Explorations. The Physical. The Digital.

Andreas Schlegel LASALLE College of the Arts www.sojamo.de www.syntfarm.org

Resonate 2014 Belgrade, Serbia

Syntboutique, by syntfarm, 2008. Urban Explorations, 2012.

Syntfarm Mongolia, 2008 Syntboutique

Our mission was to find objects that are of great importance for people living independently from information technologies, electrical energy and consumerism.

Syntfarm Mongolia, 2008 Syntboutique

Our mission was to find objects that are of great importance for people living independently from information technologies, electrical energy and consumerism.

Physical Input Digital Process Physical Output

to capture physical objects using a camera to transform found objects through custom-built software to fabricate synthetic artifacts which are presented as souvenirs

Custom five angles capturing technique

Computed point cloud of horse head

Mesh rendering of horse head

3D printed objects additive printing process using vero white resin

The Urban Explorations Project

The Urban Explorations project stems from an interest in documenting various phenomena of the urban landscape. The ideas for the Urban Explorations Project are driven by the concept of urban sensing where individuals analyze the environment they live in through various strategies and instruments which can range from personal observations, taking samples of the environment, measuring and comparing different environmental characteristics. Rather than looking at the city through data captured by highly technological sensor systems, we wanted to explore the city through our custom-built tools. Our motivation was driven by playfulness, naivety, and curiosity.

Next I will walk you through the following steps of the project

·  Brainstorming and idea development ·  Building tools to sample and capture data using open source

technologies and low cost materials ·  Field trips ·  Evaluation and translation of samples and data + production ·  Exhibition ·  Community engagement ·  Reflection ·  Team: 8 explorers, local-to-foreigner-ratio 3:1 ·  Duration: 4 months including ideation, development, field trips,

exhibition design, roving exhibition

One of the basic situationist practices is the derive, a technique of rapid passage through varied ambiences. Derives involve playful-constructive behavior and awareness of psychogeographical effects, and are thus quite different from the classic notions of journey or stroll. !Theory of the Derive (Debord). 1958. Theory of the Derive (Debord). ![ONLINE] Available at: http://www.bopsecrets.org/SI/2.derive.htm. [Accessed 22 January 2014].!!

Building tools to sample and capture data using open source technologies and low cost materials With a low-tech driven approach in collecting data rather than making use of digitally available big data sets to make sense of the urban environment, we were required to conceptualize and design our own methods and strategies to collect and categorize data.

Field trips A number of field trips across Singapore were conducted to collect small but diverse data sets. These include samples taken from areas of reclaimed land, 3 types of temperature samples including body-, environment-, and perceived-temperature, a set of smell samples inspired by the Hennig’s Odour system, or a table of location based color-codes captured and processed by a mobile phone.

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Some images from the field trips

Evaluation and translation of samples and data All collected samples and data are translated into static or dynamic artefacts using traditional methods including prints or paintings and new techniques such as computational design or digital fabrication.

Community  engagement  

Why is this project and the methods used within this project relevant?

·  Process vs. Outcome ·  Environmental consciousness ·  Investigations driven by personal interests and motivation ·  Alternative approaches to institutionalized methods of sensing an

environment ·  Enable discourse and inspiration across disciplines ·  Practice of citizen science ·  Empowerment

Andreas Schlegel andi@sojamo.de @sojamo www.sojamo.de www.syntfarm.org Interactive.lasalle.edu.sg/medialab