Precedent Critique 3
Lightswarm – Future Cities Lab
Lightswarm is an installation that uses sound sensors to lighten up a series of LED lights. When the sensors recognize noise, the lights turn on and travel through the installation in a series of different colors. The visualization is a representation of the noise that’s on the other side of the glass. Moreover, it works both ways as the interior and the exterior can trigger the interaction.
I find this project inspiring because the installation becomes a portal between the interior and exterior of the building. The glass becomes a semi-porous filter that captures sound and transforms it into something enjoyable rather than something annoying like honks and sirens. I find this connection between the interior and exterior of structures very interesting and somewhat unexplored territory. In the city this two worlds are parallel universes, but we have this sort of portals that connect both: doors, windows, balconies and rooftops. This project creates a different kind of portal that connects both universes in a different, creative way.
I also looked at some other projects by Future City Labs and I found it really smart and creative. I’m sure I’ll be drawing more inspiration from their work.