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This media art installation was designed at the Koeln International School of Design in the year 2001.
The task of this design project was to develop a fountain for urban space. The central idea of SOURCE was to create an experience of water which does not necessarily include the element itsself. The result is a low-tech installation with plastic foil, light and sound that offers a persuasive feel of water to the visitor. Inspired by enterable waterfalls in nature, the challenge of SOURCE was to create a water environment that surrounds people. Providing water-like walls to see through and hear through we aimed at changing people’s perception of the city. SOURCE would be an island in a busy place that offers peace and shelter and a new perspective on urban reality.
SOURCE consists of four wave-like walls, each 240 cm in altitude. The architecture is an open structure of aisles with seamless transitions of internal and external areas. A system of light metal bars provides the basic construction to attach the plastic foil to. Illuminated by blue and green spots and gently moved by draughts (drafts) from passers-by, the shimmering cellophane creates the convincing impression of water. The acoustic installation underlines the water effect with white noise that on one hand corresponds very much with the natural sound of browsing water and on the other hand covers or deadens the noises of the surrounding city.
From this low-tech installation we learned that it doesn’t take much to provide an immersive environment holding the complete attention of a visitor. The experiment inspired and motivated us to develop a more advanced technical set-up which could serve as a permanent installation in urban space. Further conceptual ideas included video projections and telematic connections of fountains in different cities via Internet. Please contact us for further details.
<Designer> Michael Wolf
<Designer> Pierre Champiot
