We were asked to create several installations for this debut lighting festival in Yaletown.Our first installation, named “An Instant in Colour” allows spectators to change the colour of the building by placing objects in a marked area nearby. Objects at that spot are captured and translated into moments in colour that move and flow across the building facade blending and mixing with previously captured moments. By reacting to the colours at the spot and the moments captured by it, the building facade enables the viewer to express him or herself by way of light, amplifying and sharing it for all to see. This installation has been developed from Urban Visual Interaction Lab’s exploration into lighting systems that express the mood of buildings, with the goal of expanding the relationship between buildings and their environment. Above and below; the installation translates the colours at the foot of the building to the entire facade above The second installation titled ” space crawlers ” was the collision of media and the conventional forms of a turn of the century (1900’s) building facade. Some images of the installation are below, due to the incredibly tight performance times of illuminate yaletown, the set up of the projections onto the building had to become part of the performance itself. (photo credit: flickr) Above is another photo taken by a person interacting with the set-up grid, often the most simple presentation can create the best interaction.  Konstantinos Mavromichalis received his BFA in Visual Arts and Philosophy from the University of Victoria and works primarily in environmental design. Nathan Whitford brings many years of creative talent and lighting expertise to these installations. (photo credits: flickr)

A key component to the installation will be the digital content presented on the screens and around the entire entrance lobby and adjacent hallway. The intention is to create content inspired by the aesthetic aspects of automotive design and production, cinematics of driving, streetscapes, and abstract macro shots of machinery. Additionally, real-time generative graphics will play a large role in the operation of the installation. These generative graphics, along with NFS staff submitted ‘work in progress’ will  help keep  the installation “fresh.”

In the elevator lobby, stylized panels will zigzag across the space catching imagery from projectors mounted in two opposite corners of the room. These projectors will project an array of loosely car related imagery and iconography: gauges, wind-tunnel testing, street views mixed with data and graphics.  LED lighting will change colour to match the projected media.

LCD screens in the elevator lobby area will serve as graphic cornerstones to the installation, by featuring more recognizable versions of the imagery ‘fractured’ throughout the room. They will also provide a way for information to be relayed to staff as they enter and exit the floor. RFID card readers will allow the installation to ‘know’ who is entering and to display the appropriate information to that individual. That information could be fun and interactive such as displaying a unique avatar or changing the lighting to a specific colour, or informative, such as a reminder of an important staff meeting

Additional sensing and proximity reading hardware help to animate the graphics and lighting, by providing various levels of interaction with people passing through the space. For instance, if someone were to rush by the entrance to the long hallway you could hear the screeching of tires