Walking in Someone Else’s Shoes—Literally

An Oakland artist's unique party brought people of all heights together by leveling the playing field—one custom foam platform at a time.

Event Overview

Lucian Novosel hosted a same-height party in an artist space in Oakland, California, based on Hans Hemmert's 1997 art installation "Level." The event aimed to allow participants of different heights to meet at eye level using custom platform shoes.

Platform Shoe Design and Construction

Novosel built shoes using 1-inch foam sheets, widened toward the base for stability, and 3D-printed brackets secured with zip ties. The tallest shoes measured 18 inches. Walking sticks were provided to help with balance.

Guests submitted their barefoot height, shoe size, and everyday shoe lift. The guest list was finalized three months before the event to ensure shoe construction could be completed.

Participant Experiences

Matilde Miranda (5'2"): Reported feeling like Gandalf and noted it was the first time experiencing such height. She described needing to recalibrate movements initially.

Xitlalli Zavala (5'4"): Expressed that the perspective shift felt like seeing the world from others' viewpoint. She observed taller men removing their shoes to try the opposite angle.

"The perspective shift felt like seeing the world from others' viewpoint." — Xitlalli Zavala

Spencer (the tallest guest, 6'5"): Reported that the pressure to adjust his height eased and that he felt he blended in. He normally tries to make himself smaller in social settings.

Activities and Atmosphere

Guests played balance games, including squatting to grab objects with their teeth while wearing the shoes. They also played pool. A lineup from shortest to tallest physically demonstrated the height differences. The flat venue had no stairs and trip hazards were marked.

Post-Event and Reuse

After the party, some shoes were donated to a schoolteacher in Berkeley. Novosel provided a spreadsheet and instructions for others to recreate the event.