The HotSpot
December 15th, 2005 | Published in Installations
The HotSpot is an urban heating vending machine that dispenses heat for set periods of time for a specified denomination of money. The HotSpot has been designed to create a shared social space, where we can positively alter and create better moods and dispositions for New York City visitors and residents during extreme weather conditions.
Problem Statement
During the warm summer months, most New Yorkers do not think about the cold winter weather. When winter arrives, the temperature can fall dramatically and it can be difficult to move about the city. The extremity of weather presents a unique problem to build a ubiquitous heat vending machine throughout urban areas to address the extreme weather situation.
Identified Needs
During the cold winter, people need an easy way to stay warm while traversing throughout the city. The HotSpot can be placed in highly trafficked areas throughout the city and accepts dollars, change, and signals from a handheld device to dispense heat.
Design Criteria
Our main challenge was to provide an easy-to-use vending machine, in a clean, safe environment where people from many disparate walks of life can interact in a shared, semi-public social setting. Addressing a basic need for temporary warmth during extreme weather will hopefully inspire people to interact by sharing a common experience.
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