SIX MOVEMENTS

Curators: Fiona Zisch, Michael Wagner, Dr Ruairi Glynn

The Interactive Architecture Lab at the Bartlett School of Architecture is interested in the behavior and interaction of things, environments, and their inhabitants. We are engaged in a range of academic research activities and industry collaborations. At the heart of the Lab is our 15-month Masters program MArch Design for Performance & Interaction which gives students an opportunity to explore the potentials of new sensing, computation, networked, and responsive technologies to imagine, build, and test new spaces of performance & interaction.

“Look only at the movements – and they will bring you to matter.”

SIX MOVEMENTS showcases six individual student projects centered around different types of movement. The work takes a critical stance and reflects on past and current developments across art, science, and technology to spearhead thinking on emergent themes of the 21st century. The works presented are physical and virtual prototypes that enact cybernetic and performative approaches to the design of immersive and interactive environments. In the spirit of Cybernetics we take an “antidisciplinary” attitude to our research, breaking boundaries between art and science, particularly between fields of architecture, performance, interaction, and psychology. The breaking of these classical enclosures of specialized practice reveals rich new territories of practice to address our changing social, ecological and technological landscape.

Overview of projects

CuGo

Kongpyung Moon (SK), Peng Gao (CHN)

CuGo is a board game where humans interact with modular robots (H-RMR). As a platform for people and robots to collaborate, CuGo not only encourages players to observe and understand how the multi-axis RMR robots behave, but also how they might be utilized. CuGo also opens up questions about the role of humans within environments populated by autonomous agents.

The Entangled Eye

Anne-Héloise Dautel (FR), Irem Bugdayci (TR), and Robert Wuss (USA)

The Entangled Eye is an exploration of visual perception through robotic motion. Luna and Laika are two robotic creatures with curious and animate behavior programmed to elicit your attention. As the whimsical creatures chase your eyes with unique kinematic expressions, the direction of your gaze orchestrates a conversation.

Lumina

Danniella Vizcarra (PER), Claudia Cortes (MEX)

Lumina is an interactive installation that aims to generate a sense of presence by exploring the personal and peripersonal space of the user. The instrument reflects interactive boundaries of light drawn by our bodies. The intensity, color, and shape of the boundary is modified when the user extends or retracts their arms.

In Rhythmic fragments

Saria Ghaziri (FR/LB), Dalia Todary-Michael (CA/EG)

In Rhythmic Fragments is a biophilic spatial installation that translates mensurated motions into kinetic architectural boundaries. Inspired by the rhythmic flows of energy observed at varied scales in the natural environment, the installation aims to engage our mind with contemplative content to evoke the sense of being mesmerized.

SOVAR

Ava Aghakouchak (IR)

Sovar is an active soft wearable that maps certain architectural elements on the wearer’s body. The cross-modal mapping of the space on the user’s back directs their attention to their surroundings and increases their sense of presence within a space.

Sounds, and sweet airs

Kornbongkoch Harnpinijsak (TH), Weichen Tang (CN), Nong Hua Lim (MY)

This sensory design project reflects on natural sound ecologies to create a synthetic environment around human-technology interaction. It encourages us to rethink our relationship with the environment.

Project Credits:

http://www.interactivearchitecture.org/dfpi
Programme Director: Dr Ruairi Glynn
Principal tutors: Jessica In, Fiona Zisch, Paul Baviste

Biographies:

Fiona Zisch is a researcher and educator working across architecture and neuroscience. Her research focuses on how neural mechanisms construct spatial experience and what parallels exist between architecture and neuroscience. She is fascinated by the relation between design intuition and radical embodiment and argues for a more reflective NeuroArchitecture. Fiona also lectures at the University of Innsbruck and the University of Westminster and works in practice on design consultancy and transdisciplinary thinking.

Michael Wagner is a spatial designer and educator working in the fields of architecture and experimental stage design. With a Swiss BSc in Architecture and long-time experience in sound and lighting design, his core interest lies in the combination of stage technology with the fundamentals of architecture. Outside of his practice, Michael also teaches at the Bartlett School of Architecture as a design, tech and thesis tutor across different courses and is involved in the organisation and design of UCL Bartlett shows and exhibitions.

Dr. Ruairi Glynn practices as an installation artist and directs the Interactive Architecture Lab at the Bartlett School of Architecture. He has exhibited internationally with recent shows at the Centre Pompidou Paris, the National Art Museum of China Beijing, and the Tate Modern, London. His interactive installations reflect on rapid developments in robotics, material science and computational technologies exploring the emerging aesthetics of behaviour permeating across art, architecture and design.