Honorable Mention

Mehr Poddar, grade 11
Redmond High School, Redmond, WA

I designed this project to address the isolation felt at bus stops, where familiar faces often remain strangers. I experienced how commuters, despite shared routines, waited alone around others. These spaces could be transformed into hubs for genuine interactions, promoting understanding and belonging within our communities. This interactive bus stop creates an environment for natural conversations and interactions by featuring a rotating games wall with universally understood quick games, as well as a community wall offering conversation starters, multilingual word display, and community highlights/events. Users are prompted to turn their waiting time into moments of connection. Transforming bus stops into interactive hubs allows for genuine connections to be formed in the community, leading users to feel closer to their community. It benefits diverse users by breaking barriers of isolation, language, and background. This scalable concept can transform transit spaces worldwide, making public environments feel like welcoming homes.