:: Nature Replay, Scotland, 2006

This project was done in collaboration with Mansie Verma as our graduation project to obtain a degree of M.Sc. in Design and Digital Media from the University of Edinburgh.

This project aims at addressing playgrounds and their utilization in current urban scenarios, in developing and under-developed countries. It experiments with digital technology to re-create a play space wherein children can actively engage with each other and the space utilizing upon a unique medium of play. As playgrounds have traditionally always been situated within a natural habitat or environment, this further reinforces the concept of developing the idea- based on something closely related to nature. Working around notions related to nature, music and how can children play around them; conceptualized [Nature re Play]; an immersive environment making use of interactive digital media in both real urban settings and performing arts.

Nature rePlay takes off from the idea of human connectedness, of which a playground has always been a lively and networked model, in the built environment. Just as in a playground there are various medium of play such as swings, see-saws, slides, merry-go-rounds etc., this immersive play-space is about people-centric play with pendulums as the prop and medium. The interaction design took advantage of the mobile physical qualities of a pendulum, and the human input required to bring these movements and interventions. The harmonic motion and collisions of each pendulum were used to generate a layered sound field and corresponding geometrical transformations of a leaf.

Installation poster

These images are of the model we created as a prototype of the playground. It was exhibited as an interactive installation. People played with the prototype to create corresponding visuals and sounds.

These images are of the model we created as a prototype of the playground. It was exhibited as an interactive installation. People played with the prototype to create corresponding visuals and sounds.

These images are of the model we created as a prototype of the playground. It was exhibited as an interactive installation. People played with the prototype to create corresponding visuals and sounds.

These images are of the model we created as a prototype of the playground. It was exhibited as an interactive installation. People played with the prototype to create corresponding visuals and sounds.

These images illustrate how can this prototype be inserted in urban space to create a real size digital playground for children.

These images illustrate how can this prototype be inserted in urban space to create a real size digital playground for children.