Due to the exponential proliferation of smart phones and the massive deployment of low cost sensors and actuators, the urban environment is enriched by a new information layer. What in the past had to be static, universal, and visible, can now be dynamic, personalized and nearly invisible. Our perception of urban structures and our behavior within these structures is changing due to this increasing digitalization of urban space; our sense of relationship is expanding through social networks and digitally enhanced neighborhoods.
In the research class "City and Interaction" we critically explored this field and tried to foster further creative developments. We approached the research subject from two directions, with students from architecture and interface design, and therefore the class was supervised by a professor from each discipline: Prof. Markus Löffler and Prof. Reto Wettach. We were also supported by our external advisors: Prof. Mark Shepard, Prof. Mette Thomson and Prof. Gesche Joost. For a more detailed description of the class please look at our German application.
On this website we present the final projects - the long and very fruitful discussions within the class have not been documented - but have been a source of many more ideas and questions.
the social mix-maximizer
daniel palmér, hannes hoepfner, piotr misiewicz
view documentation In this project we are focusing on turning "non places" into inhabited places. By using reflective surfaces; a very basic and recognizable form of interaction, we want to spark social encounters as well as create an accessible and interesting environment.
The "mirror-scape" assembles a collage of reality, facilitates the current atmosphere and emphasizes detailed spatial information in a personal and unique way.
daniel palmér, hannes hoepfner, piotr misiewicz
view documentation In this project we are focusing on turning "non places" into inhabited places. By using reflective surfaces; a very basic and recognizable form of interaction, we want to spark social encounters as well as create an accessible and interesting environment.
The "mirror-scape" assembles a collage of reality, facilitates the current atmosphere and emphasizes detailed spatial information in a personal and unique way.
connected city
stephanie neumann, jonas breme
view documentation ConnectedCity is a research project exploring the interaction within urban neighbourhoods. The main question is – how can interaction between neighbours be increased in an anonymous but socially diverse house?
Our goal is to start a dialogue about practice-based research for urban living. We want to explore the urban lives of present and future citizens, their particular opportunities to interact, and their potential to engage in diverse cross generational communities.
stephanie neumann, jonas breme
view documentation ConnectedCity is a research project exploring the interaction within urban neighbourhoods. The main question is – how can interaction between neighbours be increased in an anonymous but socially diverse house?
Our goal is to start a dialogue about practice-based research for urban living. We want to explore the urban lives of present and future citizens, their particular opportunities to interact, and their potential to engage in diverse cross generational communities.
future work scenarios
elias barrasch, jakob blazejczak, heiko gerdes, mathieu roguet
view documentation What can tradition-oriented Architecture and future-oriented Interfacedesign learn from each other – built realities and virtual possibilities?
The world is constantly changing. Technological progress, globalization, availability of information and networking shape our society. Our working environments adapt just slowly. How would we redesign our work?
The virtual company links people, locations and projects. Based on skills and sympathy people join there forces to handle projects together. They share there infrastructure and complement each other in their competences.
To make our our concept more tangible we chose a market-hall in Kreuzberg (Berlin). It‘s existing structure and the sensuality of it‘s space add more reality as well as life to our concept.
An architectural prothesis expands existing buildings functions, organizes spaces and is the base for a solid utilization concept.
A network of spaces and people accrues that gets visible within the city.
Services complete our holistic work environment and take the load off the freelancer. You can book a project manager, who is the central interface for the networking and organization of the work process.
Welcome to the future right now!
elias barrasch, jakob blazejczak, heiko gerdes, mathieu roguet
view documentation What can tradition-oriented Architecture and future-oriented Interfacedesign learn from each other – built realities and virtual possibilities?
The world is constantly changing. Technological progress, globalization, availability of information and networking shape our society. Our working environments adapt just slowly. How would we redesign our work?
The virtual company links people, locations and projects. Based on skills and sympathy people join there forces to handle projects together. They share there infrastructure and complement each other in their competences.
To make our our concept more tangible we chose a market-hall in Kreuzberg (Berlin). It‘s existing structure and the sensuality of it‘s space add more reality as well as life to our concept.
An architectural prothesis expands existing buildings functions, organizes spaces and is the base for a solid utilization concept.
A network of spaces and people accrues that gets visible within the city.
Services complete our holistic work environment and take the load off the freelancer. You can book a project manager, who is the central interface for the networking and organization of the work process.
Welcome to the future right now!
moldable light sculptures
johanna buffetrille, alyssa trawkina
view documentation Moldable Light Sculptures is an interactive installation for the Berliner Schlossplatz which gives visitors control over a space after a continuous change of identity in the history of the place. The Schlossplatz will become an active space where people like to meet and stay. Moldable objects in different sizes are spread throughout the space. The different sizes allow either interaction with others or individual exploration. They offer the possibility of sitting, lying, or climbing, using as punching bags or acting as meeting points. The objects get their shape and character not until they are arranged by the visitors. Finally one finds his- or herself in a place shaped by the different moods of people. If the visitors interact with the objects at night, the contact will be represented through light. The more people interact with an object, the brighter the light will shine. This will allow other visitors to see where the most interactions are happening, and motivate them to join or build new groups. The longer the interaction continues, the longer it will remain represented in the phosphorescent layer charged by the lights.
johanna buffetrille, alyssa trawkina
view documentation Moldable Light Sculptures is an interactive installation for the Berliner Schlossplatz which gives visitors control over a space after a continuous change of identity in the history of the place. The Schlossplatz will become an active space where people like to meet and stay. Moldable objects in different sizes are spread throughout the space. The different sizes allow either interaction with others or individual exploration. They offer the possibility of sitting, lying, or climbing, using as punching bags or acting as meeting points. The objects get their shape and character not until they are arranged by the visitors. Finally one finds his- or herself in a place shaped by the different moods of people. If the visitors interact with the objects at night, the contact will be represented through light. The more people interact with an object, the brighter the light will shine. This will allow other visitors to see where the most interactions are happening, and motivate them to join or build new groups. The longer the interaction continues, the longer it will remain represented in the phosphorescent layer charged by the lights.
the invisible house
robin rundkvist, jeremias volker, luise fischer, nagore goni
view documentation LED mesh screens put up in the gap between buildings, displaying 4-frame photo shoots taken in the booth beneath. A regular photo booth, operated like any other, but with the big difference that it does not spit out your 4-photo-strip in the end. Instead your photos form together a frame animation shown in one of the apartment windows in the invisible house, then inhabited by anyone and everyone that passed by and want to be part of it.
robin rundkvist, jeremias volker, luise fischer, nagore goni
view documentation LED mesh screens put up in the gap between buildings, displaying 4-frame photo shoots taken in the booth beneath. A regular photo booth, operated like any other, but with the big difference that it does not spit out your 4-photo-strip in the end. Instead your photos form together a frame animation shown in one of the apartment windows in the invisible house, then inhabited by anyone and everyone that passed by and want to be part of it.
living structure
christina serowski, denys jörg christian matthies, daniel gronau, katrin krupka
view documentation The Project "Living Structure", inspired by Mette Thomsens Robotic Membranes, was developed as a reactive architecture to make information tangible in urban areas in a sensory spatial way.
Architecture today follows mainly traditional notions of space, is static for the most part and does not interact with people by changing its outer shape. Movement was conceived in architecture at all scales, but the process of movement has not been in the focus of interest yet. This project symbolizes the movement in architecture like the invisible procedural dynamic in our increasingly networked society. The purpose of the project "Living Structure" is to make this tangible in a spatially sensually way by an installation in Potsdam city center. The spatial structure is able to change its outer shape when people enter. The discovery of the footbridges sensitizes for a new spatial understanding.
christina serowski, denys jörg christian matthies, daniel gronau, katrin krupka
view documentation The Project "Living Structure", inspired by Mette Thomsens Robotic Membranes, was developed as a reactive architecture to make information tangible in urban areas in a sensory spatial way.
Architecture today follows mainly traditional notions of space, is static for the most part and does not interact with people by changing its outer shape. Movement was conceived in architecture at all scales, but the process of movement has not been in the focus of interest yet. This project symbolizes the movement in architecture like the invisible procedural dynamic in our increasingly networked society. The purpose of the project "Living Structure" is to make this tangible in a spatially sensually way by an installation in Potsdam city center. The spatial structure is able to change its outer shape when people enter. The discovery of the footbridges sensitizes for a new spatial understanding.
urban weave
lionel michel, roland heuger
view documentation The "Schlossplatz" in Berlin is a big empty area in the center of the city that appears like a huge urban gap since the "Palast der Republik" has been teared down in 1994. Up to the beginning of rebuilding the former castle, "Urban Weave" is a proposal for an interactive installation, that would temporarily cover the "Schlossplatz" and let the visitors collectively reshape the place.
Technically, Urban Weave consists of a grid of rotating pylons which are connected by Electroluminescent wires that are influenced by the movements of the visitors.
lionel michel, roland heuger
view documentation The "Schlossplatz" in Berlin is a big empty area in the center of the city that appears like a huge urban gap since the "Palast der Republik" has been teared down in 1994. Up to the beginning of rebuilding the former castle, "Urban Weave" is a proposal for an interactive installation, that would temporarily cover the "Schlossplatz" and let the visitors collectively reshape the place.
Technically, Urban Weave consists of a grid of rotating pylons which are connected by Electroluminescent wires that are influenced by the movements of the visitors.
prenzl´berg 17/18
alexander radomski
no documentation available Large parts of the east of Berlin are marked by the serial production produced and standardized dwellings of the GDR. These buildings are not only monotonous and dull, but the lack of interaction with the city also no urbanity. The two skyscrapers of type WHH-GT 18 in Prenzlauer Berg 17 and 18 are a prime example for this problem. With a conceptual discussions were different thesis developed, which improve the interaction with the city, the house and the inhabitants. In a row this analysis will later have a specific spacial dispute.
alexander radomski
no documentation available Large parts of the east of Berlin are marked by the serial production produced and standardized dwellings of the GDR. These buildings are not only monotonous and dull, but the lack of interaction with the city also no urbanity. The two skyscrapers of type WHH-GT 18 in Prenzlauer Berg 17 and 18 are a prime example for this problem. With a conceptual discussions were different thesis developed, which improve the interaction with the city, the house and the inhabitants. In a row this analysis will later have a specific spacial dispute.
upark
jan pötter, sabine richter, anne wohlauf
view documentation
Upark is a concept for the redesign of the space under the elevated railway section of the underground line 1 in Berlin, Germany in order to create a pleasant atmosphere so that residents and visitors are invited to spend time there. The ribbonlike form of the park is accentuated by repeating elements along the distance of 9 km. At selected locations along the line highlights are created which refer to structural and local conditions. The surrounding area of the station "Hallesches Tor" served as an example how landscape architectural changes can reactivate the previously unused space under the elevated railway.
jan pötter, sabine richter, anne wohlauf
view documentation
Upark is a concept for the redesign of the space under the elevated railway section of the underground line 1 in Berlin, Germany in order to create a pleasant atmosphere so that residents and visitors are invited to spend time there. The ribbonlike form of the park is accentuated by repeating elements along the distance of 9 km. At selected locations along the line highlights are created which refer to structural and local conditions. The surrounding area of the station "Hallesches Tor" served as an example how landscape architectural changes can reactivate the previously unused space under the elevated railway.
This event is organized in support of the “Interflex” lectures at at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam during the winter semester 2011/12. The “InterFlex” project promotes multidisciplinarity and flexibility in order to integrate research as well as knowledge and technology transfer into the curriculum.
“InterFlex” was part of the “Excellent Education” competition launched by the “Stifterverband der Deutschen Wissenschaft” and the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany (Kultusministerkonferenz). It is funded by the Stifterverband and the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture of Brandenburg.
“InterFlex” was part of the “Excellent Education” competition launched by the “Stifterverband der Deutschen Wissenschaft” and the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany (Kultusministerkonferenz). It is funded by the Stifterverband and the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture of Brandenburg.