TEDxPortland After-Party 2012
For one night only, guests at the Portland TEDx after-party had a chance to interact with a floor-to-ceiling interactive sculpture that transformed body movement into new landscapes.
Positioned at the center of a large art gallery, the installation embodied the spirit of the conference theme, “Uncharted Territory.” Topographic forms and kinetic shapes move along the vertical panorama of the sculpture and as guests approach, they become immersed in the flowing landscape. Depth-sensing cameras read human forms in real-time, creating topographic contours that pulse upwards along the 40-foot surface, literally projecting ourselves and our visions into uncharted territory.
The theme of the conference holds a special resonance for Oregonians, and the physical form was designed to reflect and amplify the natural environment. Conceptually, the structure finds inspiration in the poetic juxtapositions of the Cascade Range, where angular volcanic rock formations meet the fluidity of the skies and rivers. The details of the structure appropriate the tools of exploration: sails, ropes, rucksacks, tents, traditional knots.
As an integrated installation, we tried to design an experience that recreates the optimism of exploration and the hope one feels from constantly looking forward.