A place to pause
Cities are busy places. Sometimes, our streets become so focused on getting from one place to another that there is nowhere to stop and enjoy the street itself.
Pause Pods invite us to stop a while and be part of our community. By providing places to meet, socialise, gather and watch the world go by, they help to build local social and cultural capital.
Pause Pods are bespoke crafted concrete masonry blocks that arrive as blank canvases, waiting to be covered with artworks by local artists in collaboration with community.
A place to wonder
Pause Pods are more than a place to sit, they are a process. Before any Pause Pod is installed, we ask local kids to imagine their city in the future. Their thoughts are drawn onto their own miniature Pause Pod, which becomes a buried treasure, leaving people to wonder about what’s inside.
Each Pause Pod is wrapped with thoughts about the present moment, and filled with ideas of our future.
A place to create
Pause Pods are created together with the community and continue to evolve from a concrete block to a bright and colourful canvas with the help of local artists. Anyone can use a Pause Pod in any way they like: talk, dance, perform, watch.
We hope that they can also become a place to connect with each other and council to together, help create their dream city.
A place to share
Pause Pods can play an active role in encouraging community connection, sharing and engagement.
For example, our pilot project on the streets of Bankstown included street library and umbrella post pods, which are still in active use today.
Pause Pods are also programmable and can provide a space for local community programs or events.