“Just as one can compose colors, or forms, so one can compose motions.” -Alexander Calder

“Data is nature.” -Paul Prudence

Our environments are pulsating with invisible datastreams. These forces – mostly hidden to the naked eye – are nonetheless a critical defining feature of our epoch. The proposed Lightlines artwork translates publicly accessible data into dynamic streams of colored light and sound. Real-time information is continuously rendered into a woven, networked composition of bits and atoms. Visible day and night, these datastreams animate the public pedestrian zone with variable intensities of illumination, creating a meditative, surprising and interactive experience.Digitally crafted by artist and engineers working in close collaboration, the artwork fuses sophisticated design and fabrication techniques with advanced material science. The result is a one-of-a-kind artwork that is cutting-edge, interactive and fun to explore for a range of visitors.

This is our semi-finalist proposal for the Google Charleston East Plaza competition (link) in the $250K category. The concept design PDF set of drawings for the BIG, Heatherwick, Hargreaves Jones building and landscape is here.

CREDITS
Future Cities Lab, San Francisco - Jason Kelly Johnson and Nataly Gattegno
Competition Team: Jason Kelly Johnson (Lead Artist), Emily Saunders and Carlos Sabogal, with Brian McKinney, Nat Abbott, Joel Frank, Nataly Gattegno