Glowing jungle

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Section title

Glowing Jungle

by Shuang Hao

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CSA Research Report

Project Details Project Lead:

Shuang Hao

Design Participants:

Lucy Jones David Di Duca

Title:

Glowing Jungle

Type:

Immersive interactive installation

Location:

UCA School of Architecture corridor

Project Dates:

31 July - 24 August 2017 Show Preparation 25 August - 1 September 2017 MA Final Exhibition

Design Period:

1 June 2017 - 24 August 2017

Budget:

ÂŁ500

Scale:

3m x 4.5m x 2.5m

Support:

University for the Creative Arts

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Fig.01 The conceptual drawing of the interaction.

Section title

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Research Agenda and Process Overview This project investigates the possibility of creating a calm and peaceful environment. This is developed through a spatial arrangement of optical fibres and sound sources.

Nature is mysterious and beautiful. I am interested in how a fantastic environment might help people feel relaxed. By analyzing and researching a particular site, I try to use optical fibres as the main material in creating an interactive installation, that simulates the natural environment. This will allow participants to enter an immersive environment, that is relaxing through the surrounding glowing fibres and sounds of water. This experiment allow us to further consider the relationship between human and environment.

Research Questions 1.

How to mimic a natural interactive environment through technology and machinery?

2. Can a mimicked artificial-natural environment affect humans’ feelings, making people feel relaxed?

3. Can an installation design use simple technology to positively support well-being?

Fig.02 Waitomo Glowworm Caves

Research Statement

Significance and Contribution In contemporary society, the pressure is growing from many aspects, that make people feel anxious and affects their well-being. For example, too many work and study tasks make people nervous and affect their sleep quality. Being in nature is a positive way to help people reduce their anger, fear and increases pleasant feelings. Being close to nature not only makes people feel better emotionally, it contributes to physical wellbeing, reducing blood pressure, heart rate and the production of stress hormones. It may even reduce mortality, according to scientists such as public health researchers Stamatakis and Mitchell.

In this sense, this project aims to mimic a natural environment, creating a fantastic and peaceful space. The Waitomo Glowworm Caves (see fig2) is an important precedent for me. The caves are naturally occurring, the glowworms inhabit this cave in New Zealand.

Simulating this kind of environment, my project aims to relieve participants’ stress, allows them to feel the atmosphere of nature and feel pleasure.

Methodologies 1.

Analyse existing natural environment such as the Waitomo Glowworm Caves.

2. Prototyping and modeling to test the effects of simulating a natural environment.

3. Observation and analytical drawings of the installation in use, to evaluate the effects on relaxation and well-being.

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Design Proposal After analysing relaxing natural environments, such as the glowworm caves, I identified the possibility of working with light and sound to re-create these spaces. I proposed to design and build a space surrounded by glowing optical fibres and sound resource.

In addition, the fluorescent materials painted on the surface of the underlays, will form a route through the work.

While people walk along the path painted by the fluorescent materials, the optical fibres will glow in blue-green, following the people. The speaker will release All the optical fibres will vary in the sound of a river flowing length and hang in a dark room, arround the whole space. all the walls will be painted in black and mirror films will be sticked on them.

The ground will be covered with black underlays, which are also the floor pressure switches of the optical fibres.

Key technological outcomes of proposal 1.

The application of optical fibres to create a natural scene.

2. The control of optical fibres through circuit and floor pressure plate switch.

3. The making of floor pressure plate switch by corrugated cardboard and aluminum foil.

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Proposal & Context

Design Research Context Field of Work

Work by others

This project demands familiarity with the characteristics and uses of optical fibres. Optical fibres have a wide number of applications in the field of architecture and decoration.

Many artists and architects use the element of fibre and light to create immersive installations.

They use shimmering light to decorate and combine with the surrounding environment, creating great visual effcts.

Meejin Yoon’s “White noise / white light” (see fig3) is a project involving a sense of space, light, and environment. It featured a small field of fibre optic tubes and sound, that responded to pedestrian movement.

My project aims to create a special ambience in a limited space, but learns how to create visual effects by optical fibres and spacial planning from their works.

Fig.03 White noise/ white light (2004) by Meejin Yoon

British artist Bruce Munro also developed immersive installations working with optical fibres, such as: “Field of Light” and “Cantus Arcticus”.

They were arranged by different forms of optical fibres to mimic the dormant seeds that glow in the desert and glowing stringed instruments, which creat visual feasts to the audiences.

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Design Methodologies Researching and analysing a natural space that allows people to feel relaxed, I specifically looked at the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, and their creation of light and sound.

I have been developing knowledge of interactive and immersive installation design, and the material characteristics of optical fibres, to test the relationship of space and wellbeing.

The design involves the transformation of an interior space at UCA into one that simulates of the natural environment.

The project also involves drawing sketches and making prototypes for testing and modifying while addressing circuit and technical problems.

I will also collect the feedbacks of the participants, in order to prove if the installation is able I am learning basic circuit to help people feel relaxed and knowledge to make floor switches contributes to well-being. as the main control system.

Critical Design Elements 1.

The design of an immersive interactive environment.

2. The place and application of optical fibres.

3. The working of floor pressure plate switches.

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Process & Methods

Prototyping and testing In order to develop the installation, a series of tests are carried out with drawings and prototypes, which include both space arrangments and assembly tests.

c. Circuit testing

a. Space planning

d. Overall form models

Drawing a 3D sketch model of the site and making a 1:10 model, allowed me to consider the space arrangement of optical fibres, the speaker as well as the walking route. b. Hanging and distribution Making prototypes of wire mesh panels at 1:2 scale to test the distribution of the optical fibres, also to help consider the length of optical fibres in varying parts.

Making a prototype of the floor switch pressure plate in order to establish the circuit connection to the LED light engine and the floor switch.

After implementing each part of designing and testing, combine them together and conduct the overall test. e. In-situ tests Changes and tests based on 1:1 experience.

Fig.04 (left) 1:4 scale floor switch assembly and circuit testing.

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Fig.07 (left) Sorting and preparing of space for layout Fig.08 (right) Elevation drawing of space layout

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Process & Methods

Fabrication Techniques a. Hanging ceiling

d. Glowing route painting

3 welded wire mesh panels are cut into 1.2m x 2.2m and hung from the top of the room by 12 hooks.

The fluorescent materials were scatteredly painted on the surfaces of floor switch plates , which form a route through the work and guiding people.

b. Optical fibres distribution 8 LED light engines are placed on the mesh panels, which are used to fix the optical fibres and provide light sources. Optical fibres are distributed by the grids of mesh panels, and cut into varying lengths in situ. c. Reflective effect The mirror films are sticked on the black walls, which reflect the light of optical fibres, in order to visually enlarge the interior space and simulate the effect of water reflection.

e. Sound setting Finding a suitable sound resource of flowed water and release by speaker.

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Process & Methods

Fig.10 Conceptual drawing of project perspective

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Process & Methods

Control Systems For creating an interactive control system, I made a floor switch plate for connecting the LED engine and the ground.

While developing the rules of the interaction process.

activating the LED engine. When no one steps on this switch, the two pieces of cardboard will remain separated, and no current will be passed through. b. Glow in the dark paints

Using Ultraviolet (UV) LED torch to charge the fluorescent path The floor switches are made every day to ensure that the glow of two corrugated cardboard in dark paints remain glowing. sheets, soft foam and aluminum foil,it will connect the LED engine and the circuit, which is c. Making rules uses the principle of the foil’s In order to allow participants to conductivity. The foil papers are better experience the process affixed to the inside between of interaction and atmosphere, the two cardboard sheets. The I set the rules: slowly through cardboard sheets are separated the route and only one person by a hollow soft foam sheet. allowed to pass through the When people step on the plate of road. The rules can also prevent the switch, the inside of the two the floor switches from being pieces of cardboard sheets will damaged. be contacted the switch is on, a. Floor switch plates

Fig.12 3D drawing of the structure of the floor switch plate

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Occupation and Interaction The project aims to make people relax. During the interactive process, the participant heard the sound of the underground river, along with the glimmered path through a dark space. At the same time the light of the optical fibres will glow up and follow the participant. I will observe and record the participants’ facial expressions and collect feedbacks to see if the project is beneficial to people’s health.

I will also make a video to record the interactive process as an evidence and commemorate this space experiment.

Fig.13 Conceptual occupation and interaction drawing

Review of Outcomes

Dissemination and Future Work The development process of this project is recorded on my individual blog: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/haoshuang1617/ The installation can be developed by improving the control system and the distribution of optical fibres. For example, design a variety of working paths through the arrangement of optical fibres and making more interactive rules. The scale of the installation can be expanded or reduced flexibly according to different needs and site constraints.

The concept of the project can be further developed by creating more environment and atmosphere to meet people’s different preferences.

The installation can be placed in natural museums, galleries and health centres as an experience and leisure area, make people feel relax.

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Section title

Fig.14 (left) Conceptual occupation and interaction drawing of the final installation

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Materials and Suppliers List Optical fibre (from Taobao, www.Taobao.com)

0.25 x 12000m x 2 rolls LED light engine (from Taobao, www.Taobao.com) 12V 16W x 8 Single Wall Corrugated Cardboard Sheet (from Kite Packaging Ltd, www.kitepackaging.co.uk/) 3 x 1200 x 1000mm x 16

Graphite Black Carpet Underlay (from Ebay, www.ebay.co.uk/) 6mm x 1.2 x 12m Soft foam Sheet (from Ebay, www.ebay.co.uk/) 6.3 x 2300 x 1000mm x 4 Mirror reflective film (from Ebay, www.ebay.co.uk/) 1520mm x 10m Glow in dark paint (from Ebay, www.ebay.co.uk/) 130ml Other sundries:

Tapes, Wilko Cables, Wilko 3 x 45cm x 10m Aluminum foil, Wilko

8 x 12V AC/DC Power Supply Adapter, Ebay

8 x Power connector adapter, Ebay

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Appendix

Bibliography Doorne, S. (1999). Visitor experience at the Waitomo Glowworm Cave. [ebook] Wellington: Department of Conservation. Available at: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.583.3387& rep=rep1&type=pdf [Accessed 13 Aug. 2017].

Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing. (2017). How Does Nature Impact Our Wellbeing? | Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing. [online] Available at: https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/ enhance-your-wellbeing/environment/nature-and-us/how-doesnature-impact-our-wellbeing [Accessed 13 Aug. 2017].

McIntyre, N. and Roggenbuck, J. (1998). Nature/person transactions during an outdoor adventure experience: a multi­ phasic analysis. [ebook] Sagamore Publishing, p.p401. Available at: http://www. sagamorepub.com/products/journal­leisure­research [Accessed 13 Aug. 2017].

Richards, A. (1890). Observations on the New Zealand Glowworm Arachnocampa luminosa (Skuse). [ebook] Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 1868-1961. Available at: http://rsnz.natlib.govt.nz/volume/rsnz_88/rsnz_88_03_005970. pdf [Accessed 13 Aug. 2017].

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Credits MA Architecture Course Leader: Lucy Jones MA Architecture Design Tutor: Lucy Jones David Di Duca

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