Responsive Spaces and Michael Holzer · CLIENT: Creative Region / City of Linz
Empty shop windows are boring. Especially due to the Covid-19 pandemic empty shop windows became an even more urgent matter for the city of Linz. But in particular, in great locations throughout the city those, those spaces are also unused presentation areas that can be put to good use in the meantime. Therefore this unique shop window installation and the concept of "Spot On" behind it were developed. Interactive light installations turn empty windows into engaging and extraordinary art pieces, while also offering local businesses a valuable temporary stage. We. Love. Linz.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Empty shop windows are boring. But especially in good locations, they are also unused presentation areas that can be put to good use in the meantime. For example, to offer local businesses a valuable temporary stage. Best of all in the form of this interactive shop window installation. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic additional empty shop windows happened to pop up in our hometown Linz. Therefore, in the summer of 2021, the concept of 'Spot On' was born.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The whole installation has a size-flexible setup. The initial installation was 4 meters in width, 2 meters in height and 1.2 meters in depth.
- Tags
- interactive installation, light installation, mobile interface, shop window, art installation, digital installation
- Production Technology
- The whole installation consists of a easy to setup and remove wooden frame to which 24 DMX-controllable LED tubes with single RGB Pixel control are mounted.
The mobile website that lets everybody interact with the light installation has a MQTT based backend that is parked in the cloud, so every bypasser can reach it with his or her smartphone.
The light installation itself is also connected to the internet via a SIM card and mobile internet to receive commands from all users that a surfing the mobile website. - Design Challenge
- It was the goal to positively utilise ugly (because empty) shopwindows in the inner areas of Linz. We needed a flexible hardware setup to adapt to different measurements of shopwindows as well as add extra value to argue funding. Therefore we integrated the presentation of local businesses which were also hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. To engage with bypassers we offered them a mobile interface that let them easily take creative control of the light installation and display short messages.
- Project Duration
- Since August 2021 in Linz
- Operation Flow
- As soon as one stands on a marked point in front of the shop window, the complex arrangement of lamps and light unravel for the viewer and an interactive ticker become legible. Via QR code and smartphone, own messages and crazy light effects can be controlled in the shop window.
- Research
- As a studio for interactive brand experiences we were able to apply our learnings from other projects in the B2B field to this public space installation. The overall creative process to design the setup, the light effects as well as the possibilities of interaction was done within the creative team of the project. This process benefitted from our interdisciplinary team setup and approach.
- Inspiration
- The heart of the installation was a voluminous arrangement of controllable LED lights. When viewers were 'on spot', they could design individual messages using their smartphones and send them directly to the system. A jury regularly selected new young companies and startups from among all the applicants, for whom this consequently meant to be in the spotlight in the shop windows.
WE. LOVE. LINZ. - Image Credits
- Photo Credits: Responsive Spaces
Video Credits: Eyup Kus
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