Boston Mayor Martin Walsh unveiled a solar-powered digital visitor information sign, called a “Soofa Sign,” in Samuel Adams Park near Faneuil Hall on Friday, the city announced.
Visitors can attain information on local events and city services from the Soofa Sign, a City of Boston press release stated. Walsh said in the release that the Soofa Sign’s installment aims to attract more visitors to the city and enhance city services.
“Over the past two years we have been taking steps to improve our city services and make the City more inviting for residents and visitors,” Walsh said in the release. “By providing residents with real-time information that is both helpful and easily accessible, we are building on our commitment to providing excellent City services to the people of Boston.”
BOS:311 as well as real-time transit information will be accessible on the sign, according to the release.
The Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics partnered with Soofa, an MIT Media Lab-based startup, to install the sign, which is the first of its kind, according to the release.
Soofa co-founder and CEO Sandra Richter said in the release that the Soofa Sign aims to integrate people with the city.
“Soofa is proud to continue this relationship with the City of Boston, a leader in public space activation,” Richter said. “This Soofa Sign installation is another step in connecting citizens with their surroundings through smart city infrastructure.”
Judy Wang, an innovation fellow at MONUM, said in the release the sign can also encourage visitors to interact with one another through social media.
“We’re excited to have been chosen by Soofa to premier their first-ever solar power E Ink Sign,” Wang said in the release. “The Sign encourages visitors and residents to engage with each other through the use of social media, and is another indicator of the many City efforts to activate the spaces in which we work, live and play.”
In 2014, Soofa started installing their solar-powered benches, its flagship product, near Faneuil Hall and on the waterfront, the release stated. Today, the benches are available in over 20 states, according to the release.
In the next few months, MONUM will hold a Twitter chat to gather inspiration on the sign’s new locations and content and brainstorm ways to activate public space, the release stated.
Ian Taberner, a professor at the Boston Architectural College, said the Soofa Sign can help enhance the city and its events.
“This will allow to see things that may have been updated — storm warnings, events,” Taberner said. “The way that this can share information in the city, this is really great. What would be more interesting would be the design of where they are.”
Several Boston residents said visitors have trouble navigating the city at times, and with the Soofa Sign and potentially more technology-based information signs, tourists will have an easier time getting around Boston.
Jonathan Padilla, 21, of Back Bay, said he’s noticed a lot of newer Boston residents tend to have trouble finding their way around at first.
“The city is growing fast,” he said. “We have a lot of people who aren’t from Boston originally, and if you’re not from here you might not know how to get around.”
Neeta Abraham, 21, of Allston, said while she thinks Boston is a relatively easy city to navigate, and figuring out directions could be made easier for people who aren’t familiar with the area.
“Especially when you’re not familiar with the city at all, you need any help you can get,” she said.
Rijju Pradhan, 34, of Brighton, said she thinks the map will help tourists from other countries in particular.
“I’ve seen a lot of people come into the city from other countries and they get a little confused,” she said. “Having that particular map there might help them a lot.”