Kelvingrove Park
Rain Festival

Design Research Project
A personal research project stemmed from researching Scotland and talking with locals about the weather in Glasgow. This project is located at Kelvingrove Park, located in the West End of Glasgow and it is aiming to give people enjoyable experiences by transforming the perspective on the rain in the Kelvingrove Park.

Team : Personal Project for Master thesis
‍Role : Everything
‍Duration : Three Months
How could this project bring people pleasant experiences with
the rain ?
Testing at the Kelvingrove Park
Introduction
Design Process
1. Issue
The weather in Scotland has been the most popular topic for conversation as the weather is very changeable and unpredictable. However, the weather in Scotland is are markable feature which forms people’s lifestyle and culture. In the west-end of Glasgow, the Kelvingrove park is located and it is commonly populated by being located on very close to where energetic and different currents of life and functions come to a focus.

As a one who goes to the park everyday, I found that the big contrast between the number of people visiting the park when it rains and when it doesn’t rain. People enjoy going to park when it doesn’t rain by doing a lot of activities, but the rain seems to make the park empty and stop them coming to the park. This phenomenon triggered me to initiate this project which could bring people more positive aspect of the rain in this one of the most popular rainy city Glasgow.
2. Objective & Aim
Giving people enjoyable experiences by transforming their perspective of rain in the eyes of people who visit the park.
Kelvingrove Park _ Sunny Day

Kelvingrove Park _ Rainy Day
Background & Literature
1. Desk Research
Kelvingrove Park
‍The park was the first purpose designed and constructed park in Scotland and it rapidly became a considerable attraction and Kelvingrove is one of the city’s bestloved historic parks, an enduring legacy of Victorian urban parks, which has aspecial place in the hearts and minds of the people of the West End.(Glasgow.gov.uk, 2016)
The summery of 86 questionnaires from Glasgow.gov.uk
‍
More that 95% of respondents come to the park for walking
100% of all respondents use the Park in Spring and Summer
75% of all respondents use the park in Autumn and 47% use in Winter
74% respondents think there should be family activities more in the park.
67% respondents want art and children related activities in the park
78% of respondents want to have environmental events
Organisations
‍Diverse organizations and community groups have been cooperating to create events and festivals.
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Weather
‍Weather can make extremely boring place interesting by adding a different layer to the place. For some people, bad weather is something they ignore, flee and sheltered from but for some people it is something they smiled at.

Nature is the one which get affected by the weather the most. It is changed by the weather and season gradually. Accordingly the atmosphere of the place varies by affecting people’s perception towards physical spaces and places.

Therefore, the wearther in Scotland has influenced Scotland in many ways. It has shaped a responsive and conceptual architecture and throughout Scottish history the weather has been both feared and revered for its powerful influence to their society.
Reflection
‍A few things I have speculated turned out differently. I thought people might have negative aspect of weather, but the Scottish weather seem to having been embraced by people as it is an iconic feature of Scotland although they complain about it.
2. Knowledge Map
Research Questions
How could this project bring people pleasant experiences with the rain ?
How could this project let people know how exciting the rainny weather is ?
Stakeholder
Interviews
1. Stakeholder Map
2. Stakeholder Interviews
Eric
‍A Former Chairman Gow Community
“ I would like to do activities although it rains
because I am Scottish. ”

“I think minority interest always in experiencing something conventional.
In the park one of things we noticed just now that people who exercise regardless of the weather condition throw impression to others. people who is doing army training come out for training no matter what the weather is.“

“Try to get people participate rather than just giving them viewpoints.”
Deryck Irving
‍Greenspace Scotland
“ We don’t want to people say I wander if something happens in the park this weekend we want people say I wonder what is happening in the park. We want peopleexpect something tobe happened “
Crag
‍Street Artist based in Glasgow
“I think setting a project which is about broadening experience linking to health issue and difficulties we have in the city like obesity, mobility, depression all of these things will be helped by walking.”
Martha
‍City Council
“ The band stand in the rain is quite beautiful. 2 years ago the rain was all the time but as long as you have a big coat and you have got wellies on you will be okay and the music kept playing ”

“The bowling club in the Kelvingrove park has a nice room with glass with big windows, it is good to look over outside when it rains“
Reflection
‍Through Stake holder’s interviews, I learned Scottish feel less discouraged to do activities in the rain because it is such a normal occurrence for them. They love summer and sunny weather but that doesn’t mean that they are rainy weather haters.

They want the park become more active and I want to help people to come to the park with expactations of what is going to happen.
Synthesis and Analysis
1. Evidence Wall
All information that we had found was externalized to visualise and highlight all findings from desk research and Stake holder’s interview. The visible information was gathered by similarity to synthesize information and find new ideas.
2. Sensemaking
As it is a locational project based on observations and field research, I started analysis from the research I had made on the field. Afterwards, as a sensemaking process, the analysis of observations and field researches are connected by similarity and recategorized, By doing so, I could structure and filter the information which has been cluttered.
3. Analysis
Based on the information from the Evidence Wall, results of observations and field researches are connected by similarity and they are recategorized into Things That Happen and Things That Could Happen.
Here, a brainstorming activity “ what could happen” in the rain was carried out with consideration of previous observations and Stakeholder’s Interviews and I categorized activities depending on personalities of the activities.
Reflection
‍Through Stake holder’s interviews, I learned Scottish feel less discouraged to do activities in the rain because it is such a normal occurrence for them.They love summer and sunny weather but that doesn’t mean that they are rainy weather haters. They want the park become more active and I want to help people to come to the park with expactations of what is going to happen.
Concept
Development
1. Ideas
Frist Idea
To connect dance with rain. As an active experience, It would be collaborated with Glasgow west end dance community and the spot would be at the fountain located at the centre of the park.
Second Idea
Encourage people to get together on a rainny day as a passive and sensory focussed experience, people could watch the rain at the bowling place where it has big windows people can look over.
2. Engagement Tool
This engagement tool was created in order to gather opinions of people who visit the park regularly.
The contents on the engagement tool come from the synthesis and analysis.

Q : What would you like to do in the park when it rains ?
Q : Why would you like to do the activities ?
Q : Where would you like to do the activities in the park when it rains ?

Components
• A map of Kelvingrove Park
• Standing signs of different activities
   Dancing in the rain
   Tea in the rain   
   Watching the rain
‍
• Image cards of various activities
• Blank cards that people can write on to suggest activities they want to do.

Description
The activity signs will be placed on the map already at the spots chosen based on suggestions of park visitors and stakeholders. Participants will have chances to suggest activities and spots. They can use the image cards provided to suggest activities and they can bring up new ideas as well.
Activity signs
Standing image cards
Image cards
A map of Kelvingrove park [ marked with gates and park boundary ]
The results of the
engagement tool
This engagement tool was conducted by three different groups and each group added different activities, different locations and the reasons why they suggest the activities and locations.
‍
First Group | Fiona, Sam, Yuwei
‍Occupation | Studnet
Second Group | Denis and Kerri
‍Occupation | Banker
Third Group | Jenny and Jason
‍Occupation | Designer
Summery of the result
The feed-back gathered by visitors are summarized and analysed in order to create a proposal improved.
Spot Selection
After analysing engagement from stakeholders, many new locations and activities were considered. Although all the locations were interesting, the locations were selected after careful consideration of environmental conditions such as how flat the ground is, how much rain could be sheltered from, how appropriate it is to tie shelters and how good the scenery is.
3. Concept
The insight I got from the engagement tool and conversations with regular park visitors made me come up with the concept.
“ Rain Festival which can provide people diverse activities with different personalities. ”
Reflection
‍Seeing kids and moms playing at playgrounds in the rain is not something unusual in Glasgow because that is how they have been brought up and how they raise their kids. Although they love the sun, they still come to the park when it rains and spend their time in their own ways.I want to keep the way they enjoy the park and also I wanted the park to be more energetic and attractive to bring more people out to the park and enjoy the rainy park.
4. Testing
Before specifying the festival i wanted to make sure how it would actually work.
I decided to undergo trial and error with small experiments. I physically set up two different activities. One of them is to hang umbrellas from branches and the other one is to put stools under big trees with lots of branches and leaves.

First Testing _ Umbrella Installation
‍The first experiment was to hang umbrellas from branches and put signs on the objects saying “ Stand underneath me and watch the weather. ”
Observations
‍• Almost everyone passing by the installation checked the sign on the handle.
• People either shortly got into the umbrellas or only took pictures of the umbrellas.
• People didn’t stay for a long time underneath the umbrellas, because most of them were passers and the weather kept changing.
• People seemed to rather enjoy the installation itself when it stopped raining.
• When it was raining, less people showed up and quickly passed by the park.
Second Testing _ Stool Installation
‍I put stools around the biggest tree in the park located next to the mainpath and put signs on the objects saying“ Sit on me and watch the weather. ”
Observations
‍• As the stools were not visible enough unless people pay attention to it, only a few people reacted to the stools as opposed to the umbrella installation.

• However, there were more people who actually engaged in and experienced in this project in a way i intended.
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• There were also many people who took photographs

• During a day, around 10 people sat on the stools, and spent their time quietly

• More people engaged in this experiment because it was easier and more comfortable to engage in
Reflection

1. Umbrella installation
‍People rather enjoy umbrella installations itself, which is still great as umbrella is a symbol of rain, it could bring them positive perspective.

2. Stool Installation
‍Through the installation, I learned that the places have to be comfortable and inviting to get people engage in and the installations have to be visible enough. Also, depending on active and passive.
Design Outcomes
Design Brief
What
Kelvingrove Park Summer Rain festival

Why
By activating Kelvingrove park with rain, This project will bring visitors enjoyable experience and let them now how exciting the rain can be.

Pre-requisite
For this festival, the usage of striking coulours will play an important role by attracting people and giving them energy in the rain in contrast with the park. This festival need to be enjoyable by anyone visiting the park.

Final Concept
The festival would happen once a year in summer as apart of a West-end festival in Glasgow. Kelvingrove park summer rain festival will contain many interesting activities such as an umbrella parade, dancing in the rain, a water balloon game, a point for taking photographs and shelters for watching the rainy park and listening to the rain.

‍This festival would be enjoyed by everyone since it is a family friendly festival.
All generations can take part in all the activities depending on their preferences to enjoy rain. The activities will be divided into two personalities such as passive activities and active activities in the rain.From this project, the community would have more chances to enjoy the park in the rain. Even though it would happen only in summer, people could have evocative feeling whenever they go to the park in other seasons.
Design Outcome

A Map of Kelvingrove Park Rain Festival
Design Components
Final Reflection
ISSUE
This project would happen once a year in summer season as a part of a West-end festival in Glasgow. This is because there are many different festivals in West-end especially summer season for a month delivering varied events in the district ofWest-end. This project will be sustainable as a part of the West-end festival because Kelvingrove Park is the most beloved park in the city and located very close to the heart of the city. From this project, the community would have more chances to enjoy the park in the rain even though it would happen only in the summer people could have evocative feeling whenever they go to the park because of memories of the beautiful park and enjoyable experiences they had in the rain.

‍LIMITATION
While developing this project, I realized that this festival could only happen in summer because of the health and safety problems. Although January has the highest rainfall in Glasgow, because of the cold and windy weather, it is possible the rain could affect people’s safety if rain is too heavy. Another limitation I found is that the weather cannot be controlled and predicted in Glasgow, despite being a rainy city it is possible it may not rain on the day of the festival. I was worried about this issue from the early stage of planning this project by considering what would happen if it doesn’t rain. Although I thought if it does rain, the activities will be maximised, but if it doesn’t, people still take part in all the events in the park because all the elements are related to rain and those elements will give people good memories as symbols of the rain.

‍FUTURE PROSPECT
As a consequence of this research, the future development aims at becoming a festival which could be adapted in all around the city in Glasgow and anywhere inUK. Furthermore, in this proposal, the rain is emphasized in the park, but still there are opportunities to study other types of the weather in the park. My future aims will be to study the relationships between other weather conditions, visitors and parks in order to encourage people to make the most use of parks which could help reduce many social issues and activate park more no matter what the weather is.
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