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Visualizing Architectural Ephemera: The Case of Ankara Balcony Balustrades 1950-75 View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Zeynep Tuna Ultav, Daniele Savasta, Gökhan Keski̇n
Presents how a digital collection is translated/visualized within a computation interface for the study of collections named Grouper. Considers Ankara balconies balustrades as ephemera and observes them through a speculative realism lens. The case of “Ankara balconies balustrade 1950-75” is a collection to digitize and preserve which poses challenges for its visualization. Architectural buildings are commonly regarded as lasting artifacts and not associated with the transient program of ephemera. However, in a rapidly transforming urban fabric architecture and its components disappear in a relatively short time. This disappearance discards rich baggage of memories and socio-cultural references of the community. Within this unique lens, architectural elements might be observed as ephemera and worth observation and preservation through digital collections. In this study, we take into consideration a particular architectural element, the balcony balustrade, to examine its role in modern architecture in Turkey and its effect in shaping the city and the image of a neighborhood to its citizens. The richness of the collection, around 2000 samples, the related data, and the intrinsic value of the collection enticed a research project*. As a result, we see this case as a trial in approaching data visualization and interface for cultural heritage collections through a speculative realism lens and the conceptualization of architecture (elements) as ephemera, a way to open new possibilities in exploring other artifacts as objects. *Scientific Research Project [BAP086] entitled “Interactive Digital Exhibits To Experience Architectural Heritage: The Case of Balcony Balustrades of Ankara (1950-1975)” was funded by Yaşar University
Design Beyond Screen: A Primer for Designing Mobile Augmented Reality Storytelling Application View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Divya Seengal, Simone O'Callaghan, Zi Siang See
This research project explores and experiments with a design intervention – remediation of a print-based story into an augmented reality storytelling experience. The objective of this study is to reveal insights into the process of designing a mobile augmented reality storytelling application. This focuses on the main idea that examines how designing for screen (2D (two-dimensional) displays) is different than designing for augmented reality (360-degree view with perceived depth). The study experiments with interaction design process, method, and apparatus of creating an augmented reality mobile application, that creates engaging experiences for users. In doing so, the research intends to make an original contribution to knowledge within the disciplines of extended realities (XR) and human-computer interaction (HCI) by adopting a user-centred approach within the context of technological, phenomenological and the interaction design perspectives. The insights that emerge from this study are relevant and useful to other researchers and practitioners in XR and HCI. This practice-based study examines the design processes, are specific to the creation of mobile augmented reality storytelling experiences. The key outcome is to elicit knowledge through practice. The study lays the groundwork for determining what sorts of design constraints and interaction possibilities are presented by augmented reality as a storytelling medium. In this paper, we present the early prototype, creative process, demonstrate our plan for conducting a user experience (UX) study for supporting the design process of the Augmented Reality (AR) prototype, and directions for future work.
A Colourful Past: Digitally Recoloring the Sarcophagus of Mer-Neith-it-es View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Andrew Howells, Luke O'Donnell, Bernadette Drabsch
The authenticity of museum displays has been a hotly debated topic for many years. While digital visualisation methods are now commonly employed in a range of humanities contexts it is increasingly recognised that there is a need to ensure that such work is intellectually and technically rigorous. Faced with this challenge researchers Drabsch, Howells and O’Donnell were asked to digitally re-colour a high-definition 3D scan of the 2600-year-old faded timber sarcophagus of Mer-Neith-it-es and to produce an educational animation for museum display at the new Chau Chak Wing Museum, Sydney. Authenticity for the recolouring required extensive collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team of Egyptologists, scientists and museum curators. Enquiry into, and experimentation with, the technology required to discover the hidden story on the sarcophagus’ faded surface resulted in the development of novel tradigital methods. The tradigital process of recolouring the sarcophagus’ decorative elements was developed over the space of three years. The hieroglyphs and decorative elements were identified using the colour enhancement plug-in D-Stretch. These were registered and checked with the Egyptologists and any remaining pigments in these areas were analysed and identified. Employing a range of 2D and 3D software each decorative element was then remade and reapplied, using a process of blending and masking to integrate the new hieroglyphs into the natural textures and undulating surfaces of the timber structure. The animation was designed to be viewed in conjunction with the sarcophagus, allowing viewers to judge the authenticity of the display for themselves.
Design Pedagogy: Student's Learning Approaches to Designing and Coding Geometric Primitives in Computer Graphics View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Nandhini Giri
Design pedagogy is characterized by the complexity of combining various discipline-specific activities and the emergent learning that is a result of the whole process. This empirical study aims at understanding first year visual design student's approaches to conceptualizing design concepts and coding their ideas in a computer graphics programming environment. The main objectives of this study are (1) Understand the effectiveness of the design project in alignment with the learning outcomes of the course curriculum (2) Study common patterns that explain how students conceptualize design concepts (3) Understand student’s learning approaches in executing design concepts within a graphics programming environment. The data was collected from 188 students in a freshman core course on the fundamentals of computer graphics. Students were asked to code a geometric abstraction using 2 dimensional primitives and design principles. Students in this study come from different backgrounds and formal training that includes science, engineering, film, art and music disciplines. Students were also asked to provide a written explanation of their design goals, approach to executing the design ideas in programming and a reflection of their work. A textual data analysis of the visual and textual data provided insights into freshmen's understanding of design principles, their learning approaches and coding experiences in a graphics environment. Results from the study are expected to provide further insights on effective pedagogy for introducing computer graphics programming concepts and design principles to first year visual design students.
The Dining Car VR: Experiments with Retina Rivalry in Virtual Reality View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Jack McGrath, Matthew Gidney, Zi Siang See
This paper tracks the work in progress of a practice based research project titled ‘The Dining Car’. The Dining Car is a digital Virtual Reality (VR) experience. The work utilises the Oculus Quest platform to present an experimental work that explores ideas around retina rivalry. Using the stereoscopic capability of the VR headset, different images are sent to left and right eyes. The viewer observes a train dining car space with subtle differences between the left and right eyes to experience retina rivalry. The work aims to create a purely digital iteration of a previous related physical work by the team. The main goal of this project is to create a platform and apparatus to experiment with phenomena related to binocular rivalry that can experiment on the potential for using binocular rivalry as a storytelling device. This contribution to knowledge is particularly relevant with the rise of Virtual Reality Headsets that use stereoscopic imagery. This project brings together a unique transdisciplinary team, with skills spanning across engineering, installation, VR, 3D animation, cinema, visual effects, and model making.
The Oblique Grid System in Thai Traditional Graphic View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Possanunt Charoenkijkajorn
The general scenes of traditional Thai paintings depict historical events of the Buddha’s life and Buddhist tales derived from the Buddhist image from India and Ceylon. However, the paintings still blend with the local Thai daily life, customs, culture, social tradition and become a unique traditional style. In order to see the uniqueness of Thai traditional graphics deepest from the root, this research study the oblique grid system as an essential foundation structure in Thai traditional paintings. Then investigate and compare the representations of diagonal grid structure in other civilizations around the world. The result shows that the oblique grid system serves its purpose in similar and different ways due to each country's diverse culture and beliefs. The Thai artisans had accepted the oblique grid system from major civilization countries such as India and China, then developed the graphic style under this grid system until it became a unique national style. It is fascinating to see how well ancient people could transform their intangible value into visual forms. All in all, it can be said that even though the oblique grid system is invisible, it is a vital ingredient to enhance the sense of Thainess in visual arts.
Featured The Critical Position of Design Build within a Technology Revolution View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Michelle Pannone
As the practice of design is becoming increasingly digital, simulations, demonstrations, and representations continue to rely on cutting edge digital communication techniques presented through screens to clients. Technological advancements have transformed the field of design, largely for the better, tremendously increasing the ease of which designers can produce, reproduce, manipulate, alter, and communicate their work. However, as design education shifts further towards the digital realm it becomes increasingly important to showcase how these technologies translate back to the physical constructed world; that these tools are not themselves what generates a design, but rather a tool in a larger process of communication and fabrication sensitive to the people within the community that use the space. Furthermore, a Community Design Build program implemented as the culmination of a digital media sequence offers a unique opportunity to identify the connections between advanced digital design tools and fundamental communication skills. Students work through the various types of representation needed in the build process for different audiences from understanding user needs to technical specifications. Opportunities for students to utilize emerging technologies in physical making are essential in their understanding of form and material. Realities such as strength, tolerance, and scale which often appear perfect when modeled are tested through physical prototyping. The rigorous testing process endured in Community Design Build ensures that students are able to translate their digital skills into tangible structures. Additionally, this process teaches the project management skills necessary to build the confidence in their material choices and assembly process.
