From Simple Pleasure to Pleasurable Skin: An Interactive Architectural Screen Nadia Mounajjed
Imran A. Zualkernan
Architecture Art and Design American University of Sharjah Sharjah, UAE +971-50-1529664
Computer Science and Engineering American University of Sharjah Sharjah, UAE +971-50-6260243
nmounajjed@aus.edu
izualkernan@aus.edu
ABSTRACT
measure objectively.
This paper explores the notion of simple pleasures that may be derived from interacting with architectural surfaces, and how this could generally inform design, and more particularly, architectural design. This paper presents a pleasure-based methodology for designing interactive architectural surfaces. The methodology employs elements from temporal pleasure processes and augments these with pleasure play scenarios. A key dimension of the methodology is to use children’s play as the seed of the design process. A case study using the methodology to create an interactive architecture skins for exploring the relationship between inside and outside spaces is presented. The architectural skin is installed in the window of a Café and is technologically enabled by low-power microcontrollers, Zigbee wireless devices, force and motion sensors and servomotors. Outdoor elements like the motion of tree leaves as well as movement of individuals is projected to the inside space. Post-reflection reveals that the methodology worked well in enhancing, enriching and guiding the design process.
Today, there is more evidence that in addition to functionality and usability, experience of designed products must involve affection and cognition [1]. In this context, Donald Norman [1] argues that beautifully designed products give a certain level of gratification or satisfaction, which in turn puts the users in a creative, open and harmonious mindset. An earlier study by Patrick W. Jordan [2] argues that feelings associated with using pleasurable products include security, confidence, pride, excitement and satisfaction. Displeasurable products, on the other hand, are associated with feelings that include annoyance, anxiety, contempt and frustration.
2. FRAMEWORK
Design, Human Factors
As mentioned above, it has been established that accommodating aesthetic elements that appeal to the emotions is critical to the development of a “user-centric” design. We believe that there is a pleasure dimension associated with interactive environments that may often insight into behavioral patterns and inform the design process leading to a more user-friendly architectural design. Our framework on thinking about pleasure in architectural design is based on three lines of work; Costello and Edmond’s Study in Play [3], Woolley’s notions of pleasure in time [4] and simple pleasure embedded in child’s play. Each component is described next.
Keywords
2.1 Playful Pleasure Scenarios
Pleasure, Space, Interactive Architecture, Play, Zigbee
The first component of our framework is based on Costello and Edmond’s [3] thirteen pleasures of play derived from six prominent works in pleasure in the context of interactive artworks. The thirteen playful scenarios for incorporating pleasure in designing interactive art include Creation, Exploration, Discovery, Difficulty, Danger, Captivation, Sensation, Sympathy, Simulation, Camaraderie, and Subversion. These playful scenarios establish a “grammar” for pleasurable behavior and can be used to script pleasure sequences. For example, the act of Creation evokes a certain type of pleasure that may be different than the pleasure encountered while being captivated by an artwork, for example. In addition, Costello and Edmond’s framework identified four factors of Novelty, Surprise, Complexity and Uncertainty or Conflict as variables that affect the strength of pleasure derived using the thirteen scenarios. Their framework includes conceptual, design, and evaluation phases. Their strategy contemplates how the pleasures that the designer conceptualizes will be experienced
Categories and Subject Descriptors A.0 [GENERAL]: Conference Proceedings H.5.2: User interfaces, User-centered design.
General Terms
1. INTRODUCTION Design traditions have often tended to concentrate on making functional products. But a designer needs to integrate users’ functional demands as well as aesthetic, emotional and other experiential factors – some of which are difficult to express or Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Designing Pleasurable Products and Interfaces, June 22–25, 2011, Milan, Italy. Copyright 2011 ACM 1-58113-000-0/00/0010…$10.00.
in a space are compared with the actual pleasures experienced by users during evaluation sessions. Each of Costello’s thirteen pleasures of play is briefly described next. Creation pleasure comes from a desire and a need to create something and the pleasure derived from this creational activity. For example, Facebook games like Farmville allow players to create virtual farms including fields and farm animals. Such games are popular partially to satiate our desire for the pleasure of creation. Exploration pleasure of play recognizes the pleasure of exploring in a loose context without any specific goals. Window shopping is an example of an exploratory activity that gives great pleasure to many people. Discovery pleasure, on the other hand relies on pleasure derived from “problem” or “puzzle” solving, or intellectual engagement. Many cultural artifacts like the eater egg hunt, crossword puzzles or Sudoku are testament to how much pleasure people derive from discovery. Difficulty pleasure play is related to notions of problem solving, application of skill and the concept of “challenge.” This pleasure requires management because making things too difficult makes people turn away while making them too easy bores them. Competition pleasure play is associated with the achievement of a well-defined goal. Pleasure of competition in the workplace, playing games or the pleasure derived by watching teams compete with each other is universally observed. Competition pleasure can be derived from either competing against one’s self or against others in an individual or a social manner or by watching others compete. Danger pleasure is related to inclusion of risk and chance, and thrill of danger and facing danger. Pervasive use of rollercoasters, sky and bungee jumping and other such activities are clear signs of how addicted we are as humans in deliberately inviting danger for pleasure. Captivation pleasure play is derived partially from submission where the pleasure derived being “spell bound” in the sense of another entity having control over one’s self or through “immersion” and “beauty.” Folk tales across cultures are rife with captivation scenarios whether they are in the form of love stories or tales of magic. Sensation pleasure is related to arousing stimulations, vertigo and even physical activity. From bathtub soaks to adrenaline rush that comes from engaging in voluntary activities like bicycling and skiing, our universal quest for this type of pleasure has spawned major global industries. Sympathy is defined by Costello as “… the pleasure of sharing emotional or physical feelings with something.” (p. 81). Many television talk shows like the “Operah Winfrey Show” have fed this pleasure in many of us by “sharing stories” of interesting individuals. Simulation as a pleasure play is derived from forming an analogy with some pleasurable aspect of real life. Costello gives the example of an exhibition which through its motions reminds us of a baby rocking to sleep, for example. In this sense Simulation is really about pleasure through an analogy with prior pleasurable experiences. Fantasy pleasure play is related to “narrative” or an imaginative surface story. Many of us are addicted to fantasies espoused in fiction writing and movies. The popular appeal of royal weddings and indeed a pre-occupation with lives of celebrities and royal families is another indication of how fantasy brings so much pleasure to so many.
Camaraderie play is the social sense of pleasure derived from friendship and relaxation including love and social interaction or fellowship. We are social animals and camaraderie brings a special type of pleasure. The success of social networking sites like FaceBook and pervasive use of Twitter speaks volumes about the pleasure we derive from camaraderie. Subversion is the pleasure derived from breaking rules or watching other break rules or twisting the truth. Many of us have engaged in such activities as children or as adults just for fun. Finally, as Costello points, the four cross-cutting factors of Novelty, Surprise, Complexity and Uncertainty or Conflict will mediate each of the pleasure play before. For example, Walt Disney’s Space Mountain rollercoaster is enclosed insider a building hence reducing visibility to create an illusion of Space. This rollercoaster is based on primary pleasure plays of Fantasy (space travel) and Danger. However, these pleasures are enhanced because the roller coaster track is barely visible hence resulting in many surprise turns that a rider cannot anticipate. While Costello’s framework is pretty inclusive, it does not consider other aspects of pleasure like “recognition” or “control” for example. Many people crave for and are addicted to the pleasure of public recognition (celebrities, for example). Similarly, many derive pleasure from an illusion of being in control of one’s destiny. Since this paper is based on Costello’s framework, these additional aspects of pleasure will not be considered in this paper.
2.2 Pleasure over time The second component of our framework is based on how mechanisms for pleasures in an interaction change over time. Holbrook and Gardner argued that product consumption duration follows an inverted-u relation which peaks at intermediate levels of arousal, increase with pleasure and peaks at higher levels of arousal as pleasure increases. Holbrook and Gardner also argue that this relationship depends more strongly on pleasure for those with intrinsically motivated enjoyment orientation as opposed to those with an extrinsically motivated task orientation [5]. A qualitative model of ‘pleasure-over-time’ incorporating the complex relationship between time and the potential pleasure in use is presented by Woolley [4]. This model divides the “use” phases of a product into five distinct phases. The first phase is the pre-purchase period, during which the potential user learns about the product through sales campaigns and literature. The user may also look at the product itself or solicit external advice. The primary sense of pleasure at this phase is that of “anticipation of future ownership.” We term the first phase as Awareness to indicate that the user is getting familiar with the existence of the product. The second phase consists of the period when the user comes into touch with the actual product for the first time. In this phase, the primary pleasure sensation may be derived from the “newness” or novelty of the product, its mastery and perhaps exploration. We term the second phase as First Encounter. The third phase of pleasure is characterized by the mundane period of use when the product becomes a part of user’s everyday activities. A more critical judgment of performance of the product begins to develop. We term this phase as Regular Use. Finally, the last phase of product use may be characterized by malfunction, wear, deteriorating performance or simply boredom and over familiarity leading to displeasure. This phase is called Dissatisfaction. For some products, a fifth phase may be a situation where the product achieved such high level of satisfaction that it becomes a product for life. This phase is called Nirvana.
2.3 Simple Pleasures: A Child’s Play
3.1 Pre-Intervention
Children interact with space and architecture in creative ways. They have the motivation and imagination to transform, interact and manipulate their physical environment. This leads to gratification in the simplest things. While some games are collective by nature, other activities are more reflective and individual. Collective games like Fox and Rabbit and Red light Green Light are variants of the tag game and have existed for a long time. For example, tag and hide-and-seek are both spatiallyoriented games that figure prominently in Pieter Brueghel's famous 1560 painting of children playing outdoor games in the sixteenth century Holland [6]. There are also cross-cultural similarities between various versions of spatial games like tag across continents [7]. For kids, playing (i.e. interacting), pleasure and space are inseparable. As Hemming [8] has pointed out, qualitative and quantitative studies support the view that fun and enjoyment is one of the most important reasons why children participate in sports and exercise. Even in the information age, many children continue to enjoy playing such games. And these games are exciting because they embody an experience that heavily depends on a plot, architectural context and a spatial narrative that unfolds in time. They are also intuitive, modest and very accessible. They are user friendly. A spatial game involves a strong awareness of the individual body, interactivity and dislocation.
3.1.1 Inception One of the subtlest and simplest pleasures children find in architecture is the phenomenon of window condensation. Drawing on a condensed window is a quick, fun and intuitive game at the same time. It is done with thumbnails, with no tools or skill required. It is quick, expressive, simple, pure and pleasurable. It communicates an idea that is individualized and leaves an original mark on architectural surface. The feeling of cold and the ability to trace and retrace, blow and redraw offers an extended gratification that is exciting, simple and creative. This design started with this concept of simple pleasure as identified in a child’s play and the window being a screen, a threshold between in and out, and an interface to touch, sense and interact with. The original concept was then enriched and inspired by the notion of window condensation. Inspired by the patterns drawn by children on condensed windows, the intervention will mainly use transparent Acrylic screen incorporating patterns that can move and interact with the users. This was translated to the following ideas: communicating, tactility/ephemerality, and playfulness. The window is then perceived as a surface for communicating ‘formal’ or ‘spatial’ messages. And the playfulness comes from the fact that the screen can lead to physical change.
2.4 Putting it together: Spiral Design from a seed of simple pleasure The case study explores a particular design intervention through the installation of a site-specific screen. In this context, we adopt and adapt an intervention protocol [9] as a working framework. The protocol consists of a set of procedural steps that act as an agenda for designing, theorizing, mapping, and interpreting the intervention. As a result, the overall process may be divided into three simple stages: 1) pre-intervention phase, 2) intervention; 3) post-intervention rationalization. The preintervention phase consists of inception, elaboration and reflection. In the pre-intervention phase, the primary design heuristic in our design from pleasure framework is to use simple pleasures embedded in children’s play as the seed or the starting point for the design (inception). The ideas emanating from these simple pleasures are then sketched based on the temporal unfolding of pleasure over time where the product is the architectural element of interest (elaboration). The temporal unfolding of scenarios is rationalized and enhanced based on the thirteen playful scenarios (reflection). Next, in the intervention phase an installation is created and evaluated based on the actual interaction between users and architectural elements. Finally, a post-intervention rationalization phase helps the designer critically evaluate and re-assess the work and the cycle continues. The application of the framework is described in the next section in the form of case study.
3. CASE STUDY: THE WINDOW AS A PLAYFUL INTERFACE
Figure 1. Simple Pleasure: Drawing on a Condensed Window The intervention is specifically designed to be located at the library café in a University. The structure is placed onto the window façade of the café in a sandwich manner: from outside and from inside. Since, this is an existing site, site’s current dimensions and materiality have formally and spatially informed the project. For example, the screen frame should not extend beyond 70cm outside but other components could be spread around the site. Furthermore, the regulations of the university also posed more constrains in terms of strategies of placement, the screen must be sensitively inserted, not attached, into the window frame. The formal strategy was derived from a shape drawn on a condensed window in this case a flower and the movement is inspired by the concept of breathing (i.e. blowing on the window).
This shape was then produced physically, examined, transformed and multiplied. This has led to a series of compositions that translated into the notion of a pliable screen that has a simple but open lexicon, and that can move and change in response to users interaction. Tactile sensors are placed on the screen as well as on the outside façade. Additional sensors detecting movement of passersby (outsiders) are placed on various existing architectural elements of the courtyard like the paths, sitting zones and pillars. As soon as the sensors detect people’s movement, the screen responds to that signal. And as a result, the interface will change, move, stretch, contract or form a pattern.
Scenario 2: 3D Section Elastic Units - C shaped units that are made of acrylic bended elements heated, shaped and connected to produce a 3-dimensional skin that is elastic and flexible. With some nodes being fixed and others that are dynamic. The movement produced by the servomotors controlled by small microcontrollers will lead to contraction (density) or expansion (porosity) on the screen.
The conceptualization of the design began with a series of drawing and modeling of patterns in 2D and 3D as well as exploring materiality, layering and structural possibilities. A model of each scenario was then built in 1:1 scale as a prototype for an interactive architectural skin. In parallel, sensory systems were also being studied and adapted to the design requirements. Working collaboratively between teams to test sensory system and develop the prototype design. Since the design involves movement at a distance where multiple touch and tactile sensors will be used to register the movement and gestures of individuals outside the café, the Prête-à-apprendre+ toolkit [10] for building ubiquitous applications was selected. This toolkit is based on small, battery-powered microcontrollers and uses the Zigbee wireless protocol. The toolkit uses the Zigbee Ubiquitous Layer [11] to model each node (sensor pods or a screen) as communicating state machines. A change in the state of sensor register changes in the state of the screen causing some movement, for example. After refining the concept, three parallel and possible design scenarios were considered. Each of these design scenarios uses wireless communications to receive sensory data and to transmit actuator commands. Scenario 3 is the one that is currently being installed. Scenario 1: Breathing Muscle - The screen is composed of a repetitive pattern made from muscle-like acrylic units. Each unit is embedded with Flexinol memory wires and can move to produce a breathing effect. The breathing effect is produced by changing the electric current through the wires as controlled by small 8-bit RISC microcontrollers running the Arduino software [12]. The acrylic units can be assembled to form a skin that breathes.
Figure 2. Initial form of the Breathing Muscle
Figure 3. Initial form of the 3D C Section Elastic Units Scenario 3: Triangular Grids – This scenario adopts an X shaped unit that is made of transparent acrylic laser-cut pieces, assembled to produce a 2-dimensional skin. The units are flexible enough to be assembled in many different ways. Figures 4 to 7 illustrate the concept and formal strategy behind this scenario as well as pattern composition and the installation on site.
Figure 4. Initial Form of the Triangular Grids
Scenario 3 is perceived as a playful alternative to traditional curtain wall technology that utilizes embedded, wireless, sensory systems and transparent lightweight structures specifically designed to augment an existing façade. Figure 6 illustrates the prototype after being directly placed on the window (114 cm x 69 cm). It is composed of Plexiglas triangles with fixed and rotational angles. The design is symmetrical and is divided into three horizontal sections. Each section can be moved independently using servomotors. Each servomotor is capable of 5 kg-cm torque and 180 degrees of movement. These servos are used to activate the movement and are directly attached to the Plexiglas units.
force sensor attached to the surface of a bench as shown in Figure 7. The force sensor detects a voltage drop (using a voltage-divider circuit) that is proportional to the force exerted when someone sits on the bench. This voltage drop is read through an analogue-todigital converter and transmitted to the Lilypad microcontroller mounted on the inside screen through a Zigbee module hidden under the bench. The third element consists of an infrared motion detector mounted on the bottom right hand-side of the opening to the tree to detect when someone enters or exits the space. The motion detection data is also transmitted to the Lilypad microcontroller mounted on the inside screen.
Figure 6. Diagram illustrating the relationship between the site, the screen and the technological elements (inside and outside) Figure 5. Cutting, Assembling and Weighting the Screen As shown in Figure 6, two servos each control the top and bottom horizontal sections that move independently of the middle section controlled by four servomotors. Each motor is controlled digitally through a Lilypad microcontroller [12]. The motors are collectively powered through a 5 Ampere regulated direct current (DC) power supply not visible to the visitors of the CafĂŠ. The servomotors in each of the top and bottom sections are synched. The four motors in the middle sections are synched in a mirrorimage-like fashion; the two top motors move in a mirror image to the bottom two motors in order to create uniform movement in the middle section as shown in Figure 7. Figure 7 also shows how the Lilypad microcontroller uses a wired (through a serial port) lowpower XBEE-based Zigbee wireless module to communicate with external elements in the environment. Three types of external elements are supported. The first external element consists of a 3axis accelerometer connected to a Lilypad microcontroller that transmits real-time acceleration using a Zigbee wireless module. This element is mounted in the branches of a tree as shown in Figure 6 and conveys the movement of the tree leaves to the Lilypad microcontroller mounted on the screen inside the CafĂŠ. The second external element consists of a simple fabric-based
Figure 7. Diagrams illustrating the screen with the technology attached to the screen.
When the application comes up, the Zigbee module attached to the screen acts as a coordinator to form a PAN with Zigbee modules attached to each of the outside elements; each outside element acts like an end-device in a Zigbee network. As Figure 7 shows, the primary logic of the application resides in the Lilypad microcontroller mounted inside the screen. This microcontroller runs a program based on a state machine. This state machine responds to various events like the degree of agitation of leaves on the tree, whether someone sits on or leaves the bench or when someone enters or leaves the immediate space outside the screen. These events are transmitted by the external element (the tree, for example) using the attached Zigbee end-point. Upon receiving a notification of these events wirelessly, the Zigbee coordinator attached to the Lilypad insider the screen responds. Based on each event, the state machine running on this microcontroller creates different behaviors on the three sections of the screen by sending various angle profiles to the eight servomotors. These actuator commands, in turn, make the screen exhibit different types of behaviors.
units (110 x 70 cm). The original façade design is quite typical; it provides visibility in one direction, from inside out. Novelty - The screens will be placed on different window modules from inside. Touch sensors will be placed at different points in the outside courtyard for example on the ground or on the pillars. The passersby may interact and press the external nodes of the installation consciously or unconsciously. The touch sensors will communicate their results wirelessly using the Zigbee protocol and cause the various components of the screen to move in a predictable fashion. Observation - As the screens start to move the users will start to become aware of the potential of the screen. At this point they are still sitting/standing in the same location in the cafeteria.
3.1.2 Elaboration Having decided on the site and the basic architectural elements, the experience of a typical audience or user interacting with the architectural elements is sketched based on the pleasure of use as shown below. It should be realized that the “product” is the interaction with the architectural element. Learning - The primary pleasure mechanism at play in the preintervention phase where a user sitting in the café is perhaps looking through the window and the screen is anticipation; will the screen exhibit any interesting behavior?
Figure 8. University Café Façade
First Encounter - Based on activity outside, the screens would exhibit various types of behavior. This is the first encounter of the user with the screen and it should be characterized by exploration and resulting in optimal pleasure. In other words, the screen’s behavior should encourage the user to explore its subtleties and to discover why and how it works.
Curiosity - The non-random movement of the novel screens will lead to individual as well as collective curiosity about the cause of the movement on the screen.
Regular Usage- After the first encounter, a user may become familiar with the behavior of the screen and hence the pleasure may diminish. However, this pleasure can be enhanced by recreating conditions based on the first encounter. This can be done through the mechanisms of novelty, complexity, surprise and uncertainty by to enhance the pleasure at this stage. Dissatisfaction - There is an explicit recognition that eventually, the user will tire of the screen and will show dissatisfaction with its usage. How does design cater for this displeasure? Nirvana - While this stage is often not achieved, a designer is forced to contemplate what would enable a user to continue to use and experience the screen for life.
3.1.3 Reflection At this, we enhance the sketch derived in the previous stage by explicitly mapping and considering the pleasure scenarios afforded by the interaction. It is expected that users will go through the following temporal stages of experience and gratification: Normality - In this condition, users inhabit the space of the café and are engaged in some activity, such as studying, eating, socializing, and conversation. The library café is an open space that is defined by a big glass façade, made up of modular window
[Left: Outside / Right: Inside]
Dislocation - The curiosity will lead to dislocation, trying to come close to the façade and touch the screen and understand how the movement triggered. Dislocation may be in the inside but will also start to become between in and out, blending the boundaries that are naturally being produced by the façade itself. Problem Solving - The work is becoming a puzzle for the users and as they try to resolve the problem the experience is probably becoming more interactive, social and collective. Users are walking between inside and outside in order understand the design and performance of the piece. Experimentation - As users start to understand the piece they will try to experiment with it. Here all the observations are gathered to make up the story and understand the functionality and potential of the installation. Discovery - The users at this stage understand the game and how the screen works and they can interact with it and find pleasure.
3.2 Intervention This is a critical phase for both the designer and the user. The screen is tested and experienced by the university community. And the designer is able to observe and test users’ behavior and interactions with the screen. Will the users find pleasure in the screen? At this stage, we intend to combine ethnography methods with video tracking systems in order to analyze spatial use and experience. While ethnographic methods help to document the
intervention through means of observation, short interviews, video recording, and photography. Video recording will be useful for the following phase, as we analyze and interpret the relationships between use, space and social structure.
solution that is subtle enough not to disturb and distract from the experience. The aim is to keep the technology as integrated as possible to insure an accessible and intuitive playfulness, hence the simple pleasure.
3.3 Post-Intervention Rationalization The analysis of users’ behavior and interactivity is an important reflective stage. Observations from the footage and photograph as well as users comments can be discussed at this stage. The study will lead to a series of diagrams documenting the following: types of activities; spatial occurrence; frequency of occurrence; type and number of users. There is also the future possibility of replication (re-installation) for inferring more results in different contexts.
4. DISCUSSION The pre-intervention phase was focused on the conceptual development and design. It embodies the designers’ expectations and aims to reflect the initial theory of simple play. At this stage, the relationship between the screen and the technology are also defined. In this particular project, the integration of technology and the scheme was one of the main challenges. As shown in figure 9, a considerable amount of work was required to resolve the details and overlapping of different layers. Given the fact that the prototype is designed for a glass façade, ensuring transparency was essential. The selection of Plexiglas material important to guarantee that the screen allows for light infiltration through the window and that the texture of the work is consistent with the initial concept of condensation. Each part of the sensory system including the servomotors, wires and microcontroller were considered in the design and were carefully integrated in the modules allowing for a very peculiar aesthetic quality. For example, the base sheet was engraved with the laser cutter to insert and weave the transmitting wires. Measured spaces were also cut out in the base to fit the servomotors and the microcontrollers. The project lends itself to a range of design methodologies including computer simulation; quantitative and scientific calculations. In this project, an empirical approach was mainly adopted, working collaboratively between teams in engineering and architectural design to test the sensory system and improve the initial design. Computer simulation of the initial movement and articulations between the triangular units was explored during the project. While it was not a complete study, we believe that simulation can be a crucial stage of the design in the future as it is allows for testing the links between the units and agreeing on various ranges of movements and patterns within the screen. The empirical approach has allowed for reflection time and design development, but at the same time, it was time consuming. On the other hand, calculating the rotational angles of the servomotors and the range of weight allowed for each group of moving units was explored on a basic level. In retrospect, we suggest that such explorations can take place early in the project to allow for precise and reliable design decisions when deciding on the range and weight of components. The adoption of simulation and calculations early on in the process will also save time.
Figure 9. Integrating Technology and Screen: The top image shows the technology before integration. The bottom image illustrate how the wires and microcontrollers became part of the design
The empirical methods adopted focused mainly on testing the movement and agreeing on the best screen placement on the site and speculating on the experiential quality of the work. The sensory systems were regularly discussed to explore the best
An important aspect of providing pleasurable results in the screen is movement. It is expected that movement will trigger users interest (hence the potential of play) and help them to shift
in consciousness from Novelty to Observation to Curiosity. For example: which nodes are fixed? Which nodes can move? And what is the formal outcome in each case? The other two scenarios posed other questions: can we control the movement in each module? Can we create an effect of slow breathing that will run across the overall screen? Of course, when dealing with a real site, we have certain limitations in relation to movement, as parts of the screen need to be fixed for support. Another critical point is related to the weight of each module and the ability of the small servomotors to provide enough force to move them.
adapt, the challenge is to implement effective control where building automation systems, user interfaces and services can interact seamlessly, to embed intelligence within the architecture.
The concept of threshold, as well as the relationship between in and out, was an important aspect of this installation. Our aim was to imply this relationship to the users in a subtle way through framing. The framing of the views allowed us to provide a visual relationship between the tree outside, the passers-by, and the moving screen. The window elements selected for testing create an implied relationship between the moving element (screen) and the stimulator of movement (tree and bench) as well as the passers-by.
[1] D. Norman, Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things. Basic Books, New York., 2004.
Regarding experience, one of the expectations of the design is that it will create a dynamic/playful environment in the space. While movement may trigger interest, it is really with Dislocation that the experience of the screen starts to happen. While the passersby unconsciously stimulate the movement it is the ‘insider’ that will start to dislocate and interact in order to understand and solve the problem. This dislocation and unfolding in time is parallel to the shift from Problem Solving to Experimentation to discovery. An event-like experience is expected at this stage as users move between in and out. Therefore, the screen/window initial concept of bridging the two spaces is even more emphasized.
5. CONCLUSION This paper was inspired by a child’s play and the simple pleasure that may be derived from interacting with architectural surfaces. This study identified a typology of pleasures that will be tested through the experience of a site-specific interactive screen. The following levels of pleasure are expected in space and time: Normality; Novelty; Observation; Curiosity; Dislocation; Problem Solving; Experimentation; Discovery. While this study focuses on one module of an interactive screen, the idea is that this module may be multiplied, differentiated and modified to create different scenarios for an architectural skin. For a long time, architecture has been inventive and adaptable. We are living in unique times where technological potential is combined with societal and environmental challenges. The need to generate developments in design techniques and technology advances are leading to the emergence of a new architecture that is qualified as interactive, responsive and intelligent. The above design work is proposed as an alternative to traditional curtain wall technology that utilizes embedded, wireless sensory systems to create an intelligent skin that is also pleasurable. There is a need to embrace design solutions that utilize computational capacity to serve important human priorities such as facilitating creativity and productivity; and enhancing interaction and learning. As buildings develop the capacity to
The post-intervention phase will contemplate the possibilities of such endeavor. What are the implications and potentials of building with such as system in mind? What would it be like to have a whole wall made up of breathing muscles? Or what are the possibilities of the 3D patterns as interactive wallpaper?
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