Reading: The poetics of augmented space

Augment reality is seen as a conceptual issue which adds information that is directly related to the user’s immediate physical space. Fresco Painter and display designers both share the feature of overlapping layers. Compared to Virtual Reality, it is more comprehensive information exchange and response. Survelliance, electronic displays and cell-phones are all devices for technical support. Since space experience could not be replaced, AR is more potential for museums in my eye. How could 1:1 scale experience be overlapped by data and how could data strengthen spatial experience? The two examples of Cardiff and Libeskind are interesting. Janet Cardiff “audio walk” shows a new data-space over the existing architecture. It could be copied by museums based on a specific route. There is no high demand for tech and cost. Daniel Libeskind took use of the existing data-space to drive a new architecture. I keep a conservative opinion whether the visitors may find or experience it or it just sits on a map as a symbol.

However, the two examples have their limitations as they are not 3D in all aspects. Cardiff is mainly about 3d route and Libeskind is more like projection of 2d image. The problem of discontinuity could not be neglected. I like the idea that the arrival of AR was paralleled by the development of a similar concept of space by installation artists. Immersive 3d experience that goes beyond a surface like the shopping mall’s screens are what we are pursuing now. There is 1:1 scale model in architectural gallery for living experience which could be seen as more involved and participatory experiment. Also, tech could be mixed use like multiple sensors for sound and even reading facial expression, and intelligent devices like Alexa and cell-phones. The ideas of selling thrilling experience and audio-visual, all-aspect stimulation like what Prada did are truly good lessons for museums. It should be more participant-centered and interaction-based.

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