Led-Lego-Kinetics

I made a rough prototipe with lego and led trowees, for the project where you can capture the movement of a kinetic system with light. That would be probably a part of one of the sculptures. In the nights people can go and take pictures and obtain something like this on their own cammeras having a nice memory of visiting Umeå.

Umeå Map

I made this big map of Umeå, and I used it in a Brainstorming Session at the Design School, and I also put it in the Annual Open House (An event where the school is opened to be visited by people in Umeå).

I asked people to indicate in the map with this stickers, their favourite places in Umeå, the places they would place a sculpture and the most romantic place in Umeå.

At the end it was pretty clear to see that people is so attached to the River and the Lake and It was so rich also the information I got from people only by talking with them at the Open House!.

Electric Sphere

Electric Sphere from Anthony Howe on Vimeo.

This is an example of a sculpture that produce energy from the wind to trigger some light reactions, it is really nice and quiet at the same time.

Kinetic sculptures by Theo Jansen

Wind Farm from chaz golding on Vimeo.

Amazing work by Theo Jansen, sculptures that live from the wind and made of recycled materials. This is a topic I am researching, about kinetic sculptures.

Blackbird

Blackbird in the musical "Across the Universe", I love the scene together the music with the water and the old architecture, it really inspire me for the project.

Roundabout Dogs in Sweden

Talking with Mattias, about people involved in the creation of art pieces or movements.

This is a nice reaction from people in Sweden,  It happens when a dog sculpture made of concrete (1st image above) was victim of vandalism, it was broken and removed, so people started creating dogs all around Sweden as a reaction to this...

The first installation was made by Stina Optiz in Linköping, Östergötland with the name of "Circulation II" and it was located on a roundabout.

Some Books I looked at for Inspiration

Definitely grafiti is one of my inspirations since it is the pure expression for people in the cities

totaly free and accesible to the public that transits around the city.

Snow Sculpture Contest

I participated on the snow scuplture contest here in Umeå,  I wanted to do it since last year when I just saw the sculptures, and it goes perfectly with my project research, since I had the chance to make a sculpture for Umeå, as a good example of an open source model that gives people the chance to express their creativity with snow. I have also the chance to be closer to the people in Umeå and hear their comments about the proposal.  So It was a great experience!!.

Idea-board

I'm trying to get full my idea-board here in the interaction design studio.

I've been posting so far pictures of Umeå, people in Umeå, snow, a map from the top, and I ve been analizing some places with this map for possible opportunities for conexions in the city, and of course some inspirational images...

Fashion Trends in Sweden

One very interesting topic I've related with the story Im looking for, is the fashion trends, particularly in Sweden, you can see a lot of different ones, but Its interesting when this is linked to a comic story or a story  for a game like in japan where many people dresses as comic characters.

Shadows in Umeå

Im still trying to figure out how the shadows projected by the sun work in Umeå, I would like to play with that, I think is something unique of this part of the world...
Now in Winter, we have a few hours of sunlight and today I took this picture of the sun 11 am but something strange 
the shadows are projected the other way round I thought...

Umeå Sculptures

Some of the scupltures in Umeå,  On top, in the Umeå downtown, a very nice sculpture of fishes and flowers I love it!. 

And at the bottom, some lighted floating houses at the sculpture park here in Umeå.

Real Time Games "Star Craft"

I was talking with Taeo in the Interaction Studio, about the popularity of this kind of strategy games in real time

and I thought it would be an interesting relation with the sculptures around Umeå, looking for some ways of creating a story in this case is related with a game.

Los Amantes del Círculo Polar - "Polar Circle Lovers"

Looking for a story around my proyect I started thinking in a love story, and this is a very good one. It is a movie I recommend also,  love story in the polar circle by Julio Medem (1998), it was filmed in Spain and Finland.

This is my brief, I tried to express as much as possible my idea, with images and words...

its a bit poetic ... 

Degree Project Starting 2nd week - Umeå

Hello, this is my blog for posting progress on my degree project I''l try as much as possible to have it updated since is the first time I use this method!!.

Ben.