Singularity

Abstract

This thesis explores the creation of an augmented hyper reality environment by way of scaled three dimensional holographic constructions that appear interactively in space and are visible without the need for additional devices. It presents this through the progression of a 1:1 performance called SINGULARITY in collaboration with professional dancers, musicians and a choreographer. In essence, SINGULARITY acts as a means to present the findings of what makes for an immersive digital environment. The setup combines a live render program with motion tracking cameras and multiple laser projectors that illuminate onto a medium of fog particles. The outcome is a full 360-degree haptic-digital space accurately defined in all dimensions that is interactive and inhabitable. SINGULARITY is a collaborative project with Yinan Liu with distinct research topics. My individual research focuses on the investigation of Tangible Data and how Digital Materiality and Digital Construction generate a responsive digital surrounding. To achieve this, a series of developments in graphics are made to generate digital materials and constructs with the goal of allowing the audience to experience and understand the characteristics of the inhabited space. This research is embedded in the arc/sec Lab for Digital Spatial Operations at the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland. The arc/sec lab explores concepts for new conditions of buildings and urban environments, in which digital information can be given physical form and physical spatial appearance. The thesis is structured into two parts. The first part analyses the technology, structure and interdisciplinary collaborative aspects of the project and its placement in a global context. The second part examines in detail the properties and behaviours of digital materials to demonstrate how responsive environments and spatial experiences are created. The following section will then break down its technologies and graphical elements to illustrate their application in Digital Materiality and Digital Construction. Our intention is to expand the traditional perception of architectural space. In doing so, spaces in the surrounding world become redefined by digital and physical integration.