[AlexC]

Winter Stations is an international design competition and exhibition. It is held annually and transforms lifeguard stations situated in a beach area within downtown Toronto, Canada. Artists have a set budget to work with and are given only one major limit, they must incorporate the lifeguard station within their design. This competition attracts artists from all over the world; approximately seven are chosen to fabricate their design for a temporary period of time during the cold, Canadian winters.
As a spectator this is this is a very unique experience. These outdoor, public art installations are set on the beach when facing south. It gets us outside during a sunny or grey day with sand and snow under our feet; snow isn’t always a guarantee but the harsh cold temperature almost certainly is there to greet us. When you turn north, you are facing the city’s neighbourhood homes and condo buildings, however there are many shrubs, trees (with no leaves:) and grass in view before seeing those structures. The lifeguard stations are close by each other but have a tremendous amount of room between them. The senses are in overload, visually, touching, listening to the sounds of the waves, or any musical sounds within the design, as well as smell, there have been installations where a fire is burning, or steam rising from cedar wood. Depending on the design, the spectator can either walk into the installation, walk over the installation, walk under it but every installation allows you a 360-degree view.

[AlexC]

Public spaces can be either in a public or private realm, as long as it can be easily accessible by the public for free.
A public space can be something like a public square or park.
An example of a public space in a private setting can be the lobby of an office building.

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