The park "Horizontal Worlds"
Background
The Spreepark provides insight into the biodiversity that develops 'naturally.' What happens when an ecosystem has the opportunity to manifest itself without human interference? What role does a designer play in this process?
In the course 'The Park,' participants engaged in experimental cartography and storytelling. The 'Spreepark' in Plänterwald, Berlin, was examined from various perspectives, with a particular focus on the disappearance of species and the arrival of new organisms (neobiota), aiming to sensitize one's perception. The results are intended to be visualized through experimental and critical cartography. The course aimed to conceive scales for a map, build surveying and observation instruments, and develop future narratives. The cartographic outcomes can be presented not only in two dimensions but also in dynamic, digital, acoustic, or spatial forms.
Concept
What is concealed beneath the water's surface?
How deep can our gaze penetrate?
What role does light play in the realm of underwater life?
Underwater photography enables us to extend our ability to see, think, and perceive much further.
In shallow waters, where sunlight can penetrate, we can discern colors, shapes, and movements. However, the deeper we descend into the water, the more challenging it becomes to distinguish details. At greater depths, it is nearly pitch-dark as the light is absorbed by the water volume.
While numerous organisms thrive on the water's surface, physiological processes such as photosynthesis diminish with increasing depth and darkness.
We have found ecological studies from the Peschel-Alnus Research Archive at Spreepark online and observed that the underwater world is very rich.
The following points were analyzed in relation to the research areas:
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Underwater Biotopes
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Garbage Population
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Temperature
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pH Values
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Microorganisms/Animals/Plants
Fachhochschule Potsdam
Interface design
3. Semester -- SoSe 2023
The park. Experimental cartography and storytelling
Support
Prof. Myriel Milicevic
Team project
Ayleen Gabriel, Zhijin Tian, Victor Molina
My contribution
concept development, Video
Sketching
Our instrument must be capable of calibrating depth for recording, floating, operating with a rope, and maneuvering. Additionally, it should have safety mechanisms for the habitat it is immersed in.
Prototyping
PE foam was chosen as the material for its ideal suitability for CNC machining. The characteristics of this material include its weight and the fact that it can float on water.
To enable floating, this device has holes in the lower section, serving as oxygen chambers and reinforcing resistance at the surface.
It has a 1-meter-long rod marked in 4 sections for the desired depth range.
The instrument features a GoPro mounting mechanism and an emergency system in case the instrument gets entangled in depth.
As a safety mechanism, there is a rope that catches the body if it moves more than 2 meters away.
Surveying Process
The measurements were conducted in the former "Schwanenbahn," which has evolved into a unique biotope inhabited by rare animals and plants.
With the help of the measuring device, it is possible to perceive the underwater world. This allows for the capture and analysis of photos. Information about light, water organisms, and waste is collected, making potential interactions visible.
Unit = Brightness value / Display size = Value curve in metadata (RGB)
First Depth Level:
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Contrast and Brightness Value: >70% in relation to display size.
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Recording Time: 3m36s
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Path Approx.: 30 cm
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Pan Movement: 20-40°
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Capture Angle: 270°
Second Depth Level:
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Contrast and Brightness Value: >45% in relation to display size.
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Recording Time: 1m42s
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Path Approx.: 22 cm
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Pan Movement: 20-50°
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Capture Angle: 270°
Third Depth Level:
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Contrast and Brightness Value: >20% in relation to display size.
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Recording Time: 1m31s
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Path Approx.: 45 cm
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Pan Movement: 30-50°
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Capture Angle: 270°
Projekt| Datensammlung und Einheiten A und B
Unit A: UV Factor As Unit A, an ultraviolet factor was determined, allowing differentiation between various water organisms in the water.
After processing the photos, the remaining zones are spaces where sunlight and light rays ensure an optimal ecosystem.
The goal of this ultraviolet filter is to provide the human eye with a new perspective on the water, where details emerge in larger and more recognizable spaces.
Unit B: Light Contrast for Light Beam Detection For Unit B, the images are processed to increase their brightness and contrast values through light contrast.
For each image, the relative number of pixels is taken, analyzed according to the chroma wheel, and displayed based on saturation at the highest value: violet at the minimum and yellow or orange at the maximum.
The goal of this filter and simulation is to understand how a water organism, algae, fish, or microorganism perceives light rays depending on land organisms.
Editing in Photoshop to remove residual areas, shadows and areas without relevant elements.
Exported as an image without background in preparation for printing on a Lumex 3mm board.
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Exhibition
For the exhibition, a 3 mm thick transparent plastic sheet "LUMEX" was utilized. It has dimensions of 2000x1000mm, enabling the sizing of our display boards to 1000x500mm.
