Seeing Outside Boxes

The client has excogitated a Global Warming concept map based on a scientific (DPSIR) model to illustrate the interdependencies of causes and effects of global warming, as well as possible countermeasures. We are entrusted with designing and present the connotation and underlying analytical thinking of the concept map through creative displays for an entrance renewal for Climate Change Exhibition entrance. Unlike many other communications on global warming that emphasize perceptual appeals, we hope to highlight that many factors cause the global warming issues that humankind is currently facing, and how might we solve these problems.

We further summarized the concept map, and used 21 connected screens to render 7 routes to explain: (1) causes of global warming, (2) scientific facts, (3) environmental impacts, (4) adaptation methods, (5) adaptation strategies, (6) mitigation methods (policy aspects), and (7) mitigation methods (living aspects). The 7 buttons on the installation, which can respectively trigger the virtual ball rolling through 7 different routes in a Rube Goldberg machine style, will activate 3D anamorphic animated mechanisms on different screens to guide audiences’ visual attention to make it more fun.

The significance of this work is to point out that many key factors cause the global warming issues that humankind is currently facing in a rational, scientific yet fun way. And through scientific modeling and analysis, we might find ways to solve these problems. Ball-rolling through connected screens highlight various linkages and factor nodes, and the audiences are visually guided to read and understand the chain reactions, interdependencies and causes and effects of global warming, thus ultimately assimilated into an understanding of the Global Warming issues.

This work is a collaboration among research scientists, curators, animators, visual designers, programmers, interaction designers, and installation and interior designers.