RECALIBRATING OXFORD STREET
by Reesha Sudra
Recalibrating oxford street entails creating a new way of experiencing through haptic tourism, putting forward the question as to how this will affect the future engagement of Oxford street. Oxford street was used to challenge this due to its popularity and influence in London. People rely heavily on visual perception, where experiences become less significant. This project proposes the addition of haptic engagement to create a more meaningful and connected experience. The aim is to reshape the engagement of Oxford street by slowing down the experiences within a building, creating a new perspective. The project proposes a hotel and retail programme aimed at tourists. Since Covid 19 studies have shown that tourists want to experience and connect with the places they visit and stay. A hotel is understood to be a ‘hub’ for tourists where the aim is to create a new experience changing the current narrative of hotels as “just a place to sleep”.
