KEPOS installation, developed during APS Vienna workshop by the students Angelica Lorenzi & Dennis Schiaroli, show-cases the potentials of ICT and energy design implementation into public space. With the use of smart technology, it aims to build a community interested in greening urban spaces, getting users involved through social media.

Concept – Replicability and Scalability in FabLabs

KEPOS is a flexible system that can be made by any modular wooden frame structure, skinned with a heat-forming membrane. Accordingly, structural units can be produced with different degrees of complexity, either with manual tools or with the aid of CNC manufacturing, to be then wrapped and assembled by a small team directly on site. A wooden base houses the water tanks, and at the same time stabilises the construction. It hosts plants which irrigation is controlled through sensors, sending messages to the community about its water needs.

KEPOS in Vienna

The installation realised in Vienna has been hosted by MAK Museum between the 6^th and the 22^nd of June 2017.

It has been developed with the help of advanced interactive technology (Arduino, Grasshopper and Firefly) and fabricated through the use of CNC machines.

The installation is equipped with sensors connected to microprocessors that compute the input data to control the output systems. Three interlocking communication circuits manage and control the performances: watering, text messaging, and lighting performances.

Sensors measure the humidity of soil, and air and, in case irrigation is needed and transmit the request for water via social media (facebook, twitter) to the community. To irrigate the plants’ physical presence is needed: a touch sensing installation activates the water pump. Dripping water saturates the soil until the humidity sensor communicates the right amount of moisture. Moreover, a lighting circuit informs citizens about irrigation needs, re-adjusting colours in animated LED stripes applied in the internal part of the structure, to visually communicate the state of soil and plants to people passing near the installation.

The Opening event occurred on the 6^th of June 2017 at 8:30 p.m. and saw the intervention of artists Patrick Jaritz and Rüdiger Suppin.

Moreover, it was part of the Vienna Biennale 2017.

Credits:

Architecture by Angelica Lorenzi (IAAC Granted Student) & Dennis Schiaroli,

under the direction of Galo Moncayo & Anna Gulinska

with the support of: Andrea Börner & Bernhard Sommer

“Air – Motion – Sound” is an installation developed by CCEA with the support of artist Michael Kindernay. It consists of a live performance targeted at showcasing the potentials of ICT for public space activation and awareness rising.

It was conceived for the I.P. Pavlova Square, one of the most polluted areas of Prague.

This very central space, between the National Museum and the Nuselským Bridge, is crossed every day by over 104,200 pedestrians and 81,600 cars*. Although there are more pedestrians than cars, the space is almost completely dedicated to car traffic, thus making it one of the most polluted areas of Prague.

The installation “Air – Motion – Sound” aims to inform the public about people mobility, air pollution, and noise occurring in one of the most crowded places in Prague and to generate a public debate around the role of ICT in making this area a more sustainable place.

Several elements are part of the installation:

DATA CAPTURE AND VISUALIZATION

Canaries, DIY measuring devices, were installed around I. P. Pavlova, on the ground floor level. Data captured showed that particles matter values are above 300 mg/m³, which exceeds acceptable values stated by the World Health Organization.

During the live performance, white lines were drawn on asphalt, in the I. P. Pavlova Square pedestrian areas, visualising data captured.

AWARENESS RISING FASHION SHOW

Every 30 minutes a fashion show was organised, having 11 models walking through the cross paths in I. P. Pavlova square.

Their white dresses, designed by dress designer Jitka Pospisilova, were previously exposed to air pollution in the same square, hanging them on the facade of a residential building for 2 weeks: their grey traces were a simple and very communicative system to visualise the amount of Particle Metter polluting the area.

Each fashion show was accompanied by a special soundtrack: the artist Michal Kindernay created a sound map of the city’s driving paths, converting the sound registered on the Sokolská and Legerova road in electronic music, in order to raise awareness on the unbearable noise of a traffic junction in the middle of the city.

INFO POINTS AND OPINIONS COLLECTION

Two info points have been organised in I. P. Pavlova square during the event: three people part of the Active Public Space project were explaining the contents of the event and asking people their opinions.

They were distributing postcards illustrating the history of the square, the actual use of it and the process that lead to the organisation of the “Air – Motion – Sound” performance occurring in the square.

In detail, the postcards were showing ancient drawings of the original project of the square, almost only for pedestrian use, the actual status and the white dresses used for the fashion show hanging on a building on the square. Moreover, Movement Illustrator Zuzana Bramborová created images visualising the square’s use.

At the info point, citizens were asked to live their opinion on how to activate the square space leaving a post-it on a cardo-board panel.

DIALOGUE WITH CITIZENS

A picnic area where citizens were invited to discuss about the square use was set-up in the green area of I. P. Pavlova square.

It included blankets with food, where people could rest and talk, accompanied by a harp performance of musician Kate?ina Zochová.

Moreover, pedestrians had the chance to immerse themselves in the silence that the square has the potential for, using special headphones transforming the noise of busy cars into relaxing music.

“Air – Motion – Sound” gave citizens the possibility to discuss with the citizens of Prague, who are passing through the area every day, the possibilities of improving the I.P. Pavlova Square and its transformation away from a busy intersection. The performance lasted 6 hours and more than 20.000 citizens crossing the area were involved.  

* The data is based on the measurements made by the TSK in April 2013 within the 14-day measurement between 6:00am-10: 00 pm.

Don’t miss the Air – Move – Sound event in Prague on the 15th of August!
In Pavlova Square from 2:00pm to 8:00 pm with intermediate artist Michal Kindernay we will discuss with the inhabitants of Prague, who are passing through the town every day, about the possibilities of improving the I.P. Pavlova Square. At the same time we want to inform the public about the movement of people, air quality, and noise in one of Prague’s most polluted places. Measured data, processed in comprehensible form, will be communicated through a series of postcards, interactive website and with artistic and social events.

For more info: http://magistrala.eu/

On the 6th of June at MAK Museum UAAV installation KEPOS will open to the public. It will be available until the 22nd of June.

Combining knowledge on smart planning and smart technologies with citizen participation, KEPOS highlights architecture’s integrating and innovative role in implementing sustainable urban developments. Actively engaging citizens, the installation is showcasing the potentials of information and communication technology (ICT) in public spaces for user interaction and participation, thus raising interest in architecture and public space among a broader audience.
Connected to the internet, KEPOS engages via social media with the community, transforming its space into an active participant of urban life. Therefore, the pavilion is not only designed to provide a semi-private shelter in the urban context but it also engages by communicating its current status.

Using light KEPOS will show the current status of the plants’ need for water. At the same time when the plants are in need of hydration it will post on social media.

The engagement asked of the participants is to touch the plant in need of water thus activating its hydration. KEPOS will be monitoring and posting online the air quality, temperature and light conditions inside and outside of itself to inform on the micro-climate being created.

Follow the project on Facebook and Twitter to get updates on the development of KEPOS.

For more information follow this link to MAK.

KEPOS is also part of the Vienna Biennale

Don’t miss it!

APS Barcelona Installation was developed in the framework of the #SUPERILLA pilot project, which goal is to test in the area of San Marti district the Superilla Plan for Barcelona. The plan aims at closing to the traffic a part of the city roads, creating pedestrian areas and public space, following the scheme below:

SUPERILLA MODEL

SUPERILLA PLAN FOR BARCELONA

Five  Barcelona schools of architecture have been invited to set up installations to activate, between the 12th and the 22nd of September 2016, the new public space generated in the #SUPERILLA pilot project area.

IAAC participated with APS workshop students, developing the POBLEJOC installation, conceived during the Barcelona workshop.

POBLEJOC have been designed as an Urban Game with the aim of activating public space. A bench incorporating a tree, an urban orchard, a market stall, a ping pong table and a screen, all mobile (on wheels), are the elements that were positioned in the #SUPERILLA pilot project area. They could be moved by the users creating different configurations, reflecting the citizens’ desires in terms of design, hence activating the public space.

The space configurations were mapped through the use of a drone, to extract data on the space dynamics. The data were projected on the screen module during the night, offering a new point of view on space usage.

As part of the POBLEJOC installation, an augmented reality application was developed, which was used to digitally overlay information about the activities and functions of the installation.

Using a QR code, the users could download the application, freely available for Android and Apple phones, and use it to get more information on each module of the installation. By pointing their phone cameras to the physical markers of each module, digital information was overlayed on them, regarding the program and location of different activities related with the installation, as well as related general information about the city.

By introducing this digital layer to the installation, the aim was to further engage the public in both the physical and the digital layer and to provide a second level of interaction, through information and social media.

Data visualised

Screen tag: general info on the project; 3D model of the Superilla

Bench tag: twitter feeds with the #Superilla hashtag

Pods general tag: info on urban agriculture in Barcelona

Pods specific tags (one tag per plant): nutritional value and days to grow for cauliflower, lettuce, enciam, beans.

Table tennis general tag: map with sports locations around the area

Table tennis specific tags: calories burned, optimum temperature and relevant time of the day to practice for swimming, cycling, running, table tennis, volleyball

Market tag: market’s weekly schedule

NOTE:

> If you want to see more project pictures, please follow the link to the APS Facebook Page