Sensible Spaces

“Sensible Space” is an installation that allows the participants to experience and explore the concept of sensemaking in a complex system. The installation simulates a complex system where participants are encouraged to interact as one of its constituting agents and they influence the behavior of the installation. They are also encouraged to observe the formation of temporal patterns as a product of their interaction with the installation. The participants are to enter the installation without any knowledge before their interactions and they are challenged to navigate uncertainties of the behavior and make decisions based on their understanding of the context. This process is continuous as the participants adapt their actions in response to changing circumstances and assign meaning to otherwise abstract events. The interactions and feedback loops within the installation induce self-organizing processes, where patterns emerge spontaneously from the interactions of the system’s components. Patterns can manifest at different scales within complex systems. They can appear locally, such as the clustering of elements or the formation of coherent structures within the system. They can also emerge globally, displaying patterns across the entire system.

The installation consists of a floor capable of detecting footstep activity, as well as a configuration of synthetic fibers suspended from the ceiling. These synthetic fibers are then attached to independent motors which generate movement. These movements represent the behavior and state of an individual component of a system. It also serves as visual feedback on the participant’s action as the interactive experience revolves around footstep-based interaction. The participants are encouraged to freely navigate and explore the installation. To facilitate the interaction, the work incorporates a floor embedded with multiple piezo microphones. These microphones serve as the input device that reinterprets the activity on the floor to visible effects in the movement of the motors above. The parameters of the motor action have been designed to be susceptible to movement on the floor. For instance, moving at a faster pace will influence the frequency of oscillation of the motors that move the fibers. It is also possible for multiple participants to engage in the installation at the same time, and the installation will take into account how multiple participation influences the behavior of the motors. As a non-participating observer, the installation can be viewed as a spontaneous performance where the fibers act as a playable instrument. The fibers’ movement can be chaotic or ordered depending on the interaction of the participants.