Soziale Architektur 2 3Jhg

Spiel und Objekt 3Jhg, Hannah Perner Wilson

15-26.1.2024, 10-13/16:30, Ladenlokal

Architecture is described as the art and technique of designing and building our environments. We may think of architecture as something big that surrounds us, contains us, creates spaces within which we can move and interact with others. But the smallest elements that populate our surroundings are also architectures that shape our social interactions and everyday experience of reality.

In this two week course we will take a good look at our surroundings, observe how people interact with and within them as well as reflect on our own use of these spaces. We will build/extend/modify these surroundings and observe what influence we can have on human behaviors and experiences.

Our material/technology of choice will be physical computing - combining sensors, actuators and code with materials such as paper, wood and textiles. What we build may be big enough to contain a few of us or small enough to swallow.

CONTENTS

Interaction design we will spend a lot of time observing as well as building things to observe. Because people aren’t very good at remembering or describing their own behaviors we can learn a lot from simply watching them. And because the less we interfere, the better we can get at how people actually interact and not how we expect them to interact. We will use drawing as a tool for observation and imagination. Apply the wizard-of-ozz prototyping method for quickly testing silly ideas. And do playtests in the field.

Technology we will open things up to look at how they work. We will get to know many sensors and actuators as well as how to make our own. We will look at code and libraries for debouncing, smoothing, and calibrating sensor readings as well as for moving, blinking, flashing, writing to and speaking through actuators.

Making takes time. We will look at various options for connecting electronics in robust and beautiful ways. How to handmake sensors, actuators and circuitboards. And take a quick look at PCB design tools and work-flows for producing multiples. We will iterate through a series of prototypes so that we don’t start with a grand plan and end with a useless device. Rather we will take small steps so that we can fail often before arriving somewhere completely unexpected.

Discussion inbetween the making and observing we will find time to chat about what we are making and why.

Documentation sharing is caring. As we benefit from other people’s documentation - step-by-step tutorials, component datasheets, code repositories, wikipedia articles... We will take time to consider what we can give back, and make use of Spiel und Object’s Hyperdramatic wiki for sharing what we can.

What is Soziale Architektur 2 about?

• An opportunity for Spiel und Object years to make something (useful?) for themselves and/or others
• While learning new skills and making mistakes
• To enjoy making something (big) together
• To leave something behind for future years
• group effort
• 2000 euro
• Can it also fail? Would that also be okay?

Previous years http://hyperdramatik.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Soziale_Architektur_2

This year++:

• Iterative process
• Observation as skill for idea generation and evaluation (useful later in playtests)
• Make it Interactive: with “physical computing” - functional & beautiful combination of materials and electronics
• Inventive use of materials
• Make it playful

Who is it for? Where does it go? 3 Spaces - 3 Audiences

• Inside LL - personal/jahrgang
• Ladenlokal shopfront windows to the street - public
• Hfs building inside/out - institution

Collect wishes for this year

• Permanent
• ...

SCHEDULE

Rough schedule draft: SCHEDULE == FLEXIBLE

DAY1

Introduction

Collect first wishes

Examples&Inspiration: bombard you with examples (see bellow)

Collect more examples as a group?

Take a walk and reflect on:

• the examples shown
• what you initially thought
• what you would like to make
• how you would like to spend these two weeks

Return and discuss more wishes, generate first vague ideas

Talk about (user) observation & field notes

Wander around, select a space, observe, take field notes

• FIELD NOTES - describe in great detail, interpret what you see (because you are never objective and always anyway interpreting)
• DRAWING as observation technique
• USE YOUR SENSES - close your eyes, what do you hear, smell, sense...?
• P.O.E.M.S.

(Return and share/compare notes)

Tape notes to LL windows.

//End day1//

DAY2

Share/compare notes.

How to transition from research to artistic/design ideas?

Show&Tell