installation. public engagement. urban
Wide Eyed Wonder
2022
Developing a public installation for Google's new KGX1 building in King's Cross to highlight the core of innovation
WHAT DO PEOPLE THINK ABOUT INNOVATION?
We designed a simple activity with members of Somers Town Community Center to understand their opinions around Innovation as one that probes - Chaos, Nostalgia, Growth, and Time. With these keywords, we began ideating over how to get these personal opinions around Innovation tied to the building's efforts to innovate . Ideas revolved around creating a sense of awe in the mind of the viewer while informing them on Google's innovation in KGX1 building, thus creating Lenses of Innovation.
IDEATING OVER LENSES OF INNOVATION
From the feedback received, we started ideating over different installations that can bring the essence of these conversations around Innovation. We wanted our installation to captivate community-oriented designs through interactive installations that the community does together. They were also designed to bring out the innovation in Google's KGX1 building. A mix of 2D sketches and rapid prototypes were used to bring these ideas to life.
INTERACTION AROUND LENSES OF INNOVATION
A nostalgic push and spinwheel, a tunable joystick presenting different sounds, a tuning knob of scanimation showing the building's response to time, and revisiting the age-old habit of tapping on a tv to fix it - lights responding to the tap to complete layers of an image
NOSTALGIA
GROWTH
CHAOS
GROWTH
TIME
ASSEMBLING LENSES OF INNOVATION
Second-hand TVs were sourced and dismatled with only the shell being used. The internals were reinforced with wooden housing. 4 TVs were selected with interactions placed inside. Amidst our four themes of interaction, three of them had electronic components facilitating the interaction. Arduino processor was linked to touch sensitive switches driving programmable LED strips. Joystick operated sounds were programmed using Teensy boards. Servo motors were used to drive scanimation interactions. The fourth interaction involved mechanical push and slide mechanism to drive nostalgic images.
EXECUTING LENSES OF INNOVATION
Our installation went live on King's boulevard from the 20th of June - 25th of June. Google's workforce and onlookers found the playful and interactive expression of Innovation engaging! We had a lot of kids engaging actively with each installation.
