PROBE

Jackson Thesis Studio Show

May 24-25, 2013

PROBE was an installation and exhibition featuring the undergraduate thesis work of the 2012-2013 Jackson Studio. The projects on display each had a unique critical focus, but all were united in their ambition to re-frame the physical world as a place of augmented experience, in accord with aspects of contemporary culture that the architectural discipline has so far failed to adequately address. Each thesis was therefore framed as a challenge to the architectural discipline, and an argument for and demonstration of a new approach to architecture. 

The studio’s general interest in architecture’s nature as an immersive, augmented reality was reflected in the design of the exhibition itself: the content of each thesis project was presented as a series of interactive layers, and the physical infrastructure of the show provided a fun and engaging interface for exploring and interacting with these various layers of content. Two-dimensional content was projected from above onto hanging display surfaces, each of which featured a hacked Xbox Kinect that allowed for interactive multi-touch capability. Visitors could therefore interact with these projections by swiping, zooming, pinching-to-resize, rotating, and selecting—just like using a smart phone or tablet. In addition, this projected content, as well as three-dimensional physical models, triggered additional augmented reality overlays that were revealed with built-in tablet viewers—allowing visitors to explore videos, animations, and projections layered on top of the drawings, renderings, and models. 

Furthermore, in addition to the interactive experiences available in the gallery space during the course of the show, the exhibition was also simulcast online, where viewers were able to both watch a live stream of the event as well as post comments. These comments were, in turn, projected live in the gallery space throughout the duration of the exhibition.