CALURA
Calura is an interactive installation that drops viewers into the feeling of hot summer days based on a fictional found archive of film photos taken in Ischia and the beaches of Naples in the mid-1980s. The rhythm of the picture are giving by he oscillation of the fan that visitors can interact with. It creates a nostalgic, multi-sensory journey that bridges past memories with present interaction.
Challenge
Creating new modes of interaction between the archive, people, and interfaces through hacking objects
Class
Prototyping interactive installation master of interaction design SUPSI
Modality
1 month - team of 3
Roles
creative coding, physical computing
Tools
Arduino, C++, HTML, CSS, Javascript, Raspberry Pi 5
OUTCOME
Warm, nostalgic, and immersive, Calura evokes the slow, sticky heat
of summer days by the sea. Through vintage-looking photos, ambient
sounds, and the gentle hum of fans, the installation creates a
sensory space that invites visitors to pause, reflect, and
experience the timeless feeling of languid summer afternoons.
Visitors can turn the oscillation on or off to control when the
images change and adjust the speed of the fans to navigate between
six stations of music and sounds related to the archive's theme.
PROCESS
The project was driven by hands-on experimentation and iterative
prototyping.
We began by testing the interaction logic
using mobile phones to simulate the experience. From there, we
transitioned to physical fans as the core interaction device, using
compass sensor to get the orientation of the fan that would trigger
the change of image.
Sound design was the final layer of
the experience. We used magnets and magnetic sensors to detect the
rotation speed of each fan, allowing the sound to change dynamically
based on their combined speed.
This process balanced
technical exploration with emotional storytelling, leading to a
cohesive and immersive experience.
Creative coding and testing
Learning
Interactive installation
Gained hands-on experience designing and prototyping physical art installation that translate abstract concepts into immersive, interactive experiences.
Balancing Concept and Technology
Discovered how iterative prototyping helps merge artistic vision with technical constraints in interactive installations.
Creative Teamwork
Built confidence navigating team work, balancing individual input with collective decisions in a fast-paced prototyping process