Abstract
Public awareness and engagement on environmental problems are essential to instigating a positive change. This paper reports the development of a kinetic light-art installation that aims to communicate the scientific data of water quality to raise public awareness in Bangkok. It selected two key water quality indicators - dissolved oxygen (DO) and turbidity. Based on the psychology of color and human preference toward an object with curved contours, the curvature effect, the sculpture employed aquatic algae form and three light colors (blue, yellow, and red). Water Quality Index (WQI) standard provided five reference levels ranging from 0-100. Generative design software, Touch Designer, and Madmapper was used to create and to display the video file on the sculpture’s low-power RGB LED light. It would also open or close according to the level of DO. The light sculpture was installed next to the pier for two nights during a local art festival and its effectiveness was assessed using a questionnaire survey. Forty-five residents and visitors participated in the survey, and nine of them gave their opinion on whether the light art installation would be useful for the community. The results suggested that some seventy-eight percent estimated the WQI correctly, and most interviewees agreed that a light-art installation would be useful and a beautiful reminder of the water pollution problem. Despite the installation’s limited time, this study’s light color, patterns, and movements effectively and creatively convey the water quality to the public in this context.
Presenters
Chanyaporn BstielerAssistant Professor and Director of the Lighting Research and Innovation Centre, School of Architecture and Design , King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon [Bangkok], Thailand Laphonphat Doungploy
Student, Master of Science, School Of Architecture And Design King Mongkut’s University Of Technology Thonburi, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon [Bangkok], Thailand
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
LIGHT-ART INSTALLATION, KINETIC LIGHT-ART, WATER QUALITY, PUBLIC AWARENESS, GENERATIVE DESIGN
