Abstract

In approaching this installation I wanted to create a piece that filled the space in a prominent but non-intrusive way. The site analysis highlighted the low light and high ceilings; in my eyes, it’s strengths. We drafted up the initial 1901 design which we felt effectively filled the space without interfering with the primary uses of the room. We recruited and managed a team of 5 volunteers.

The light casings were styled to resemble crystalline shapes, which were designed in Blender 3D and printed on Makerbot 3D printers. The casing were then fitted with programmable LEDs running off an Arduino Mega. The cords suspending the lights were chosen to be as minimal as possible to give the viewer the impression that they were almost floating in the space. The lights were installed and wired to a single Arduino running code that illuminated the lights in multiple radio wave style sequences.

This project was commissioned by Ryerson University and was showcased at the Toronto Maker Festival on request of the Ryerson New Media Program.

This project overall was a massive learning experience as it was my first time designing a long-term installation and managing a team; however I felt that it ran very smoothly. If anything it highlighted the importance of using high quality materials, as we had issues with some off-brand LEDs.

A massive thank you to all the volunteers and collaborators– this wouldn’t be possible without you.

Created in collaboration with Mackenzie Willis.