ComUp

2022

Developed for National Rail in collaboration with Royal Society of Arts and Brunel University.

Modular pop-up service to support the local community.


Brief


How might we tap into the potential of train stations so they become spaces that amplify and influence positive behaviors?


Research


This project is rooted in research, with a summary provided below. For a more in-depth analysis, please refer to the accompanying PDF.

The Problem

Limited services and difficult access for small businesses and artists at train stations can cause inequality, reduce opportunities, and diminish community engagement.

Showcasing Opportunity

rail passengers’ journeys were made in the UK in the last quarter.

small business are in serious trouble and some only got weeks left.

produced in retail turnover from Britain’s pop-up retail industry.

one out of two consumers would go out of their way to shop from locally-owned brands.

percent of all artists remain largely undiscovered — forever.

percent of inflation rise in the last six months is attributed to company profits.

percent of UK adults had bought craft in 2019.

percent of people coming to stations are not travelers, but actually use them as hubs for shopping and dining.

Key Insights

Stations Dominated by Chains

Rising UK Income Inequality

Unused Spaces Offer Opportunity

Modular Design Aids Affordability

Pop-up Hurdles: Location and Costs


Development


The Proposal

A modular pop-up service for small businesses and artists in train stations, boosting the local economy and expanding outreach.

Design Inspiration

Dieter Rams Functionalist design movement

Idea Generation

Modular Design

Modular design in pop-ups ensures flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and easy maintenance, making them versatile for various needs and accessible for small businesses.

Materials and Manufacturing

Tap on the white dots to learn more

{"mainImage":{"id":4111,"url":"https:\/\/amiralimir.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/19-copy-2.jpg","size":"full"},"dots":[{"position":{"x":60.26842336136169109295224188826978206634521484375,"y":62.6791079519543217202226514928042888641357421875},"wcProduct":{"productId":null,"productName":"","productPermalink":"","productShortDescription":"","productFeaturedImage":{"url":"","size":"large"},"productStockStatus":"","productPrice":""},"customProduct":{"productName":"","productPermalink":"","productShortDescription":"Aluminum skeleton made with square tubes welded together to support the structure","productFeaturedImage":{"url":"","size":"large"},"productPrice":""},"tooltip":{"direction":"column","style":{"position":"top","layout":"horizontal","width":"264px","height":"auto","background":{"hex":"#fff","rgb":{"r":255,"g":255,"b":255,"a":1}},"triangle":true},"containers":[{"type":"container","style":{"gridSize":"0px","padding":{"left":0,"top":0,"right":0,"bottom":0}},"blocks":[{"type":"media","source":"productFeaturedImage","options":{"size":"large"},"style":{"backgroundPosition":"center"}}]},{"type":"container","style":{"gridSize":"1fr","padding":{"left":16,"top":16,"right":16,"bottom":16}},"blocks":[{"type":"text","source":"productName","options":[],"style":{"color":{"hex":"#000","rgb":{"r":0,"g":0,"b":0,"a":1}},"fontSize":24,"fontWeight":600,"margin":{"left":0,"top":8,"right":0,"bottom":8}}},{"type":"text","source":"productShortDescription","options":[],"style":{"color":{"hex":"#000","rgb":{"r":0,"g":0,"b":0,"a":1}},"fontSize":16,"fontWeight":300,"margin":{"left":0,"top":8,"right":0,"bottom":8}}},{"type":"text","source":"productPrice","options":[],"style":{"color":{"hex":"#000","rgb":{"r":0,"g":0,"b":0,"a":1}},"fontSize":16,"fontWeight":300,"margin":{"left":0,"top":8,"right":0,"bottom":8}}}]}]},"style":{"pulsating":"always","opacity":1,"background":{"hsl":{"h":213.913043478260902929832809604704380035400390625,"s":0,"l":1,"a":1},"hex":"#ffffff","rgb":{"r":255,"g":255,"b":255,"a":1},"hsv":{"h":213.913043478260902929832809604704380035400390625,"s":0,"v":1,"a":1},"oldHue":213.913043478260902929832809604704380035400390625,"source":"hsv"},"size":"16px","borderWidth":"1px","borderColor":{"hsl":{"h":0,"s":0,"l":0,"a":1},"hex":"#000000","rgb":{"r":0,"g":0,"b":0,"a":1},"hsv":{"h":0,"s":0,"v":0,"a":1},"oldHue":0,"source":"hsv"}}},{"position":{"x":33.6252927609927922958377166651189327239990234375,"y":57.58437811048732868357546976767480373382568359375},"wcProduct":{"productId":null,"productName":"","productPermalink":"","productShortDescription":"","productFeaturedImage":{"url":"","size":"large"},"productStockStatus":"","productPrice":""},"customProduct":{"productName":"","productPermalink":"","productShortDescription":"Plexiglass removable panels which are cut into shape","productFeaturedImage":{"url":"","size":"large"},"productPrice":""},"tooltip":{"direction":"column","style":{"position":"top","layout":"horizontal","width":"189px","height":"auto","background":{"hex":"#fff","rgb":{"r":255,"g":255,"b":255,"a":1}},"triangle":true},"containers":[{"type":"container","style":{"gridSize":"0px","padding":{"left":0,"top":0,"right":0,"bottom":0}},"blocks":[{"type":"media","source":"productFeaturedImage","options":{"size":"large"},"style":{"backgroundPosition":"center"}}]},{"type":"container","style":{"gridSize":"1fr","padding":{"left":16,"top":16,"right":16,"bottom":16}},"blocks":[{"type":"text","source":"productName","options":[],"style":{"color":{"hex":"#000","rgb":{"r":0,"g":0,"b":0,"a":1}},"fontSize":24,"fontWeight":600,"margin":{"left":0,"top":8,"right":0,"bottom":8}}},{"type":"text","source":"productShortDescription","options":[],"style":{"color":{"hex":"#000","rgb":{"r":0,"g":0,"b":0,"a":1}},"fontSize":16,"fontWeight":300,"margin":{"left":0,"top":8,"right":0,"bottom":8}}},{"type":"text","source":"productPrice","options":[],"style":{"color":{"hex":"#000","rgb":{"r":0,"g":0,"b":0,"a":1}},"fontSize":16,"fontWeight":300,"margin":{"left":0,"top":8,"right":0,"bottom":8}}}]}]},"style":{"pulsating":"always","opacity":1,"background":{"hsl":{"h":213.913043478260902929832809604704380035400390625,"s":0,"l":1,"a":1},"hex":"#ffffff","rgb":{"r":255,"g":255,"b":255,"a":1},"hsv":{"h":213.913043478260902929832809604704380035400390625,"s":0,"v":1,"a":1},"oldHue":213.913043478260902929832809604704380035400390625,"source":"hsv"},"size":"16px","borderWidth":"1px","borderColor":{"hsl":{"h":0,"s":0,"l":0,"a":1},"hex":"#000000","rgb":{"r":0,"g":0,"b":0,"a":1},"hsv":{"h":0,"s":0,"v":0,"a":1},"oldHue":0,"source":"hsv"}}},{"position":{"x":76.2543017215830190025371848605573177337646484375,"y":73.378032845094224967397167347371578216552734375},"wcProduct":{"productId":null,"productName":"","productPermalink":"","productShortDescription":"","productFeaturedImage":{"url":"","size":"large"},"productStockStatus":"","productPrice":""},"customProduct":{"productName":"","productPermalink":"","productShortDescription":"Hot-pressed sheet-moulding compound (SMC) bottom shell","productFeaturedImage":{"url":"","size":"large"},"productPrice":""},"tooltip":{"direction":"column","style":{"position":"top","layout":"horizontal","width":"182px","height":"auto","background":{"hex":"#fff","rgb":{"r":255,"g":255,"b":255,"a":1}},"triangle":true},"containers":[{"type":"container","style":{"gridSize":"0px","padding":{"left":0,"top":0,"right":0,"bottom":0}},"blocks":[{"type":"media","source":"productFeaturedImage","options":{"size":"large"},"style":{"backgroundPosition":"center"}}]},{"type":"container","style":{"gridSize":"1fr","padding":{"left":16,"top":16,"right":16,"bottom":16}},"blocks":[{"type":"text","source":"productName","options":[],"style":{"color":{"hex":"#000","rgb":{"r":0,"g":0,"b":0,"a":1}},"fontSize":24,"fontWeight":600,"margin":{"left":0,"top":8,"right":0,"bottom":8}}},{"type":"text","source":"productShortDescription","options":[],"style":{"color":{"hex":"#000","rgb":{"r":0,"g":0,"b":0,"a":1}},"fontSize":16,"fontWeight":300,"margin":{"left":0,"top":8,"right":0,"bottom":8}}},{"type":"text","source":"productPrice","options":[],"style":{"color":{"hex":"#000","rgb":{"r":0,"g":0,"b":0,"a":1}},"fontSize":16,"fontWeight":300,"margin":{"left":0,"top":8,"right":0,"bottom":8}}}]}]},"style":{"pulsating":"always","opacity":1,"background":{"hsl":{"h":213.913043478260902929832809604704380035400390625,"s":0,"l":1,"a":1},"hex":"#ffffff","rgb":{"r":255,"g":255,"b":255,"a":1},"hsv":{"h":213.913043478260902929832809604704380035400390625,"s":0,"v":1,"a":1},"oldHue":213.913043478260902929832809604704380035400390625,"source":"hsv"},"size":"16px","borderWidth":"1px","borderColor":{"hsl":{"h":0,"s":0,"l":0,"a":1},"hex":"#000000","rgb":{"r":0,"g":0,"b":0,"a":1},"hsv":{"h":0,"s":0,"v":0,"a":1},"oldHue":0,"source":"hsv"}}},{"position":{"x":50.6768963452288829785175039432942867279052734375,"y":29.435987962441370058286338462494313716888427734375},"wcProduct":{"productId":null,"productName":"","productPermalink":"","productShortDescription":"","productFeaturedImage":{"url":"","size":"large"},"productStockStatus":"","productPrice":""},"customProduct":{"productName":"","productPermalink":"","productShortDescription":"Various other materials are used depending on the module","productFeaturedImage":{"url":"","size":"large"},"productPrice":""},"tooltip":{"direction":"column","style":{"position":"top","layout":"horizontal","width":"205px","height":"auto","background":{"hex":"#fff","rgb":{"r":255,"g":255,"b":255,"a":1}},"triangle":true},"containers":[{"type":"container","style":{"gridSize":"0px","padding":{"left":0,"top":0,"right":0,"bottom":0}},"blocks":[{"type":"media","source":"productFeaturedImage","options":{"size":"large"},"style":{"backgroundPosition":"center"}}]},{"type":"container","style":{"gridSize":"1fr","padding":{"left":16,"top":16,"right":16,"bottom":16}},"blocks":[{"type":"text","source":"productName","options":[],"style":{"color":{"hex":"#000","rgb":{"r":0,"g":0,"b":0,"a":1}},"fontSize":24,"fontWeight":600,"margin":{"left":0,"top":8,"right":0,"bottom":8}}},{"type":"text","source":"productShortDescription","options":[],"style":{"color":{"hex":"#000","rgb":{"r":0,"g":0,"b":0,"a":1}},"fontSize":16,"fontWeight":300,"margin":{"left":0,"top":8,"right":0,"bottom":8}}},{"type":"text","source":"productPrice","options":[],"style":{"color":{"hex":"#000","rgb":{"r":0,"g":0,"b":0,"a":1}},"fontSize":16,"fontWeight":300,"margin":{"left":0,"top":8,"right":0,"bottom":8}}}]}]},"style":{"pulsating":"always","opacity":1,"background":{"hsl":{"h":213.913043478260902929832809604704380035400390625,"s":0,"l":1,"a":1},"hex":"#ffffff","rgb":{"r":255,"g":255,"b":255,"a":1},"hsv":{"h":213.913043478260902929832809604704380035400390625,"s":0,"v":1,"a":1},"oldHue":213.913043478260902929832809604704380035400390625,"source":"hsv"},"size":"16px","borderWidth":"1px","borderColor":{"hsl":{"h":0,"s":0,"l":0,"a":1},"hex":"#000000","rgb":{"r":0,"g":0,"b":0,"a":1},"hsv":{"h":0,"s":0,"v":0,"a":1},"oldHue":0,"source":"hsv"}}}]}

Square Aluminum Tube

Sheet-moulding Process

Service Design

As Vendor/Exhibitor

As User

Pop-up Eligibility

Must be a local resident or from the train’s destination area, with a low net worth and income.

Rating System

Facilitates customer feedback to ensure quality and ethics, doubling as a transparency and trust-building marketing tool.

ComUp, short for Community Pop-Up, features a logo that embodies the essence of community—depicting people gathered under a roof, a nod to the pop-up concept. Moreover, this design morphs into an upward-facing arrow, symbolizing growth and progression.

Branding


Final.Design


Features

Positioned in Station Platforms and Lobbies

Customizable for Multiple Uses

Selling Manchester Delicacies in London

Artisan Selling Handmade Crafts

Musician Showcasing New Album

Pop-Up Examples


© 2024 Amirali Mirhashemian. All rights reserved.