Opticianado Installation Coming Together

This weekend the [R]ed[U]x Lab team working on the Opticianado installation, "Eyes on the Street", had a chance to assemble the main matrix on site. Within the next day the storefront will open up to a new, interactive piece that will provide a fine balance between display and spectacle. 

It was a good installation over the weekend as Matt and Rachel were fortunate enough to have some assistance from other [R]ed[U]x Lab members from other projects including Fil and Jason. More to come soon enough!

 

Samples of the Prototypes for TODO at the Department of Architectural Science

With the Toronto Design Offsite Exhibition commencing next week, Ryerson University's Department of Architectural Science will also have a series of prototypes of interactive installation work ready for display to the public.  Here are a few images of some of the work developed and refined over the past month.

BLURRED LINES

SINE

The Technology Behind the Opticianado Installation

As a joint effort with students enrolled in the Biomedical Engineering program at Ryerson University, the [R]ed[U]x Lab team has been able to develop more robust explorations between physical computing and digital fabrication.  The team of Mashal, Abed, and Sara, overseen by Professor James Smith, have been working with the design team in developing an investigation of LED light sequencing with a Kinect sensor (typically used in the Xbox 360 gaming console).  Here is a hint of what is developing behind the scenes for the upcoming TODO installation at Opticianado.

Assembly in Record Time

Though this was a production for solely the structure, the [R]ed[U]x Lab team was fortunate enough to get all the assembly dealt within a matter of minutes, thanks in part to the efforts of exceptionally helpful volunteers from throughout the Ryerson Architectural Science community.

Refining the Opticianado Installation

Here are some additional developmental images of the [R]ed[U]x Lab team's work on the Opticianado installation for the 2014 Toronto Design Offsite festival. The team is eager to assemble the work as a great deal of the fabrication has already been completed. As the event draws closer, the team will be posting more images of the assembly, electronic work, and site work.

TODO: Opticianado Prototyping Commences

Given the complexity and ambition of the design for the TODO Festival, members of the [R]ed[U]x Lab began prototyping the components of the display for Opticianado. Unlike previous projects the group has worked on, this storefront installation must not compromise the retail program of the store. Rather than solely showcasing the art piece itself, the designers opted to create a visually engaging form that would serve as a matrix for parametrically-driven conical diffusers. Proving to be a spectacular piece both in and out of the storefront, the design reinforces the showcasing of eye wear.

TODO Festival: [R]ed[U]x Lab + Opticianado

In parallel with the display of installation prototype work at Ryerson University's Department of Architectural Science at this year's TODO Festival, [R]ed[U]x Lab are proud to have an opportunity to participate in the TODO Junction Kick-off Weekend at Opticianado with a window installation entitled Eyes on the Street.  Not only is this yet again another great opportunity for [R]ed[U]x lab to engage not only the wider Toronto community, but also to collaborate with colleagues at Ryerson University from biomedical engineering.

As described in the brief:

"This modest installation plays on one of Jane Jacob’s three characteristics of successful neighborhoods, notably the need for “Eyes on the Street.” A playful take on Jacob’s tenet for safe and engaged communities, this installation activates and calls for interaction with the public. By day the installation serves as an engaging matrix supporting stylish eyewear, while in the evening the once static form comes to life with sunset. In the evening, the matrix’s array of lights illuminate behind the eyewear in response to the activity on the street and sidewalk outside the storefront."

Here are some renderings of the design as it evolved from the initial stages.