Oakland Same-Height Party Levels Social Interaction

German artist Hans Hemmert’s 1997 “Level” installation used custom platform footwear to equalize participants’ height. In 2026, Oakland artist Lucian Novosel adapted the idea for a private “same-height party” in a flat warehouse, inviting roughly 15 friends. Guest heights ranged from 4 ft 11 in to 6 ft 5 in, and the tallest platform shoes measured 18 in.

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Three months before the gathering, Novosel recorded each guest’s barefoot height, shoe size, and existing lift. He built platforms from 1-inch rigid foam sheets, stacking them in a widening pyramid to lower the center of gravity. Fabrication took about four weeks; each pair required over an hour of labor and $25 in materials. Walking sticks were provided for balance.

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Host Lucian Novosel coordinated the event. Matilde Miranda (5 ft 2 in) said the height boost felt “like Gandalf,” letting her look straight ahead. Xitlalli Zavala (5 ft 4 in) described an “Oh wow, this is how other people see the world” moment when the lineup revealed equalized heights. Spencer, the tallest guest at 6 ft 5 in, reported that the party let him “blend in” without having to “make myself a little smaller.”

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Novosel said the pyramid base prevents teeter-tottering, likening it to an elephant walking on a small area. He described the lift as a power trip and wondered how shared eye level might affect attraction and confidence. Safety protocols included a flat venue, hazard-tape markings, and walking sticks. Afterward, shoes were donated to a Berkeley schoolteacher for reuse.

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Guests noted that the elevated platform shifted their center of gravity, making coordination difficult and requiring careful weight shifting. The reliance on walking sticks and hazard tape underscored the risk of tripping, especially when taller participants removed their shoes to test the opposite perspective.

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By eliminating height disparity, the party changed conversational dynamics: tall guests no longer needed to lower their stance, and short guests could engage without craning their necks. Observers noted the experiment shows how stature can affect confidence, empathy, and social bonding.

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• “I definitely felt like I blended in,” — Spencer, Guest

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• “It’s a very different sensation because I’m usually looking up at people at any kind of networking event or party,” — Matilde Miranda, Guest

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• “The coolest thing about the shoes is that platform approach allows you to remix them so that other people can use them,” — Lucian Novosel, Host

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• “Oh wow, this is how other people see the world,” — Xitlalli Zavala, Guest

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All source excerpts are consistent; no contradictory accounts were identified.

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Novosel posted a spreadsheet with measurements, material lists, and cost estimates to help others replicate the event, and the donated shoes are being reused in a Berkeley classroom.

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