provide for those with hearing impairment and deafness. Communication infrastructure has now spread to all parts of the world. The cost of employing such infrastructure continues to fall.

In terms of people communicating, the world could become one big village.

3. Developments in machine learning, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, linked data and semantic technology

As with laying the cables and building the exchanges of the early telephone network, much of the digital technology foundations are now in place. Machines only learn what a cat looks like by looking at millions of images of cats. These images have been provided by millions of people uploading photos of their cats to social networks and websites.

As hardware, like camera phones improve, and as more people are connected to the web, machines will have more data from which to learn. In time, this will lead to further innovations and opportunities.

The layout of Discussion Festival Season One table and topics

Understanding the need

In 2005, few people could realise the potential of YouTube. The key reasons were that camera phones and broadband were still relatively primitive to what is experienced today. There was also little perceived need for such a technology. This also applied to Zoom in 2019; it will never catch on. Then came the pandemic.

The Discussion Festivals research highlighted many of the same comments and resistances noted in 2005 when this author was trying to raise interest in self-video creation and podcasting. At that time, there was almost no one willing to discuss further than as a general chat. The key reason was there was no perceived need.

Poets, professors, dancers, teachers, engineers, politicians, business people and more show interest in the Fourth Portal before returning to doing what they are doing. There generally remains a disconnect between how life was lived before social media, text messaging and camera phones and now because these things have become the norm. The Discussion Festival is highlighting that most see hybrid as another form of social media. This is a misplaced understanding.

The hybrid needs to be imagined as the arrival of the invention of the telephone. It will be fundamental to everyday communication and life. Social media, as it is used and understood today, will be absorbed into hybrid communications. Hybrid allows for much richer contact with others. It will expand connection beyond the restraints of physical walls and controlled virtual spaces, as provided by Zoom and others.

Global Cafe

Hybrid is likely to explode in locations where other forms of physical infrastructure are less developed. Areas suffering from poor public transport, roads and bridges. Towns suffering from a lack of conducive meeting places like cafes, pubs and community spaces. Remote or inhospitable places, like Antarctica.

A new kind of global cafe community will transpire. These communities already exist in a lesser form, gaming being the best example, and to some degree in international corporations. The global cafe community will be more diverse, open and exposed to new ideas and innovation. New businesses and forums will emerge that have not yet been imagined. How everyone works, socialises, purchases and is educated will expand beyond recognition.

Screenshot from Discussion Festival DF026 Camille Table

The layout of the Discussion Festival Season One table and topics

That’s all in the future

“The future is already here – it’s just not evenly distributed”, as William Gibson the author has written (Wikipedia)

The opportunities are enormous, as are the risks of becoming even more isolated for those determined to resist. It is why spaces where people can come together, whether physical or virtual, are the necessary next step in how people communicate.

Fourth Portal and the Fourth Portal Lucia House are early attempts to develop a hybrid equivalent of the telephone exchange. 

Telephone exchanges were set up to centralise the telephone network within a smaller geographic area. This system allowed other individual lines to be connected through a central station. These were the forerunners of switchboards. An individual would need to manually connect the wires to each other through the switchboard. Most of the early users of phones were businesses. Many phones would go to a doctor’s office, police station or bank. Individuals could subscribe to the switchboard for a monthly fee that gave them access to the telephone network.

https://www.mitel.com/en-gb/articles/history-telephone-and-communication-businesses

Each Fourth Portal will be the hub for a smaller geographical area. Each hub will allow people to connect both manually, in the physical space, whether to socialise, work, learn or shop and virtually, via remote access. The majority of early adopters will be those considering the next evolution of their business, education, friendship circle or personal development.  

The Fourth Portal is an opportunity to immerse in the near future.  

Relational Industry

A prosumer is an individual who both consumes and produces. The term is a portmanteau of the words producer and consumer. Research has identified six types of prosumers: DIY prosumers, self-service prosumers, customising prosumers, collaborative prosumers, monetised prosumers, and economic prosumers.[1]

The terms prosumer and prosumption were coined in 1980 by American futurist Alvin Toffler and were widely used by many technology writers of the time. Technological breakthroughs and a rise in user participation blur the line between production and consumption activities, with the consumer becoming a prosumer.

(Wikipedia)

Social media was, and remains, a prosumer industry. The Facebook model is predicated on people posting content that others wish to look at. US Cable television had already introduced this model in the 1980s, and social media only expanded it.

Pool room 2 sofas 2 armchairs 5 stools Record player Pool table Games, meeting friends, meetups, drinks. Social occasion, club get together, play records.

Screenshots of the Fourth Portal Lucia House virtual and real-world testing (2022)

Hybrid is different

Hybrid will be much less about consumption and more about connection and reconnecting, not only to individual people but to places, activities, environments and communities. Hybrid will become more democratic and less dictated. It will reverse the trend towards social isolation that has been growing.

Social isolation and loneliness are increasingly being recognised as a priority public health problem and policy issue for older people. (World Health Organisation, Social Isolation and Loneliness)

https://www.who.int/teams/social-determinants-of-health/demographic-change-and-healthy-ageing/social-isolation-and-loneliness

Whereas social media is about creating content for others to consume, hybrids will become an avenue to connect to like-minded communities. Geographical location will become less of a hindrance to meeting new people. Even language will become less of a barrier to finding such communities as languaging applications allow instant translation.

Providing spaces for this new collective mind view is at the heart of the Fourth Portal and the Fourth Portal Lucia House. Spaces where people seed new ideas, grow networks, watch relationships flower and feed a new generation of positive connectivity.

Viewing the Fourth Portal Lucia House promotion

Conclusion

Many of the recent ills in society are blamed squarely on social media. Algorithms driving social media have certainly contributed towards antagonistic social interaction. Feelings of inadequacy and FOMO – fear of missing out – have had consequences for many people. On the other side, there have been, and are, many positive aspects to social media, including bringing old acquaintances together, forming new friendship circles and keeping people updated on personal and business developments.

Social media can create connections but does not, in general terms, build meaningful relationships in the same manner as real-life interaction. This is where hybrids will be different. Hybrid spaces will be more akin to physical interaction.

The combination of global, efficient telecommunications accessible to much of the population provides opportunities to form relationships that were not possible in previous times. Advancements in machines and artificial intelligence will bring about a revolution in business and social interaction. It will lead to previously unimagined engagement with other people, some already known, others yet to be met.

Fourth Portal has been envisaged much like the World Wide Web (www). A web of nodes communicating with each other and sending messages back and forth. Instead of computer nodes, it will be people communicating with each other.

The Discussion Festival Season One was set out with virtual hosted tables that visitors could move between uninhibited. The Fourth Portal Lucia House has virtual rooms, with sofas, record players and wine racks, that people can wander in and out of and interact. The Fourth Portal’s tests in Great Yarmouth were to develop the real-world aspect of the hybrid model.

What comes next is how these seemingly different contexts bleed into one another to form a space that feels normal. Places like fully hybrid Fourth Portals will soon become the new normal. The technology will be almost secondary, it will be the meaningful relationships that form within the spaces. And not only between people but also between objects, the environment and the wider world. Join us! Subscribe or email here.

John M

We are testing our virtual Lucia House throughout 2023. To have a tour, check https://www.fourthportal.com/ for upcoming dates.

MIND ROOM

The Mind Room was the unexpected star of the Fourth Portal stage 2 testing. Exhibited on the walls were paintings by Kevin Gavaghan. In this 15-minute video, Kevin speaks candidly about his mental health struggles and discusses the relief painting can bring and why visitors engaged as they did with the Mind Room.

Window to an inner emotion

When asked why people open up so quickly about their mental health issues on entering the mind room, artist Kevin Gavaghan responded, ‘because it probably opens a window to their own inner emotions.’

Kevin has been asked by the Wellcome Trust to write a piece on his work for an upcoming issue of their magazine. This piece will expand on the motivations of the work and the varied reactions of the viewer.

Watch Kevin Gavaghan discuss his work

Artist Kevin Gavaghan discussing the Mind Room with Fourth Portal’s John McKiernan

Mind Room Surprise

The purpose of the Mind Room was to introduce some freely available technologies that can have a positive impact on people suffering from mental health issues.

The success of the Mind Room was the biggest surprise during test 2 of the Fourth Portal popup in Great Yarmouth. It was composed to experiment with ideas that might initiate conversations around mental health issues without being too direct. In designing the Mind Room, it was essential to create a sense of relaxation while gently challenging visitors. Displayed on the walls were a series of paintings by artist Kevin Gavaghan. Kevin suffers from Tourettes Tics, anxiety and an acute eye issue that causes vision distortion. In the video, Kevin discusses his conditions and how he embraces them in his art.

Poetry performance in the Mind Room.

Response

The paintings resonated with people of all ages. NHS employees and mental health practitioners commented on how the Mind Room could benefit clients and the potential for it to expand. People who had suffered a mental health episode told of how they could relate directly with the artist through the paintings. We had a number of returning customers who had received an ADHD diagnosis. They found the space calming. The most surprising reactions were from people not presenting any mental health issues or having any diagnoses but who shared quite personal information about themselves within moments of walking into the Mind Room. Although these conversations cannot be documented for obvious reasons, they did boost the scope of what technologies can be included in future Mind Rooms.

Future Mind Rooms

The intention of the Mind Room was to host a number of technologies focused on the mind. Time constraints and internet infrastructure issues restricted the ability to install the first series of apps. In hindsight, this may prove beneficial, as we now have a better insight into the range of challenges people face in daily life. Discussions on how best to embed this learning from test 2 into future Fourth Portal Mind Rooms have begun.

More about the video

This video was filmed in one take on an iPhone14pro, with no editing, by John McKiernan, Founder of the Fourth Portal.
Narrator: John McKiernan
Interviewee: Kevin Gavaghan
Recorded at the Fourth Portal, 2 Stonecutters Way, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England

http://www.fourthportal.com. | @fourthportal

JohnM

HYBRID AI POETRY NIGHT

The first real-world hybrid live event using the developing Lucia House online platform took place at the Fourth Portal. Four years in development, the event highlighted the challenges of merging virtual and physical spaces. 

The Fourth Portal was, from the beginning, envisaged as a hybrid working and social space. A place where a person can sit at a table and meet others in the virtual and the real world. Hybrid meetings in public settings will become normalised and the experience seamless. Fourth Portal is at the cutting edge of developing such spaces. On 4th November 2022, we curated our first live test event.  

Lucia House

Lucia House is a four-floor virtual home developed by the Lucia Collective in response to the first pandemic lockdown. The Lucia Collective is a loose gathering of programmers, engineers, mathematicians, philosophers and visual artists.  

The Lucia Collective came together with Fourth Portal via Platform-7’s Discussion Festival events. The Discussion Festival was a weekly open-house occasion. Visitors moved about, without hindrance, between virtual tables hosted by experts on various topics. Engagement in a virtual environment is different to being in a real-world occasion. These evenings sought to observe how people interacted, moved about and communicated in virtual space when undirected. The learning feeds into the design parameters of the Fourth Portal and the online equivalent.

Open-mic poetry evening

The open-mic poetry event was on a Friday evening, hosted by Platform-7’s Bristol-based poet, Isabel White. A mixture of local poets and non-poets came along. Online were members of the Lucia Collective and other guests, including poet Andrew Duncan with his Ai nomenclature, R Andru Dunkn (a homage to Asimov robot stories).  

Poetry host, Isabel White and local Poets Jason Parr and Clare Currie

Lucia House’s virtual theatre beamed into the Fourth Portal via WiFi. Surround sound provided an immersive feeling inside the space. For guests in the room, the event was a new kind of experience. Although most people were familiar with Zoom, the Lucia House’s eclectic virtual furnishing and moving face tiles were unexpected.

Learning

There was no wide-angle projection of the Lucia House floorplan in the venue. This meant the layout was unclear for those in attendance to understand how the theatre was part of a much larger online environment. The Fourth Portal is awaiting the installation of a dedicated 1Gb fibre cable, leaving the event operating on a slightly erratic internet connection. Occasional weak signals caused breakdowns in the audio, leading to some chatter coming from the online guests while the real-world poets performed. The venue arrangement meant the performer could not see the online guests. In response, poets would move out of the camera shot to view the online audience, who then could not see the poet.  

Facebook indetifiers

A simple website front page asked for a name and email address to gain free online entry to the event. A link was posted to Facebook and Instagram. As the event was due to go live, it became apparent that the Facebook link would not work. Post-event investigation discovered the issue; Facebook attribution parameters stop logged-in users from reaching the webpage. A solution, found via Seb’s IT blog, will be implemented for the next event. 

Stop facebook attribution parameters from breaking my website

Problem Description

The affected application would return a 404 The requested URL was not found on this server message when accessed from logged in facebook users. That is because the link facebook presents to its users contains their fbclid URL parameter:

Example: https://domain.tld/adventcalendar/?fbclid=IwAR0QwiqUUrAZqv66g2y4SINDYjMZlGSZXEi6NhMXSLJqdfzoVGiWxMgfP1c

Internet connection issues aside, the online visitors who did find their way had a reasonably smooth experience. With no cameras facing the real-world audience, online guests felt denied the opportunity to feel fully involved in the real-world venue. 

AI poem

In between the poetry performed by humans, the audience was treated to some poetry from an AI. Created by John K, from the Lucia Collective, the AI constructed its poetry by scanning the works of poet Alan Duncan. The poem was somewhat odd and caused unintended amusement in places, however, the audience was reasonably impressed by the poem recited. (Can an AI recite? One of the many debates yet to be had!) 

R Andru Dunkn, Ai. performs reconstructed works of poet, Alan Duncan

Conclusion

The hybrid open-mic poetry night was a culmination of many years of work. The evening felt momentous for us involved in developing the Fourth Portal and Lucia House. Bringing together a real-world audience with a virtual audience was a milestone. It was all done in proper DIY style. The virtual and physical spaces are cobbled together using hanging cables, available kits and, of course, the ubiquitous old ladder. 

During the first half, the poets were a little disorientated by the experience, as were some of the real-world audience. The second half was more relaxed and people became accustomed. 

For the team, plenty of learning was gleaned, which will feed into the next event on 2nd December 2022.  

Was the hybrid open-mic night a World’s first? Probably not! However, not many hybrid open-mic poetry nights can claim poems performed by an artificial intelligence performer.  

John M

NEXT EVENT

Fourth Portal Hybrid Open-Mic Night

Friday, 2nd December 2022, 7pm – 9pm, UK time (19:00-21:00 BST)

To attend the real world event: Fourth Portal, 2 Stonecutters Way, Great Yarmouth, England, NR30 1HF

To attend virtually: https://lucia.network

ALL WELCOME | FREE ENTRY

TEST HUB

We have now completed our 6-week Fourth Portal popup test in Great Yarmouth. The reaction has been positive despite not completing all the tasks we set ourselves. Testing the business model will extend for two further months over autumn 2022. 

Low-key launch

We began implementing the Fourth Portal business plan at the beginning of August 2022. Without fanfare, the doors opened to an unexpecting public. The erection of a temporary banner above the entrance announced our presence. The wider world was made aware through a small number of social media posts. It was an intentionally low-key affair. 

Erection of Temporary sign.
Building team bringing light.
Creating the Fourth Portal popup space

Team

There is a large team feeding into the Fourth Portal concept. Lauren Lapidge, a Platform-7 colleague, flew in from Greece for two months to help set up the popup. Lauren has years of experience in events and public interventions. She has worked on several Platform-7 interventions, including Margate 2011. We began setting up the physical space and liaising with the broader team and suppliers. 

Much of the team is remote. We have technicians, technologists, engineers, artists, academics, researchers, builders and retail specialists. It’s incredible to have such impressive expertise feeding into the business. 

Building owner, Gillian Harwood visiting the emerging Fourth Portal.
John sets out the first stage of garden plants of the future.
Platform-7 colleague John Pigram arrives to set up sound systems.
Lauren in emerging Fourth Portal popup in Great Yarmouth
James Stevens with Lauren setting up the Wifi and internal network
Some of the team

Developing the space

The business plan describes the physical space of the hub. It is geared to ensure flexibility while providing some consistency. Each Fourth Portal requires its own identity while sharing a similar vibe. Writing this on paper is one thing, developing the physical space is quite another. Only when people enter is it possible to know if the plan is on the right track. 

The feedback from people who have wandered in has been excellent. The interventionist approach developed by Platform-7 is proving successful. It provides a sense of involvement for visitors and gives them a voice in how the space develops. People’s views are listened to and taken into account. These conversations often furnish a sense of ownership and belonging from the outset. It is real-time feedback.

The old lift will be the test site for our hybrid space
Work on developing the physical side of the hybrid LiftPod.

Blending Cafe, Retail and Technology

The 6-week test period was to try out different strands of the business model. Having a physical space allows the wider network to see what a Fourth Portal looks and feels like in reality. 

Bringing different experiences and services together under one roof is not unique. It’s commonplace to see cafes, retail and workshops in one place. The difference with Fourth Portal is adding technology, arts and learning to the offer. 

Collection of mobile phones from the 1990s onwards.
A small selection of retail products available.
1820s spinet converted to a table to become a modern sound desk.
Mixing the space

Public reaction

The positive public reaction was a bit of a surprise if being honest. The space was not much more than a building site when opening and was still not tidy by the end of the 6-weeks. People seeing the space change each day generated intrigue. It attracted people who would otherwise not have noticed. With the gloomy political and economic climate, the popup brought a sense of positive change and fun. 

Two of Fourth Portal’s new regulars
Customers buying eco products for their guesthouse.
Great Yarmouth locals appreciate Fourth Portal’s arrival and wishing to support it.

Suppliers, furnishing, and art

Since Brexit and the pandemic, supply chains are under strain. Reestablishing relationships with previous suppliers and building new relationships was a priority. Observing the reaction to the eclectic furnishing was important learning. Hanging artworks to create a stimulus, as well as having them for sale, has proved popular. 

Artist Kevin Gavaghan with his work up in the mind room.
Artist Peter Rodulfo with his painting of Stonecutters Way, the location of the Fourth Portal popup.

Technologies

Our hardware guru, James Stevens managed to secure an internet connection while we wait for an optical fibre internet connection to be installed. He also brought a raspberry pie for the internal network. Lauren spent several days preparing this for visitors to use. We did not manage to test our provenance system or the hybrid space; both are the priority for stage two. Building the structure to surround the tech took precedent and longer than expected. 

Learning

Shifting from a business plan on paper to real-world testing provides excellent insights. Throughout the popup test stage, we had building issues (no power), sickness and supplier delays. Such issues help build resilience. It allows for robust systems to be established in the future business model. When operating at capacity, it becomes difficult to adapt processes within a business. 

Fourth Portal begins to establish itself as a gathering space.

Conclusion

The fourth Portal is novel, making it a complicated business model. 

Each Fourth Portal needs to be sympathetic to the neighbourhood where it’s located. The local community needs to be intrigued, feel welcomed and know the business is for them. Over this first test period, we appear to have achieved this in Great Yarmouth.

Although we did not complete all the tasks we set ourselves, we did get the place open and operational. Feedback from the people coming in has been invaluable. The reaction has given a boost to what is possible and how the Fourth Portal can grow. Generating income in a town suffering deprivation remains a challenge. 

Stage two is focused on installing technologies and making the business financially sustainable. Creating a sustainable business in Great Yarmouth may encourage others to open up in the town. 

John M 

The external building undergoing complete refurbishment.
How the space looked before removing the wall.
Signage ready to go up, August 2022
The former Citizens Advice Bureau on Stonecutters Way in its full glory following major external renovation.
Transforming an unloved building

Also, see other Haphazard posts of the journey to creating the Fourth Portal.

IRONING OUT CREASES

Fourth Portal

Week 4 (of 6) at the Fourth Portal Great Yarmouth popup. These weeks are to iron out the wrinkles in the business plan and to reconnect with suppliers and the broader P7 network. Things are going well, and most importantly, it’s fun!

Welcome Drinks Invite | Thursday, 8 Sept 2022 from 6pm

We are on week 4 (of 6) at the Fourth Portal set-up stage. It is going as much as I was expecting. Some things are going smoother than anticipated, in other areas we have encountered challenges. We have nothing bad to report. In fact, it has – mostly – been fun. We are attracting attention and already have some cheerleaders. Our coffee is roasted in HMP Mount prison. It is going down very well and bringing people back. It looks likely we will have a really cool pizza popup from week 6 outside. Yet another business working with released prisoners.

Our attention this week shifted back to the hybrid Liftpod. The concept is challenging but also hugely enjoyable. I am annoying Lauren, my long-suffering occasional colleague who has to endure me each day! This week I am being deliberately too vague on what hardware we should use in the Liftpod 🙂 🙂 :). John and Val, developers of the Flatlands part of the LiftPod, are a real giggle to work with. Lauren is close to having the local network (our own internal Google drive) up and running. Once done we can then pick up the chat about the next stage of our internal network with guru James Stevens. A large chunk of the prep work for our provenance Annalist system is complete. Now Graham, the developer of Annalist, is back from holiday we will continue with stage one.

New artworks

On Thursday, Peter Rodulfo brought his first painting of Stonecutters Way to the Fourth Portal. The artwork juxtaposes nicely with Kev Gavaghan’s work in the Mind Room next door. Local artist Lisa came in with some work to show us. We liked it and plan to display it soon.

Moonbow Margate 2011 Feel

There is a Margate 2011 feel developing. I can sense the slow build-up of positive energy. The Fourth Portal is inspiring confidence in locals. Already some are taking the plunge to ask to become involved.

Several couples from the Roma community have been popping by to try and buy a particular chandelier. I have resisted selling for two reasons. 1) the offers are too low and 2) it is a real attractor. The chandelier is forming relationships. Whereas at the beginning of this popup there were stern faces, now we receive big smiles and hellos. Despite language barriers, a sense of fun is building around who will manage to buy the light – if anyone!

There’s a different atmosphere in GY from the previous time I sought to open Fourth Portal. I cannot nail what it is, all I know is it is just a different feel. Maybe the unfolding economic crisis is focusing minds on what is important. Maybe it’s just because it is sunny and lovely weather this summer. No doubt we will find out soon enough.

Fancy some Prosecco?

If you fancy a glass of Prosecco on Thursday 8th September 2022, after 6pm then come down to the Fourth Portal at 2 Stonecutters Way, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, HR30 1HF. You’ll receive a warm welcome.

More soon, John M

THE SEMANTIC WEB

The Semantic Web is an extension of the World Wide Web (www). Whereas the www has been built for humans to read, the Semantic Web is for machines to read. The Semantic Web works by using Linked Data. The Fourth Portal will introduce Linked Data concepts to encourage members, clients and suppliers to consider how the Semantic Web could apply to their work.

The Fourth Portal is a new kind of hybrid cafe-bar work and meeting space that introduces the opportunities offered by the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The locations will have several innovative tools that visitors and members can access. One such tool will be Annalist, developed by computer engineer Graham Klyne. Annalist will be used to introduce Linked Data, and the potential it offers.

Annalist

Annalist is a software system for individuals and small groups to reap the benefits of using Linked Data. It presents a flexible web interface for creating, editing and browsing different types of data without requiring the user to understand computer jargon or perform any computer programming. It has been particularly effective in exploring and rapid prototyping designs for linked data on the web, covering science and humanities research, creative art and personal information.

For Fourth Portal, we will experiment with Annalist using different approaches. Experiments will include developing a stock provenance system and providing information on famous inventors and social and business innovators.

What is Linked Data?

The text below is the words of Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, written in 2007. It provides a simple introduction to what the Semantic Web is and how it works. Descriptions of the abbreviation with a link to more information are included for ease of reading. Press the link for the full text: https://www.w3.org/DesignIssues/LinkedData.html

___

Linked Data by Tim Berners-Lee

‘The Semantic Web isn’t just about putting data on the web. It is about making links, so that a person or machine can explore the web of data. With linked data, when you have some of it, you can find other, related, data.

Like the web of hypertext, the web of data is constructed with documents on the web. However, unlike the web of hypertext, where links are relationships anchors in hypertext documents written in HTML, for data they links between arbitrary things described by RDF (Resource Description Framework). The URIs (Universal Resource Identifier) identify any kind of object or concept. But for HTML or RDF, the same expectations apply to make the web grow:

Use URIs as names for things

Use HTTP URIs so that people can look up those names.

When someone looks up a URI, provide useful information, using the standards (RDF*, SPARQL)

Include links to other URIs. so that they can discover more things.

Unexpected results

I’ll refer to the steps above as rules, but they are expectations of behavior.  Breaking them does not destroy anything, but misses an opportunity to make  data interconnected.  This in turn limits the ways it can later be reused in unexpected ways.  It is the unexpected re-use of information which is the value added by the web.

[Read more on the 4 steps here]

Conclusion

Linked data is essential to actually connect the semantic web. It is quite easy to do with a little thought, and becomes second nature. Various common sense considerations determine when to make a link and when not to.

The Tabulator client (running in a suitable browser) allows you to browse linked data using the above conventions, and can be used to check that your linked data works.’

___ End of article – Read more here ___

Try Annalist

Annalist is open source and is available to try at the Fourth Portal. Read more Tim Berners-Lee vision here.

John M

TOWN SQUARE

The Fourth Industrial Revolution will bring many challenges. As the world goes virtual, the role of public gathering places will need addressing. The Town Square must again become the centre of local discourse. If not, the 4IR may become known as the Period of Polarisation.

From Wikipedia

“A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or piazza) is an open public space[1] commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Related concepts are the civic center, the market square and the village green.”

Piazza della Signoria, in Florence, Italy, a historic example of a traditional public square

Announcement of the establishment of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs on Congress Square in 1918

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_square

Warning

Town squares will become contested during the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Technology will permeate every part of daily life. As it does, the need for physical gathering places will rise. The risk is that such public spaces become battlegrounds.

Urban planners need to pay close attention, particularly in England. The virtual world is changing behaviours. These changes are spilling out into the real-world streets. [1]

Class system

Since the Edwardian period, England has neglected public spaces. Public squares that encourage the mixing of cultures are rare. The Georgians began the trend to fence off public spaces and streets. The policy was steeped in the British class system. In recent years, the privatisation of public space has accelerated.

Sample of English public spaces

In Southern continental Europe, the opposite is the case. Town squares are the centre of the entire community. The design, construction and purpose are all geared towards civic pride and participation.

Sample of Spanish public spaces

Spanish Squares

In Spain, all urban planning revolves around public space. There are plenty of elaborate squares and boulevards to be happened upon. Most though are of simple design and materials. They work for all occasions. Organised events, family gatherings, meeting friends or eating a sandwich. Finding a public space with a fence or a locked gate will be a challenge in Spain.

Some squares have a cafe or restaurant bordering the parameter; many don’t. It is unusual to see a cafe in the middle of a town square. Modern Spanish libraries and museums spill out onto public squares. Public spaces in Spain are welcoming and well used because of their simplicity. [2]

Comparison

The two photo galleries above show the public realm where people live. These are not tourist areas or places of commerce. Public spaces are there, in theory, for the local community and visitors to use and enjoy. The public realm in Spain sits at the very heart of a community. Unless there is a commercial reason, public space in England is a low priority.

Metaphor

Town Squares can be a metaphor for what is happening in the virtual world. Some people wish to see them controlled with restrictions on who has access. Others want them completely open, freeing and welcoming to all. [3] [4] [5]

Demonstration

Recent history has demonstrated how the virtual world can spill out into the real world.

Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, is the most prominent example. Protests in 2013 began online, discussing government corruption and policies. WhatsApp groups and Facebook posts began to grow and to spread. Soon these virtual spaces were not enough. People had to come together. Tens of hundreds of thousands of people started filling Tahrir square. Night after night protests continued until Egypt’s President Mubarak toppled.

Similar scenes with different results played out across the Arab world. These 2013 protests became known as the Arab Spring.

Although not on the same scale, most areas of the developed world have seen similar protests. The rise of the online protest hashtag has been instrumental. #MeToo and #blm (#blacklivesmatter) are the most successful to date.

Brexit

Britain’s exit from the European Union was a direct result of online campaigning. What followed has been years of disruption, strife and polarisation. The struggle between the Leave and Remain camps manifested physically in London’s Parliament square. The argument has continued right up to the present day. [6]

Brexit supporter carrying Great Britain cardboard cutout, Parliament Square.

Rise of technology

As life moves further online, the need for real-world gathering forums will increase. Failure of authorities to not plan for this change could lead to dire consequences.

Reasons for people to engage within the physical world has been declining since the 1990s.

The internet changed the world of work, allowing employees to be more distributed. The onset of the pandemic brought a further scattering of the workforce as people work from home. Retail has been shifting steadily online. Restaurant food can now be delivered directly to the family dining table. The world of supermarkets without cashiers is upon us. Online gaming transformed from a table gathering to global competitions. The gaming industry now dwarfs, by revenue, the movie and music industries combined. [7]

There are plenty of Apps that anyone can access for free. However, to receive the full benefit requires buying a subscription. Public squares in England surrounded by cafes and shops are similar. To fully partake in the space requires a certain amount of purchasing power.

Two-tier England

English Extremes

Above photos from the Argent development, Kings Cross, London (2020). Below, public squares managed by Great Yarmouth borough council (2021).

In Spain, public squares are places where people congregate, play and celebrate. The public realm encourages the community to come together for serendipitous moments. Spending power is not relevant except in the most exclusive of shopping areas.

Public forum, with permanent outdoor screen, multilevel seating, no barriers. Eivissa, Ibiza, Spain, 2022. [4]

In England, the opposite is too often the case. There is heavy reliance on the private sector to create public amenity spaces. It is another aspect of Britain’s two-tier society. Money buys access.

Fenced public spaces, ‘Keep off the Grass’ signs and other rules are commonplace around England.

Bridge-building 

Public space needs to become the bridge between the virtual and physical worlds. Some may believe this is about introducing VR – virtual reality. VR will soon be playing a much larger role, but this is more about the physical spaces themselves.

The layout, ambience and purpose of the public domain in England should be along Spanish lines.

Free to access town squares must have 5G connectivity. Multipurpose seating and tables that encourage gatherings, games, meetings and work. Architectural flair can overcome issues around Britain’s inclement weather. The public realm needs to be attractive to all cultures, ages and abilities.

Without change, England risks further polarisation. Addressing the poor quality of places for public gatherings is now urgent.

Conclusions

The internet has slowly eroded the need for people having to meet fellow citizens. The pandemic has further reduced real-world interactions. Technology seeping deeper into everyday life raises the potential of a more isolated society. Free to access public spaces is critical for communities to stay in touch in the real world.

The political discourse around local issues cannot be online alone. To allow this will lead to unhealthy debate and will undermine stable democracy. Views are best challenged and debated in the open, in places where alternative voices can be heard.

Open, free, real-world forums, like town squares, are the best spaces for such discussion to happen. Being open will also allay some fears around privacy, censorship and freedom of expression.

Britain is in the grip of a mental health crisis, with loneliness and a sense of isolation increasing. Social media gets some of the blame. Not much is written about the lack of public amenity spaces.

England needs to rethink its approach to the public realm. Design should encourage serendipity and random conversations. Learning from Spain’s public spaces would be a good start.

We are in the fifth decade of the internet. It will be one that will see the virtual world and the physical world merge. Successful societies this decade will be the ones with the most engaging public realm.

Introducing technology into these spaces is the next phase around the world. Creating buzzing ambient public spaces will be essential for community lifeblood. Animated public squares will also attract the next generation of innovators.

England needs to rethink the public realm urgently! This is where ‘levelling up’ has to begin.**

John M

All images John McKiernan ©2022

** Levelling Up. A Conservative government manifesto pledge. What does it mean? https://www.centreforcities.org/levelling-up/

[1] see Public Space

[2] see Eivissa

[3] see Censorship

[4] see Apple Privacy

[5] see Leiston and Sizewell

[6] see Brexit

[7] see AI Supermarkets

PUBLIC SPACE

It is three years since the outbreak of COVID-19. Discussions have turned to what the post-pandemic world may look like. Technology is at the forefront. Lost within the debates has been the importance of public space. As the world goes virtual, real-world gathering places will become the hot issue.

The Internet

The internet will be 40 years old on 1 January 2023. It allows the creation of a virtual world almost unimaginable 50 years ago. The World Wide Web (www.) became available 10-years later. How much harder would the pandemic have been without the web?

The internet has become an extension of everyday life. It allows mass connectivity. People communicate through an array of online mediums. Social media chat has overtaken voice calls as the communication tool of choice for the young. WhatsApp and Signal have relegated the use of email in business. The email itself replaced the printed document, the business mainstay for centuries. [1]

Business meetings

Business meetings seemed unaffected by the internet. People in business still preferred to meet in person and sit around tables. The pandemic called a halt to these face to face meetings, except in specific circumstances. The rise of Zoom and other video technologies began in earnest. Ways of doing business changed and will not be returning to how it was.

The loss of workplace meetings has caused a widespread disruption within firms. Work meetings are now more likely online than one-to-one. It cuts off a source for meeting new people, social interaction and serendipity. For some working people, it has also reduced personal contact more generally.

These changes are not only taking place in offices. Automatic checkout in supermarkets removes this most mundane of interactions. Maybe not something missed for those with busy lives. For those alone, the shop cashier may be the only human interaction that day. [2]

The pandemic has sped up the automation of everyday life. 

Doctors appointments by video link are becoming a norm. Banks close down branches, forcing people online. Buying insurance, holiday or toothpaste from an algorithm is as likely as a person.

Even in construction, the rise of efficient technologies, such as 3D printing, will reduce the requirements for human teams.

Isolation

There are fewer reasons to meet in person for a non-social purpose.

Despite global connectivity, there is an increase in isolation and dis-association. Workplace reliance on providing social interaction has diminished. Workers are finding difficulty transitioning to a virtual world. Online activities only please certain aspects of emotional fulfilment. Humans are social creatures, by and large, and demand social contact.

Workplace

The workplace for the majority will not be returning to how it was pre-pandemic. The impact will go beyond how people work each day. Social interaction at work will become unrecognisable from previous decades. New ways of working are emerging. However, new forms of social contact have not yet materialised.

Public Space

Public spaces will need to adapt to fill the social void left by virtual working. Some parts will be picked up by the private sector. Work hubs, cafes and a redefined retail sector will fulfil some needs for people who can pay. The rest will require open, free to access public gathering spaces, like the old town square. [3]

Two-tier England

The pandemic has brought into sharp focus the two-tier society existing in England. As financial disparity widens, so does access to the internet and public space.  

Without paying for broadband, fast access to knowledge, easily accessible to others, is denied. Only those who can afford monthly contracts have access to unlimited mobile data.

The same is happening in public spaces. Even when public facilities with cafes are accessible, the inability to buy coffee can still create a barrier.

England requires a bridge between commercialised and non-income generating public spaces.

Extremes of English public spaces: Granary Square, London Kings Cross and a public square in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

Conclusion

In England, it’s the market that has presided over the public sphere through recent generations. The High Street is the most obvious. Privatisation of squares and whole streets is not a new phenomenon in England. The pace of privatisation is the real cause for concern.

Privatised space often comes with restrictions on who can use it. The right of all citizens to assemble regardless of wealth or age has become more restrictive. Public places not reliant on enterprise are often left neglected. The online world is seeing similar barriers. Barriers risk alienating people and furthering polarisation.

Public space has to be redefined in England. Urban design should follow the templates of European neighbours like Spain, where people are the starting point, not commerce. [3] [4]

With workplace socialisation in decline, a rethinking of public spaces has become essential.

John M

[1] also see Censorship

[2] see AI Supermarkets

[3] see Town Square

[4] see Eivissa (Ibiza Town Pt.1)