Installation Video

Here is the installation video!

some pictures taken in southbank

Installation demoing in the field

Camera set up on one side of the walkway with very enthusiastic members

Not very discreet filming 

Workshop Feedback

Workshop conducted on the 29th of May 2015, Friday, 1400 hours 
Location: International College House at UQ
The following are the feedback received from the participants after presenting our final concept "Sound Seating".

Our very enthusiastic participants

• Attract the people with a nice sound, then once the user is comfortable, change the sound to an uncomfortable, jarring, annoying sound.

• Make the sound change based upon the user's facial expressions. Try to juxtapose their emotions.

• Make users happy with the music/sounds

• Need an incentive for users to sit down on the sound seating.

• Make sure bench is different from the other ones, give your target users reasons to interact with the installation.

• Make the bench look unique, to encourage people to sit, as if it looks like an ordinary bench, potential users can walk past it, or just look at it, instead of interacting with it.

• Place signage across from the bench, or down on the ground, with a message, to allow users to reflect upon the installation and the thesis.

• The interaction with this installation is passive.

• Perhaps you should interview the users after experiencing the installation.

• Write adjectives on buttons that user's can interact with, however, do the opposite of their desired action. e.g. User presses the 'Happy' button, but a sad, melancholic sound plays instead.

• Divide the bench into sections, where the sound changes in volume, intensity, sound type, based on where they are seated on the bench.

• Use chalk to mark things, or use permanent marker with tape.

Workshop Plan

Roughing out plans in the tutorial

Finalized workshop plan

Time	Activity	Materials	Outcome
0:00	Introduce the purpose of this workshop	n/a	None
0:05	Divide participants into pairs or groups of three (depending on the number of participants)	n/a	Create group interaction.
0:10	Present existing installations. Get users to choose an installation they think is most interesting. Get them to write aspects that attracted them to it.	Photographs of existing installations, pens and paper.	Insight on what attracted the users to the chosen installations.
0:15	Get the participants to come up with a rough installation concept  that includes the aspects that they thought were interesting.	Pens and paper	Iterate on concept and identify aspects that would make the public engage with our installation.
0:20	Present our final concept	Printed copies of concept card	Effectively convey our idea
0:25	Ask participants to brainstorm ideas that would make installation more appealing and list three on paper. Discuss their reactions and reflections of concept and present.	Pens and paper	Gain ideas to improve concept. Insight into how users react/understand the purpose of the installation.
0:30	Thank participants for attending workshop

Sound Library Resource for Installation

In looking for sounds to use with our installation, I came across the following online libraries that we can make use of.

http://www.soundboard.com
http://freesound.org
http://makerbook.net/audio/

Project concerns

Photos from our concerns brainstorming 

Meeting #2

Meeting #2 Minutes
Meeting time and date: 14:00, 13th May 2015, Wednesday
Members absent: None
Location: GP South, ITEE learning centre

Topic 1 - To-do list
Team made a to-do list of the all the things that needed to be done for Phase 1 of Project 2 that's due this Friday. After the list was made, the team discussed the division of workload and allocated daily goals leading up to the due date.

Topic 2 - Concept maps
We came up with four concept maps to map the existing installations that we have found. Each concept map had significantly different aspects. 

Topic 4 - Concept cards
The 18 concept cards are not complete so as a team we discussed and refined each one of our ideas and provided constructive criticism to help improve them.

Concept Maps

During our second out-of-class meeting, we came up with different concept maps to map the existing installations we've found. Mapping these existing installations acted as a guide for us to improve and refine the concepts we came up with, the maps also gave us an idea as to which areas we'll need to cover to satisfy certain criteria. 

Site Survey- King George Square

King George Square

King George Square is located in the centre of the CBD very close to Queen Street Mall. It is home of the Brisbane City Hall and is a major gateway for public entering and exiting the city with a large bus station beneath it. The square has a lot of open space which is a possible site for implementation of an installation. The site is the centre of the square where people walk through.

The bus station is reason for much human traffic especially during peak hours including early mornings and late afternoons. People also pass through in groups according to the traffic lights at the Adelaide street crossing.

 

King George Square is used by the public as a meeting space and is also a tourist attraction including statues.  The area also includes some seating and a restaurant which attract people to wait, rest or eat.

There are a variety of people who pass through King George Square at different times of day. The early morning between 7:30 and 9am would be business people and city staff. They are most likely tired and in a rush to get to work on time. 

During the day the area would be filled with adults having coffee or families exploring the city. There would also be university students coming to the city after their class or in a break. These people would be more relaxed and will not have time major time constraints allowing them to dedicate their time to paying attention to detail and observation and investigating an installation if one were to be installed.  At lunch time the square would be busier with people walking to the city for lunch. This would be a good time to use as there is a high level of walkbys and they have time to spare.

Late afternoon is very busy for King George Square with a large variety of people including adults finishing work, school students coming to the city, university students, families still in the city and people going home on buses. This would be a good time to target young school aged kids as they would have time and are not rushing to get home.

The square is not very busy at night although it does attract some people with the lights that decorate the area. These people include couples going for dinner in the city or people finishing work late. These types of people would be eager to look or interact with an installation as they have nowhere to be and would be intrigued.

This site has most relevance to the thesis: “Public spaces are anti-social spaces”. The site is seen to support this statement as the space is referred to as ‘public’ and many people use this space. Although most people are alone while walking through this space or are in a rush and like to mind their own business. They don’t have time to stop and interact with the many people around them that most likely have a lot in common with them. The square does not offer anything to bring people together and is not an ideal venue for a social gathering, especially in the day time when it is very sunny and there is no shade.  The people that have been observed in these spaces walk alone although in a group of people. It can be seen in the pictures that many people have earphones in or are on their phones further preventing social interaction.

Overview of Theses

From the brief of Project 2:

"For this project you will be given a "critical design" brief. In teams, you will devise and construct a public installation adopts a utopian or dystopian interpretation of one of the following theses;"

Below are the theses which have been presented within the brief and statements relating to them for supporting, denying, challenging and defending.

1. "Our modern built environment drains joy from our lives"

Support: Quickly erected high rises and dull concrete covering inner city surfaces along with cookie cutter suburban landscapes are draining to our joy with everything appearing sterile and not giving people an outlet for inspiration.
Challenge: Our modern environment doesn't drain joy from our lives. Parts of the environment are designed to please and excite the people. From architecture to social media, people are very aware of making spaces that enhance and improve our lives with implementing green areas like parks and gardens to let people escape the dull and draining.
Deny: The modern build environment is stimulating to the senses and making us always look around to see what is constantly moving and changing around us.
Defend: The modern environment isn't designed to last. We are constantly concerned that the environment we have will fail and will need to be replaced shortly. Unfortunately it will be replaced by something inferior once again.

2. "Public spaces are anti-social spaces"

Support: In large spaces, people over time will gravitate  into groups and spots which form cliques that then start to become insulted within themselves.
Challenge: Public spaces encourage people within them to act as part of a greater community and not just a cross section of the community.
Deny: What is the point of a public space were people are going to congregative they choose to be anti-social when they arrive?
Defend: Public spaces have become areas for people to individually go to to find space for themselves and escape other areas which they deem to be undesirable. When at these locations they choose to interact with personal devices or enjoy time alone.

3. "Society has too many prohibitions and too few invitations"

Support: Everything we do as a society is automatically judged and criticised long before it is accepted.
Challenge: Society doesn't involve without the advent of being asked to do something new and different.
Deny:  It is not society, but people who invite themselves to change and alter their perceptions of society and limit their own prohibitions on themselves.
Defend: Without restrictions, people will start to behave in chaotic ways with no thought of the consequences of their actions over time.

Site Survey - Roma Street Parklands

Photo #1

Photo #2

Photo #3

Photo #4

Time of Visit - Mid afternoon Friday, the 8th of May, 2015

Rough demographic at time of visit: Community groups, young families, tourist group, high school students.

What were they doing: Large groups of people were around the barbecue areas and sloped shady grass areas that weren't closed for rejuvenation.

Features of the site: Large auditorium area in Photo #2. Lake with existing water feature in Photos #3 & 4. Walkway surrounding the lake. Main barbecue area is located between Photos #1 & 2 underneath walkway that links to the upper area of the parklands.

Concept map – TetraBIN

Concept map – TetraBIN

Picture of installation:

Description of installation:

In some occasions, it seems that games aren't simply used to ‘play’. It can also be that they aim to change particular behaviors of people. Take for example this game of Tetris, designed by alumni of the Design Lab at the University of Sydney. Their innovation, TetraBIN combines the enjoyable aspect of playing a game with a serious, more societal-oriented aspect of behavioral change. The idea is pretty simple: depositing trash in this special bin allows you to play Tetris. 

It appears that more and more, designers and creatives are using the city and streets for fun and excitement. These examples of old school games implemented in our urban landscapes could be regarded as one of the most up to date trends in circulation. However, some of them show us that sometimes it’s not simply about the idea of playing games or improving our public spaces. By offering an active and playful twist, people could become more aware of their behavior in public, and, in turn, even positively changing it.

Reference:

http://popupcity.net/five-interactive-games-that-turn-the-city-into-a-playing-board/

Concept map – Giant slides

Concept map – Giant slides

 Installation picture:

Description of Installation:

The Technische Universität München (TUM; University of Technology, Munich; Technical University of Munich) is a research university with campuses in Munich, Garching, and Weihenstephan. It is a member of TU9, an incorporated society of the largest and most notable German institutes of technology.

Located inside the Faculty Building for Math and Computer Science are a pair of three storey slides that descend to the first floor. Being a Math and Computer Science facility these are actually “parabolic slides” (formula: z = y = h x²/d²). For those proclaiming this a waste of money: according to German law, a certain fraction of the budget for erecting a state-owned building has to be spent on “architectural art” (German Kunst am Bau)—which, in the case of the FMI building, are the two huge slides you can see in the picture above.

The slides are open to visitors and are accompanied with sliding pads that are required for using the slide. What a fun and quick way to get from the third floor to first! If you’re ever in Munich, be sure to take a ride down these!

Reference:

http://twistedsifter.com/2012/04/picture-of-the-day-the-giant-three-storey-indoor-slides-in-munich/

concept map - Labyrinthine Staircases

Concept map – Labyrinthine Staircase

Installation Pictures:

Description of Installation:

This concrete tower of interconnecting red staircases was designed by Thai firm Supermachine Studio. The Labyrinth was designed for a spot on the edge of a park near Bang Saen Beach, a coastal resort 60 miles east of the Thai capital. The concrete structure also has the nickname 10 Cal Tower – a reference to the number of calories expelled by a typical person ascending the stairs from base to summit. At each level, terraces and staircases diverge to connect with different branches of the structure, creating various routes to the summit but also providing nooks for children to hide in during games.

"The project was started by questioning performances of generic playgrounds today, which are facilities for the youngsters to spend time on actively, and the adult left aside being passive," explained the designers. "Playing hide and seek in The Labyrinth is, for us, an activity that allows parents to spend more time with their kids," they added.

Reference:

http://www.dezeen.com/2015/02/09/supermachine-studio-staircase-viewpoint-tower-park-thailand-the-labyrinth/

concept map - Whisper a Message to "The Big Ear"

Concept map – Whisper a Message to ‘The Big Ear’

Problem Statement:

Freedom of speech is the political right of every citizen in a democratic society to communicate one’s opinion publicly without fear of censorship or punishment. In today’s world, there is no real communication between the civilians and politicians, and ‘speech’ is simply restricted to social media. While the law makers all over the world have shut their ears and doors to the problems of the common man, the South Korean government is opening doors to create an effective platform for communication.

Description of installation:

Korean architect & artist Yang Soo-in has designed an interactive sculpture called Yobosayo (Korean word used to call someone’s attention, like ‘hello’), a large, ear-shaped sculpture that records the opinions of passers-by and relays it over speakers installed in the newly opened Seoul City Hall. The 8 feet tall sculpture has an installed microphone inside that records the messages and each message is then relayed through speakers located around the City Hall. Sensors on the suspended speakers detect how many officials have heard the messages and the amount of time people have spent in listening to the message. While the ones that attract the most attention stay in the playlist, the unpopular ones are transformed into music by an algorithm that amplifies and distorts their auditory characteristics.

Reference:

http://dzinetrip.com/yobosayo-interactive-sculpture-by-artist-yang-soo-in/;

http://weburbanist.com/2013/10/09/the-city-is-a-playground-15-interactive-installations/;

Site Survey: Post Office Square

Time taken: late afternoon
Rough demographics at the time: Office workers, students, retail workers
What they were doing: Commuting home, passing by, chillin on the grass
Interesting features: Large spacious grass area, shops + eating areas

Friday Studio Sesh - Site Surveys

                       

Meeting #1

Meeting #1 Minutes
Meeting time and date: 14:00, 6th May 2015
Members absent: None
Location: GP South, ITEE learning centre

Topic 1 - Team Charter
The team discussed sections of the charter that needed to be complete

Topic 2 - Location Scouting
Several locations have been surveyed and analysed by Craig and Andrea. Other locations pitched by the rest of the team members have been put into consideration

Topic 3 - Division of workload
The recording of meeting minutes will be taken by each member according to our last names in alphabetical order 

Topic 4 - Concepts + Installations
Rough concepts were discussed, including active vs passive installations

Interactive Installations - Light Drift

Light Drift by J. Meejin Yoon was a temporary installation with the approval and support of the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program.

Orb shaped elements placed on the shore and in the water are illuminated by the interaction of the passers-by of the display. Different interactions with the orbs on the shore cause different responses from the orbs that are placed in the water. 

References
http://www.muralarts.org/collections/projects/light-drift

Interactive Installations - Tiger & Turtle

"Tiger & Turtle" is a fantastical roller coaster sculpture in Duisburg, Germany which is a 70 foot high staircase sculpture that resembles a rollercoaster the visitors are invited to walk along and explore.

The design is meant to let people reflect on the carnival rides of their youth and experience the angles and corners at a much slower speed. According to the artists, the sculpture has another meaning and message regarding the surrounding areas work towards environmental reform.

Reference
http://anatomyofabutterfly.blogspot.com.au/2011/12/playfully-serious-interactive-sculpture

Silent Lights

Silent Lights is an interactive public installation that converts traffic noise into energy, to power LED lights, that illuminates the dark area.

This installation creates an impact on the chosen environment, by creating a safe area for pedestrians to walk, while alleviating the extreme noise pollution generated in the area. It also enhances the atmosphere with the interactive LED lights.

This is an interesting, and innovative method to utilise the negatives of their chosen public area, and modifying it into positives

Silent Lights - A Public Art Installation by Urban Matter Inc. from Thom Pictures on Vimeo.

Interactive Installations - Cloud Gate (Chicago, USA)

Cloud Gate is a 66 feet long by 33 feet high bean shaped sculpture located at Millennium Park in Chicago, USA. 

Its polished surface made to resemble mercury gives people a highly reflective surface that distorts the surrounding skyline and giving a juxtaposition of the what is behind and in front of the observer. 

Being one the side of a static installation, people are still drawn to interact with the piece as it is a great photo opportunity for locals and tourists alike.

References-
http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park_-artarchitecture.html#cloud

Interactive Installations - 21 Balançoires/21 Swings (Montreal, Canada)

7 sets of 3 swings outside the Montreal Art Gallery which when used they create a melody. The higher you go the more notes you make and the faster you go the quicker they are played.

People are encouraged to use a set together with multiple people to create music and harmonies.

I have been on these swings and my friend got so excited using them she almost broke her ankle. True story.

Click here for more information about 21 Balançoires

Installations

1. Firewall from Aaron Sherwood on Vimeo.

Firewall is an interactive media installation created with Mike Allison. A stretched sheet of spandex acts as a membrane interface sensitive to depth that people can push into and create fire-like visuals as well as expressively play music.

The original concept stems from a performance piece I’m currently developing as Purring Tiger (with Kiori Kawai) titled Mizalu, which will premiere in June 2013. During one scene in the performance dancers will press into the spandex with the audience facing the opposite side. Mizalu is about death and experience of reality, so this membrane represents a plane that you can experience but never get through. As hard as you try to understand what’s in between life and death, you can never fully know.

The piece was made using Processing, Max/MSP, Arduino and a Kinect. The Kinect measures the average depth of the spandex from the frame it is mounted on. If the spandex is not being pressed into nothing happens. When someone presses into it the visuals react around where the person presses, and the music is triggered. An algorithm created with Max allows the music to speed up and slow down and get louder and softer, based on the depth. This provides a very expressive musical playing experience, even for people who have never played music before. A switch is built into the frame which toggles between two modes. The second mode is a little more aggressive than the first.

Firewall User Testing from Aaron Sherwood on Vimeo.

Taken from Aaron Sherwood's blog

2. Floor Quizmap

It's a very simple idea but it can be a lot of fun and engaging for customers - users can take a floormap quiz to determine that leads them to the product they want based on simple questions.

3. 'On Space Time Foam' Exhibition/Studio Tomas Saraceno

On display until February 3rd at the HangarBicocca in Milan, the ‘On Space Time Foam’ suspended art exhibit by Studio Tomas Saraceno is composed of a transparent surface accessible to visitors, hanging at a height of 20 metres and covering 400 square metres on three layers, for a total of 1,200 square metres. Known for his surprising structures that draw the public into extraordinary spatial and emotional experiences, the large soft and floating film welcomes visitors who will thus find themselves moving mid-air between the floor and the ceiling, earth and sky, and it compels them to lose their spatial coordinates. 

Taken from arch daily

4. Access Agency’s ‘Drink Away The Art exhibition

At an exhibit in Dresden, Germany, guests were invited to drink away the art. These beautiful multicolored liquor infusions not only add a splash of color to the decor (pun intended), but also are a perfect example of culinary interactivity within the event setting.

Taken from Design-Milk

More from Access Agency

5. The Event of a Thread - Ann Hamilton

the event of a thread is made of many crossings of the near at hand and the far away: it is a body crossing space, is a writer's hand crossing a sheet of paper, is a voice crossing a room in a paper bag, is a reader crossing with a page and with another reader, is listening crossing with speaking, is an inscription crossing a transmission, is a stylus crossing a groove, is a song crossing species, is the weightlessness of suspension crossing the calling of bell or bellows, is touch being touched in return. It is a flock of birds and a field of swings in motion. It is a particular point in space at an instant of time.

— Ann Hamilton

There's a video on her website that shows the installation in use here.