AR Navigational System within maze
This thesis aims to experiment how new social interactions can be cultivated through the combination of an online digital platform and a physical space, specifically within an adult playground. This experiment lands itself in the open flexible play spaces of the proposed park being constructed beneath the new 6th street viaduct. The location of this site not only appeals to the younger generation as it is centrally located within the city of Los Angeles, but it also allows for cross-pollination between the neighborhoods of Arts District and Boyle Heights. This approach reimagines traditional settings for new social connections which are completely conducted within a physical framework, and online platforms which are solely digital, into one that is simultaneously digital and physical- a hybrid of the two worlds. How do we imagine an environment that can both activate physical spaces with the incorporation of technology that enhances the experience of its visitors and enables them to discover new social connections in the process? The allure of online connections and interactions stems from its accessibility, its allowance for an alternative persona, its anonymity, and its abundance of choice, how can we play upon this psychology and reimagine it within a physical environment? Can this result in a typology that can reflect the individual expressions and cultures of the younger generation?
By designing a maze-like environment with hidden programmatic follies nested within it, we wish to visualize how technology could help enhance the experience of a physical environment and how various social interactions can simultaneously occur within this environment. As our phones have become an integral part of our daily experience, almost a physical extension of our body, we propose a wholistic online platform that encompasses an AR navigational system, AR compatibility games to help its users navigate, discover, and explore new connections and experiences. Visitors of this playground will find themselves immersed in both the digital and the physical world as they explore these new grounds for social interaction. This project will also investigate and experiment with the sensory experiences that define and differentiate a physical interaction between a purely digital one through light, color, and tactility.
In collaboration with Betty Ziyin Gu
Video depiction of a possible narrative within the mazes
Image of 12' Site Model with Projection Mapping
Image of 12' Site Model with Projection Mapping
Video of 12' Site Model with Projection Mapping
Full Length Video of 12' Site Model with Projection Mapping
Video of 12' Site Model with Projection Mapping
Custom interactive installation visualizing the user interface of the AR system and components of the playground.
AR App Demo