As part of the master’s program “Communication in Space,” the students, under the guidance of Prof. Bernd Benninghoff and Prof. Holger Reckter, explored their vision of “Interactive Objects”—interactive spatial products and furniture that engage with the user, encourage communication, appeal to the user’s senses, and function as simply and intuitively as possible. In collaboration with a network of supporting partners from the skilled trades and industry, nine student teams subsequently brought their ideas to life and presented them in October at the Center for Building Culture Rhineland-Palatinate in Mainz’s Brückenturm.
The award-winning projects
:
BEATSPOT - the interactive bench
by Claudia Dolbniak and Silvia Saure
A seating object inspired by two observations in public spaces. First: the “park bench phenomenon.” We humans are usually on the lookout for a free park bench, and if there isn’t one, we’re initially hesitant to sit down next to someone else. In contrast, music in public spaces has exactly the opposite effect—music connects, moves, and energizes its audience.Interaction with the bench occurs when you sit down, which triggers a beat—standing up stops the beat. Much like a five-piece band, the bench offers five individual beats that come together to form a song. It’s a musical instrument that we play simply and intuitively. Through BEATSPOT, we create a space for experience where we can make music together, connect with one another, and interact in a playful way.
TU LUZ – illuminated wall panel
by Stephanie Brenken and Viola Kreßmann
TU LUZ means “Your Light” and thus describes the atmosphere and individuality this illuminated wall element makes possible. The design was inspired by large-scale light installations of all kinds. We encounter them more and more often in both indoor and outdoor spaces; they create a wide variety of moods, draw us in, and fascinate us. Yet no matter how innovative, colorful, and extraordinary they may be, they are rarely suitable for our own homes. Driven by the desire to bring this fascination into a private setting, a flexible, expandable illuminated wall panel was created. Each element consists of many individually controllable switches, allowing light to be directed to a wide variety of positions on the wall. Each individual tile can produce light directed upward or downward by tilting it. TU LUZ enables different lighting moods through interaction and offers countless lighting possibilities in the room, both in terms of position and brightness.
Awards were presented to:
24HRS LAMP – interactive lamp
by Lisa Müller and Franziska Schmidt
24HRS LIGHT is a portable lamp with no cables or power button. You simply take it with you and provide light wherever you need it. Power comes from the hook. Using various low-voltage settings, the lamp can set different lighting moods throughout the day. At your desk, it becomes a bright task light; next to your bed, it provides a cozy reading light. 24 hours—one lamp.
SHIFT—interactive seating landscape
by Tina Strack and Luisa Gierhardt
The casual interaction with SHIFT makes waiting in public spaces an exciting, communicative experience and less anonymous. The seating landscape combines the principle of a seesaw with the concept of air pressure. When a person sits down, they push air into the other cubes, causing them to rise. In this way, all the seats interact with one another. This offers people waiting an opportunity to engage casually with the space and their surroundings.
