A neo-nomad scenario developed in my thesis... Neo-nomads embody spaces remotely. Via the Internet they customize their hotel room in advance, bringing in the complementary piece of home, the last piece of the “home” puzzle, with them, their luggage, and transitional objects.
In the HOmeTEL, a user can by Internet choose the color of the walls, the configuration of the room, the food he can get in his in-room fridge. The room will not go back to its neutral state once the user is gone. The other user will improvise based on the previous configurations. One can thus say that the space is dynamic, based on chance, and fosters the emergence of new spatial configurations. The next users could reconfigure it on the basis of how it had been left by the previous user. Hence space can hold traces. This relates to a certain “memory” of the place. The new technologies augment the dynamism of the space by offering a greater possibility of change, thus the potential to satisfy more individuals. What these technologies do is enable a greater combination of elements.
On that note, I would like to point at an article fowarded to me by Eléonore (I have really amazing supporting friends!!!): Le monde virtuel d'Habbo Hotel devient en partie réel






Illustrations produced for the Doctor of Design defense presentation, held May 15, 2006. The illustrations have been created manipulating material found online (by Googling “blinky-thumb” and “Mac Icon”)