The Augmented Reality Sandbox, created by researchers at UC Davis W.M. Keck Center for Active Visualization in the Earth Sciences, is an interactive art installation that allows the user to change the topography of the sandbox. By moving the sand around, the user can create moutains, valleys, and riverbeds. This work fits the slow design principles of “participate” and “reveal”. It fits “participate” because the audience is invited to directly interact with the piece. It fits “reveal” because it turns a playful object from childhood into an educational environment teaching about earth science.
The Shanghai-based design studio, Super Nature Design, created Weaving Forest, an art installation consisting of two large, wooden raindeer. This project fits the slow design principles of “participate” and “reflect”. It fits “participate” because the viewers are asked to wrap a piece of yarn around the structure, allowing the audience to directly connect with the piece. Weaving Forest was created in order to shine light on environmental issues; the wrapping of the yarn symbolizes the direct impact we have on nature. This aspect of the project makes it reflective.
For a fastasy project, I would like to construct an interactive room space. The user would be able to enter the room and as they step around, the floor would make different noises. The sounds that will play are not typical of floors (i.e creeking, footsteps, etc.): they are the captured audio of everyone who has stepped on that specifc spot. The room walls and floor would have projected images that would turn the room into different locations based on the user’s choosing. This option is just for a more personl experience and does not affect the programmed noises emitted from the floor.
This project is oriented around the slow design principles of “participate” and “reflect”. It fits “particpate” because it invites the audience to interact with the piece and requires them to be a part of it. The room also leaves the user thinking about the interconnectedness of all humans and how we can take the same path but never actually meet, implimenting the principle “reflect”.
