Passenger.

Abstract

The act of walking and strolling is often considered too slow for the modern fast-paced cities we live in today. Most of our time spent on travelling is on vehicles—and for the majority of us—in the role of a passenger. The enthralling part about being a passenger is that time has seem to come to a stop; we get partially disengaged from our surroundings, free from formal agenda and we get to enjoy the liberation of the liminal experience and dimension.

As a city dweller, being a passenger has naturally become a worthy approach of experiencing the city. The peace and distance we get by being separated from our surroundings, the anticipation of our destination, the freedom and idleness of the in-between time, the rush and flow of passengers and the interactions (or non-interactions) and prolonged close proximity with total strangers all contribute to the ironic nature of modern travelling. One can learn so much more about a city and its culture through travelling as a passenger.

For my final year project, I like to bring together my passion for travelling and urban explorations. I am curious about the role of passengers in shaping the perception and experience of our city and I like to explore the beauty of chance encounters and the elementary experience of being a passenger. In many instances, personal activities that we engage in unknowingly such as people watching may often be regarded as inconsequential but by delving deeper into the significance of these nuances of travelling, the experience of commuting can be deeply intriguing.