Take a behind-the-scenes look at big-city life! 13 interactive installations provide fascinating facts about what goes into this city and what comes out. The focal-point themes are social life, culture, residential living, leisure, health, sports, nature, infrastructure, the future and international relations.
The spring exhibition’s theme is “Livable City Linz” (“Lebensstadt Linz”). But this isn’t just a listing of all the things that everybody already knows; the point is to highlight some less obvious and more fascinating stuff—childish rumors, historical anomalies, fun facts & odd info, and visions of the future. And we didn’t just round up countless anecdotes in the spirit of the theme, we get this message across via personal conversations grouped according to areas of interest. Look at Linz from a different angle!
Wir sind Linz
SimLinz
Panorama
Lebenszeichen
Fingermarathon
Ansichten
13 interactive scenarios on 700 m2 exhibition space
…constitute a unique parcours through Linz. The setting of this presentation of Linz is a 20×37-meter pavilion, a striking venue designed by ANY:TIME. On the exterior, a 6½-meter-tall cube is completely surrounded by a strip of artificial turf, a green band meant to symbolize the successful environmental protection measures that have so tremendously enhanced the quality of life in Linz. On both sides of the entrance, this façade seems to have been rolled away to open up a view of the mirrored metal interior. This material transition from green artificial turf to polished metal alludes to the numerous layers on which the so-called “Linz System” is based. Plus, it reflects each individual visitor, who thus becomes a part of the whole.
Linz from Above
As soon as visitors step inside, they get a one-of-a-kind look at Linz—a high-definition, 150-m2 print spread out across the floor showing the entire city from a bird’s-eye view.
We Are Linz
“We Are Linz” was inspired by a beloved children’s book. A picture is taken of every visitor inside an illuminated photography cube. Then a computer divides each image into three horizontal segments—head, trunk and legs—and displays them on a projection screen. But here, they’re randomly combined with segments from other installation visitors to create a seemingly infinite series of variations.
(In)Sights
This installation takes visitors on a fascinating excursion into Linz’s past. Postcards featuring pictures of Linz in bygone days are arrayed on an interactive table that also displays the contemporary view corresponding to each historical image. Old and new perspectives create interesting contrasts and bring out the city’s tremendously dynamic development. Some older guests will recall the Linz of their childhood; the city’s younger residents will be able to discover elements of the cityscape that seem familiar and strange at the same time. This installation is based upon the Ars Electronica Solutions product (In)Sights.
Finger Marathon
The Finger Marathon invites visitors to test their sports abilities. 1 to 4 perople can run a section of the marathon distance with their fingers.
Linz in Numbers
Linz in Numbers presents different facts about the city and the work of “Unternehmensgruppe Linz” (UGL). The slide shows displayed on the screens can be selected by topic: Future Linz, Social Aspects, Life, Education, Traffic, Infrastructure, Health, Sports & Leisure, Culture. The visitors can skim through the facts, according to their interests.
Panorama
An extremely high-definition panorama wall measuring about 16 meters in length invites visitors to embark on a most extraordinary tour of Linz. This trip around town literally takes in the entire area within the city limits. At every destination you choose, you can zoom right in and examine the minutest details.
Vital Signs
The “Vital Signs” installation provides uncommon looks at everyday life inside Linz General Hospital. Each visitor’s heartbeat is electronically linked to statistical data from day-to-day operations at this metropolitan trauma center—thus establishing a connection to the medical pulse of the city.
OPEN COMMONS_LINZ
Freely accessible use of digital data has assumed enormous importance, so Linz has been focusing increased attention on this mode of information dissemination. By means of interactive games or directly on mobile devices, visitors are empowered to discover more on their own.
Roof solar suitability assessment
The use of solar power as an alternative energy source is becoming increasingly widespread. Owners of many residential buildings have even set up solar energy production equipment on their roofs. Visitors to this installation can access an interactive map of the City of Linz to consider the suitability of a particular rooftop location.
SimLinz
SimLinz is an interactive data pool that interlinks historical and contemporary city maps, statistics and photos. The result is a graphic depiction of the city’s utilities & transportation networks—electrical conduits, district heating pipes, public transit lines and much more.
3D Viewer
IKT Linz’s 3-D viewer displays uncommon and highly detailed images of Linz. You can use a Playstation console to navigate around town.
Linz. Together. Life.
The project IMPORT/EXPORT introduces employees of the City of Linz and its municipal services and enterprises with a migration background in the form of video portraits.
Futuristic Linz – Shadowgram
There is probably no other city in Austria where a focus on the future exerts a more powerful influence on political and cultural life than in Linz. “Shadowgram” spotlights Linzers’ plans, hopes and aspirations for the future. First of all, each visitor poses behind a wall of light and is photographed—the result is a shadow image showing a human silhouette. This shot is then printed out as a miniature sticker that is applied to a map of Linz. There, it is augmented by a speech balloon in which the individual depicted can make a statement expressing what’s on his/her mind.
Workshop
“Design Your City” provides urban residents with an interesting way to express their fondest wishes for their city. Serving as background are wide-angle shots that are customized with tighter images and objects. Two possible photographic motifs are available—right in front of the LinzChanges tent, or on the Main Deck of the Ars Electronica Center. Then, the final picture is saved to memory. In this way, participants can create lots of different images of the city, which are displayed on the screens surrounding the workshop table. At the 2013 Festival, Linz Art University hosted “Design Your City.”
Made possible by the generous support of servus.at and Radio FRO
PIKA360
PIKA360 is a 360° panorama photo kiosk featuring on-the-spot print-out capability. Like the photo booths you see at train stations, PIKA360 can be installed anywhere. The 360° image is available immediately—a hardcopy can be printed out, or it can be uploaded to an online gallery. Access via smartphone offers not only an impressive interactive image display but also a nice array of functions to make sharing and downloading a breeze. All features and print outs are free-of-charge.
Made possible by the generous support of Ricoh
Project Credits (AE Solutions):: Chris Bruckmayr, Cecile Bucher, Stefan Dorn, Stefan Fuchs, My Trinh Gardiner, Imanol Gomez, Yvonne Hauser, Barbara Hinterleitner, Christoph Hofbauer, Martina Karrer, Petros Kataras, Fadil Kujundžić, Kathrin A. Meyer, Harald Moser, Benjamin Olsen, Andreas Pramböck, Gerald Priewasser, Roland Reiter, Vanessa Schauer, Markus Wipplinger, Claus Zweythurm
Foto Credits: rubra, Florian Voggeneder, Martin Hieslmair, Robertba, ANY:TIME Architekten, Veronika Pauser
The LINZ CHANGES exhibition is being produced jointly by the City of Linz and its municipal services & enterprises: local government agencies, the utilities, the general hospital, the senior center, the concert hall, Ars Electronica, the real estate development corporation, the information & communications technology provider, the Tobacco Processing Plant development corporation, the security patrol, the municipal housing authority, the Design Center management company, the local light railway and the airport. The exhibition’s interactive installations were created by the Ars Electronica Futurelab; the exhibition architecture is the work of ANY:TIME, a Linz firm; Messemanagement Linz GmbH set up the exhibition tent.
