Treshold Final Presentation & Critiques

(NB. the quality of the video clip above is not as good as the final presentation - in order to post on this blog I saved it in a smaller format)

Comments below are peer reivew critiques of my project.

Threshold - plan for final products

Requirements: 2 A3 sheets plus a 'thing' (eg. model, animation etc.)

1. A3 sheets:

(1) plan of building with potential locations of cameras, projectors, sensors & screens;

(2) initial investigations and map of how I ended up with the final design - images of the resin experiments, graph, info on the glass to use and technology

(3) take screen shot of final movie image to blow up (or a series of images)

1. Thing: animations of what the doors could look like ie. a series of video clips

To do: rotobrush image of me walking in, and out, overlay onto existing movies but with the addition of screens. Investigate effects on the door as it opens

Threshold - video editing...

My project has now morphed into a video editing education for me...

"Threshold" = transition zone, merge of 2 places, point of balance before entering one place or another

• the point at which my awareness of the 'outside world' (vastly different from student life) and 'design studio world' is in balance - just before one or the other takes over.
• represented by the doors between the courtyard and the foyer area containing the lift/doors to stairs/doors to student centre/door to studio - the glass separating in from out.

Rationale for location: this is where I often collect my thoughts then empty them like the cup of tea analogy from the trashcan project. I come into the studio from this direction (not the student centre).

The reflections in the doors remind me of where I've come from and the action of opening the doors breaks this reflection - shatters it - and takes me to the place I'm going to.

I'll be experimenting with the idea of projections of a live video feed onto the glass doors using high tech surfaces (see Technology page):

1. Where I've Been - to represent moving away from this to something new

• (coming in): trees in the courtyard, the calmness outside, an image of me walking away from this, or,
• (going out): images of the studio, the busy activity, the concentration of people working, eating, talking, lots of movement, an image of me walking away from this

2. Where I'm Going - to encourage an awareness of where I'm about to be, and get me in the correct frame of mind for this

• (coming in): images of what's going on in the studio
• (going out): images of the outside, the weather, the trees etc

3. Merging of these (where I'm going/where I've been)
4. Adding in some still images from the initial investigations of 'merge' with carpet/resin

I'll create some video images of these ideas and see what works best in terms of representing the initial Threshold idea.

Threshold - reflections

Photo of the main doors into the area just outside the studio shows a reflection of what is behind - so is a merging of what you see before you, the 'transition' (door) and what is in front of you. This is the concept I want to explore further...





The black and white image shows the reflection (trees) a bit more effectively.

What makes a reflection seem more like reality? Probably the main thing = absence of your own figure moving within the reflection (if directly in front)
Could do this by having a video projection onto the surface, angle of camera would pick up image behind just above the height of average person.
Project by using a material for the surface which picks this up digitally, while remaining semi transparent. Is there a material like this?

Materials Experiments - TreshHold

The focus of my threshold is the 'transition' between one space and another, where these 2 areas overlap and merge/mix and the boundary is blurred.
I also intially wanted an emphasis on materials so did some 'experiments' with resin and other things that might resemble things that might appear in either space as part of the main environment eg:

• autumn leaves - shellac
• glass in the doors -resin/plastic sheet
• tiles - terracotta/orange crayon
• carpet
• lino

I melted or added the resin to a few things - nothing looked that great until I took some photos:

Treshold - notes from talk with tutors

Treshold ideas - my focus is on the materials/surface as I'd like to keep investigating new materials (eg. see 'Smart Surfaces')
A venn diagram was drawn as the space I'm interested is the merging between the 2 places (Studio, Courtyard). A place where everything is on the same level, like the Carnival concept.
Task over the next 2 days is to investigate 'melding' of materials.... eg.

• some kind of transparent materials with stone
• resin with paint
• try melting some plastic in the microwave..
• melt using the stove top, iron, (with foil)

“Cartesian Wax” – a prototype for an environmentally responsive skin

TreshHold - initial ideas

Adaptive, reactive architecture - adapting to the environment

sunlight, daylight, moonlight, temparature, rain, cloud cover

Rain: when it's raining, a cover would extent out further into the courtyard providing a place for people to stop and put up/put down umbrellas, put on/take off raincoats

• Sunny day: cover extends right back out of the way to let in more light to the transition area
• Low light: lighting automatically comes on and adjusts to the ammount of light coming in
• Temparature: colder, the threshold will adapt so that less outside air can easily flow into the transition area; hotter, the threshold area will allow more air to flow, creating a breez

Inviting people to enter

light, temparature, sound, smell, movement

A warm light coming from inside, pleasant temparature compared with outside, pleasant sounds and smells

Some links for inspiration..

This is a pretty cool sound sculpture:

http://www.gateshead.gov.uk/Leisure%20and%20Culture/Art/ArtMaps/Post-Angel/Threshold.aspx

by Lulu Quinn (http://www.luluquinn.com/statement.asp )

TrashCan Project Critiques

Comments below are critiques from the peer review process.