LUMEN

PROBLEM: Develop an interactive technology-mediated final capstone project that addresses a social justice topic
SOLUTION: An interactive art installation focused on displaying the effects of light pollution
MY ROLE: Visual Designer, Developer, Project Management
TEAM: Julian Ngo, Hannah Tashiro, Jeffrey Leung, Rutuja Nehra
TIMELINE: JAN - JUNE 2019

BACKGROUND

In the last 15 years alone, humanity has seen a significant boost in technological advancements. Urban development is at an all-time high and expansion is easier than ever, but with this continuous spread of civilization across our globe, one of the lesser known and discussed environmental hazards is the effects of light pollution on the world around us.

Lumen is an interactive installation which aims to address this issue. We constructed a diorama of a cityscape and a two-channel ceiling-to-floor projection of a night sky. The installation invites participants to experience an otherwise impossible live comparison between the night sky of a brightly lit city and one that is free from excess artificial lighting, with just a flick of a switch. Our goal with Lumen is to create a thought-provoking experience that creates engagement and encourages a wider discussion beyond the installation itself.

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STORYBOARD

DEVELOPMENT

The curation and development of the installation was done under the Scrum framework where team members had specific roles, tasks were delegated on a product backlog and there was weekly meetings to discuss updates. Over the course of the spring quarter, we cut, constructed, coded, wired, and set up more than 170 pieces of wood, 82 feet of LED strips, 3 flip switches, 2 projectors, 2 speakers, and more. The project pivoted several times due to constructive feedback as well as time constraints and budget.

VISUAL DESIGN

A large component to the success of the project was the visuals for the projections. I took on the role of creating these visuals and went through several iterations to create the final product. Using P5.js and HTML/CSS/JS, I created a dynamic projection that resembled a night sky with stars that twinkled and moved as well as a natural rotation of the sky.