About
Art Center Emmen launched a Pop-Up Museum that travels across the Netherlands. I designed a dynamic lighting solution that guides visitors through the museum with the aim to create a memorable experience by using the curiosity of visitors to surprise and amaze them. The installation consists of a light that bounces through several arcs like a skimming stone. The lights shows the route through the exhibition when visitors approach the installation.
Concept Direction
Since the target group of a pop-up museum can’t be defined in, I explore universally recognizable moments as a source of inspiration. I framed the design theme as: playful – natural – magical and explored three directions for the interaction experience.
under the willow
skimming stones
hand lantern
Design Concepts
Taking into account the diverse contexts and forms of a pop-up museum, I ideated on feasible experiential concepts for installations.
under the willow
art is exhibited inside mystical closed structures which vistors can enter
skimming stones
light playfully bounces through arcs to show visitors the museum route
hand lantern
lighting on art brightens as visitors the approach the art with a connected lantern
Interaction Simulation
The skimming stones concept was chosen a direction for further development. I created a digital replication of the concept in Cinema4D to experiment with different lighting animations. In the software I try to mimic the experience of actual skimming stones with the lights in the arc. By translating the timeframes from actual stone skimming videos, the animation conveys how the arcs would operate together in context.
final concept visual
animating lighting interactions
Prototype Development
I start with building the physical arc to evaluate the overall experience of the installation. I pursue with working out the technical details of the actual solution and integrating them in a lighting object. The final design consists of two concrete feet that house an Arduino connected to the LED’s. The concrete feet connect to a bended steel tube that contain the wires for the LED rings. Around the steel arc fits a plastic tube that diffuses the light.
technical development
Final Prototype
Unfortunately, the installation wasn’t fully implemented due to time and cost restrictions. Nonetheless, the fully functional prototype was exhibited as a part of the museum together with other lighting projects.
This project was part of the Minor Allround Design given at Industrieel Product Ontwerpen, Windesheim Zwolle