in context of: BA Interaction Design, Soft Architecture Course 2022
mentors: Dr. Roman Kirschner, Prof. Dr. Karmen Franinovic
with: Audrey Lohmann, Loïc Hommel

abstract

“Capturing Light” was a multi-material, multi-media light installation, built during the Soft Architecture module in September and October 2022. The project took place in two separate locations. The first part was carried out in Štinjan (Pula), Croatia, the second part was installed at Toni Areal in Zurich. For the installation in Pula we used mirrors to guide sunlight into one of the ammunition storage rooms that remained from the war. At Toni Areal, artificial light was used to produce a spatial experience translating the experience from one place to the other.

description

The first part of “Capturing Light”, carried out in Štinjan (Pula), Croatia, explored one of the ammunition storage rooms from the 90s. Mirrors were installed outside of the buildings and placed in certain angles, to guide a tight beam of sunlight into the chambers. During the final show, dust that had settled over the years on the floor, was re-dispersed into the air, making the light almost tangible for the audience. Aditionally, a cord was placed parallel to the beam, caring some artefacts in form of broken mirror parts and pieces of fressnel foils, extracted from an old monitor. This resulted in reflections and refractions of the beam, creating a spacial and interactive experience for spectators. All of the materials were sourced at the location.

For the second part of the installation, some of the ideas of light and space were translated into a different context. This time, the students took the “sterile” location of the Toni Areal as inspiration and transferred it to a laboratory-like experience. Instead of using natural light, a LASER Projector was used at one of the “Probebühne” spaces to project geometrical shapes though a fish tankt, that was filled with water. The room was filled with smoke, to visualize the thin laser beam and the dynamics of air movement, caused by the audience itself during the performance.

impressions