OBSERVATION

This exercise is an adaptation from Augusto Boal's 'Games for actors and non-actors'. The exercise combines individual and collective perceptions of a place to understand how we react to our surroundings. 

Everyone chooses a spot in the room; sitting or standing. Look around the room in silence for 2'. Think about the following questions:

Is the lighting enough?

Is it well-ventilated?

Is it cold? Or warm?

Can you move around with your eyes closed?

Does it allow silence?

Is the floor clean? Can you sit on it comfortably? Can you lie on it?

What are the colours of the walls?

The group describes the room, mentioning every detail that catches their attention, as a choir [so everyone speaks simultaneously]. The instructor interrupts the choir and calls the name of one person, who continues with the description. After some seconds, she calls again the choir that goes on together. 

Variations

You can repeat the exercise with your eyes closed to describe the memory of the space.

The instructor can call 2 people at the same time.

If you are in a room with several languages spoken, the instructor asks the people to describe the room in their mother tongue.

Debrief questions

What did you particularly like about the descriptions?

What was the difference between doing it with open or closed eyes or in your mother tongue?

Did you find some similarities in the descriptions?

Did the perception of the space change?