Generative art / Fire Door

GENERATIVE ART

THE FIRE DOOR

JULIANA VÉLEZ / 40130960

PROTOTYPING INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES

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PROTOTYPING INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES / GENERATIVE ART

ASSESMENT: GENERATIVE ART INSTALATION { As stated in the brief: “Design a generative art installation within the prescribed space. This project will require an investigation into the space. It will require consideration for, how it is used, who it is used by, what the purpose of the space is, amongst other things.

The projected intallation should consider elements such as colour, shapes, static and dynamic elements with regard to the psychology and user/audience experience of the space.�

Supporting Designed Document Background Research relating to site and user/audience Consideration for imagery contextualizing your solution Evidence of appropriate use of technology (Processing) Consideration for the user/audience experience(s) Evaluation of practical considerations for installation

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BACKGROUND RESEARCH / SITE AND USER {

PROJECTION WALL

FIRE DOOR

TRANSIT OF THE SPACE

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PROTOTYPING INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES / GENERATIVE ART

The site for the installation is a small passage connecting the design and music schools. As it is very narrow and enclosed, its usage is only practical.

It works as a nice shortcut beetwen spaces, but nothing more.

The challenge in the interactive experience is to make this space a “must see” in the campus.

FIRE DOOR

CLASSROOM

DESIGN AND MUSIC

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PROTOTYPING INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES / GENERATIVE ART

The doors that separate both spaces are marked with: “Fire door keep shut” and “Automatic fire door keep clear”.

The ironical situation is that the doors seem to be always open.

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IMAGERY / CONTEXTUALIZING THE SOLUTION {

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PROTOTYPING INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES / GENERATIVE ART

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The concept behind “fire door� was to create an space that appeared to be filled with fire and the doors, being fire doors, containing it.

It would also work as an excuse to keep the door closed, as it is specified in the caution words the doors already have.

Even though that was the initial idea, the projection space proved to be very small for accomplishing this effect with only one projector. The usage of a spherical mirror could be contemplated, but they are hard to find and very expensive.

PROTOTYPING INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES / GENERATIVE ART

PROTOTYPING INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES / GENERATIVE ART

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PROCESSING / USE OF TECHNOLOGY { For the programming of the interaction, the particle system example that comes with processing was used. This sketch allows the appearance of particles in random sizes and speeds, which gives the effect of light, or fire in this case.

For the “Fire door� sketch, PImages of the example were changed and 2 other particle systems were added as well. The emitter of the particles moves randomly in the X axis giving the impression that fire and rain are produced along the whole screen simultaneously.

PARTICLE 1

PARTICLE 2

PARTICLE 3

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PROTOTYPING INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES / GENERATIVE ART

1

2

3

The particle system changes in time to give the effect that the fire is consuming because of the rain.

The speed of the particles is controlled with the seconds of the clock from the computer, making the value smaller of bigger.

The higger the speed of the particle, the further it will get along the screen.

The rain and the fire have opposite time controls, this is why the rain seems harder when the fire is at it’s lowest.

Changes made with the second command of processing allow the transformation of the fire to occur very quickly, making it easy for the passerby to notice the difference and engage him into stay longer.

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PROTOTYPING INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES / GENERATIVE ART

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AUDIENCE EXPERIENCE / THE USER { As the first considered space was to small for the projection, a secondary location mas chosen. The wall that is directly in front of the first space is appropiate for the projection of the sketch and gives a better visualization of the interaction.

The idea behind this concept is that the doors are to remain closed at all time. When the door is opened by someone who wants to pass by, the opening will trigger the beggining of the interaction.

This response will give to the audience a song (�I set fire to the rain� by Adele) and will inmediatelly start the projection of the fire. As a reaction to this experience the user might stay a little longer to see how the fire developes.

Since there is also a wall on the other side, two projectors can be set with the same interaction. This way, te experience can have place no matter from which direction the user comes from.

After the song is completed the interaction will stop, waiting for the next passerby who tries to open the door to go through.

PROTOTYPING INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES / GENERATIVE ART

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INSTALLATION / PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS {

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PROTOTYPING INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES / GENERATIVE ART

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After reviewing the space and the electrical outlets, the position of the projectors was decided. Since the projectors are located in the upper part of the doors, close to the ceiling, people can stand in front of it without casting a shadow on the animation.

Although this is only from the point of view of the door frame, if the user gets closer to the wall it will disturb the light beam from the projector.

However, the interference between the light beam and the wall can create also very interesting images, and could provide very artistic photographs of the installation.

WALL

PROJECTOR 1

FIRE DOORS

PROJECTOR 2

WALL

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NAPIER UNIVERSITY / 2013

PROTOTYPING INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES

JULIANA VÉLEZ / 2013

NAPIER UNIVERSITY