focus on Workshops

INTERACTION DESIGN YEARBOOK

http://www.domusacademy.com
master course profile
MASTER IN INTERACTION DESIGN
The Master in Interaction Design, combining interaction design approach with a cross-disciplinary
culture, offers the possibility of generating interaction design concepts and strategies, interpreting
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) potentialities, and integrating design sensitivity with
market-oriented technological competence.
The course aims to provide students/designers with practical and conceptual skills to carry out a ‘problem
setting’ activity using their imagination to develop concepts, scenarios and strategies based on the
introduction of Information & Communication Technology in the everyday life environment.
The programme prepares its graduates for leading roles in the world of Interaction Design. Participants
will develop skills and competences to get to different design and strategic positions, such as: Interaction
Designer, User Experience Designer, Creative Director, Strategist and Design Director.
 http://www.domusacademy.com

INTERACTION DESIGN YEARBOOK

focus on Workshops
 INTRO
The 2009 Interaction Design Master Course of
Domus Academy represents the highest synthesis
of the mating between acclaimed Italian Product
Design heritage and modern ITC solutions and
platforms.
As an ongoing endeavour in the tradition of
field-research and practice, the Interaction Design
Master touched and investigated a wide variety of
design topics.
Each time the programme tried to question exist-
ing “off-the-shelf” design solutions, actively seek-
ing for emergent problems and novel challenges.
Challenges whose origins can be traced back to a
variously compounded set of contexts.
Throughout the first part of the Master Course,
there has been the constant effort to actualize the
School’s motto: “Learning by Designing”. Stu-
dents constantly tested their own and the newly
acquired skills against briefs that encompassed
>2 fields of application ranging from personal equip-
ment innovation (a familiar mass-design topic),
focus
SKILL based WORKSHOPS WS#02
CROSSING DESIGN WS#01
seminars
January February march
to custom-designed solutions for specific public
settings (public-design); from design interventions
to stir debate and reflection (affirmative-design), to
enabling DIY platforms and toolkits for individuals
and communities (personal-design).
Amidst skill based exercises, lectures, round-tables,
and the 5 major workshops, the 15 international
Interaction Design Students have been tackling is-
sues pertaining community engagement and public
spaces renovation, envisioning novel interaction
modalities for public settings. Subsequently the
class faced the challenge of bringing innovation in
retail spaces while harnessing the potential of visual
interfaces and dynamic information visualization.
The exploration of different design research re-
sources and methodologies, was carried out within
the overarching framework of an in-depth investi-
gation of sound and aural interactions.
With the 4th workshop, the focus was eventually
brought on the “make” factor.
WS#04
WS#03
april may june
The objective was devising and prototyping solu-
tions for exhibition spaces, engaging potential
visitors by means of digitally augmented interac-
tions with the exhibits.
The last workshop laid itself to a more and sys-
tematic and strategic approach asking to envision
solutions catering to the needs of such a complex
and multi-layered event as the 2015 Expo.
The project aimed at deploying, for the city of
Milan, a whole new set of services and light-
weight infrastructures.
The yearbook wants to record an entire year of
design challenges, of projects, proposals and
quests for meaning in Design, Technology and
Innovation. It also wants to witness the effort,
of both students and faculty body, to explore al-
ways new territories to validate the effectiveness
and the added values that the Interaction Design
approach is capable to contribute to the largest
debate within Design Disciplines. 3<
WS#05
FINAL PROJECT
july august september october november december
TIMELINE
>4 5<
WORKSHOPS

WS#01 LIGHTLIGHT
WS#02 V-TAIL
WS#03 SONIC’S
WS#04 BRAVE NEW MUSEUMS
WS#05 VIA DI TERRA
7<
 http://projects.domusacademy.net/led_2009/

WS#01 LightLight *project leader *assistant *WORKSHOP brief

LightLight
Stefano Cardini Renzo Giusti

INTRO
In times when light was a scarce resource, it was
that scarcity itself to determine its value. Light
had a practical but more symbolic function;
people would gather, talk, exchanged experi-
ences and opinions around a source of light; light
“I’m looking for the qualities that do required care, time, dedication, not just pressing
not perform / in this human race / a switch. Today light is an overflowing resource,
and such abundance and ease of access cause
which loves watches / and does not a wastage of energy and a loss of meaning at
know Time” once. Each of us can have as much light as we
want, wherever and whenever we want, and
switching on a light is more and more rarely ac-
Giovanni Lindo Ferretti
companied by a symbolic meaning or a greater
commitment than just pressing a button, or a
sense of sharing a space or activity. In the next
5 weeks, we’ll be working on the hypothesis of
reducing and focalizing light sources and the
amount of energy used, in order to save re-
sources and increase the symbolic value of light.
>8
We’ll focus on the relationship between light and
high performance, in terms of creating sense, re-
lations, interaction between people and between
the latter and the object designed. However,
the theme of sustainability suggests that objects
shouldn’t be designed as gadgets with limited
use and duration, nor should they be “sleeping
objects” waiting for special occasions to give
sense to their existence for a few minutes (just
think of the Christmas lights: stored somewhere
for 11 months, just to be used for a few days).
The possibility coming up involves the creation of
polymorphic objects that can be functional and
emotional at different stages of their life-cycle,
and shift from one use to the other, in order to
respond to the stimuli coming from outside.
interaction & meaning 9<

(self)sustainability
light
Interaction
behaviours/relationships
investigating the design
qualities of light both as
medium and as material
of sensorial expression.
http://projects.domusacademy.net/led_2009/
its interaction with the community enjoying it,
and we’ll try to move the focus from the quality
of the material base supporting the light to the
quality of its performance.
SCALE
The project is meant for public spaces in a large
city; such use of light can be divided into two
subcategories:
1) FIXED URBAN INSTALLATIONS - objects
which, by their nature and modes of installation,
are located in public or semi-public places, and
are not removed after use.
2) PERSONAL/PORTABLE OBJECT - personal,
portable or transportable objects, small in size
and weight, which may take on a meaning or
function for the individual owner, or perform
additionals functions when used by several
people, in public or semi-public spaces, possibly
by putting together multiple objects, in order to
obtain a sort of macro-object, temporary shared
by a small community.
functions & sustainability
The project is not about simple functional illumi-
nating objects: it actually involves developing a
Nowadays, our degree of interaction with light
simply tends to be confined to the “turn-on/off”
function, in some cases we may direct the light
source or adjust its intensity, but never or hardly
ever do we intentionally act on the symbolic
value of light. Yet we all immediately do perceive
and evaluate this meaning: a room lit by pale
blue neon conveys a precise meaning, and so
does a half-lit house, the light of a fireplace, a
candlelit dinner, a street-lamp that is switched on
and off in a rather dark street...
The project you are expected to work on should
involve a high level of expressiveness, and inter-
activity, which - as well as being aimed at the
use by a single individual - can be better de-
signed for use and enjoyment by small and large
groups of users.
OUTRO
When talking about time, Giovanni Lindo Fer-
retti, wrote: “I’m looking for the qualities that
do not perform / in this human race / which loves
watches / and does not know Time”
I think it’s a nice thought, which can also be ap-
plied to light.
Enjoy your work.

Vivid Leaf
Jung Hoon Lim; Lin
Ying Kuo; Pinak Parekh
Vivid Leaf aims at creat-
ing a relationship between
people and the environ-
ment. We chose the leaf to
symbolize this new com-
munication bond between
people and light because
like a real leaf our concept
will react to environmental
factors like natural light. To
facilitate interaction with
and people, our leaf also
adjusts to bystenders and
passersbys’ actions. De-
pending on the situation,
our multifunction street
lamp system can serve as
shelter, light and/or a seat.
In short, Vivid Leaf is an
interactive system which
changes itself for catering
to people’s needs in public
settings through its posi-
tion and use of light.
Pear
Joshua Juneho Suh, Li-
Yin Chiu, Nicholas Artis
Wallen
PEAR is an interactive
light project focused on
improving the character
of public light throughout
Milan. The project asks the
community to capture light
that expresses not only
aesthetic preferences, but
also places or experiences
in Milan. Light is captured
with PEAR lights distributed
via vending machines. PEAR
lights attach to modular
mounts which negoti-
ate interactions between
lights and share solar and
kinetic energy collected via
attachments. The mounts
allow diverse installations
at public, semi-public, and
private scales and help
finance the project through
sale to individuals.
http://tinyurl.com/pear-light
> 10
Moolamp
Sheetal Ingolikar, Chen
Lei, Carlo Zapponi
Moo Lamp is a system
to provide a new way to
interact with park through
light. This system will be
activated by the actions of
the people in the park as
opposed to the traditional
poblic lighting system. Each
lamp will respond to mainly
three kinds of interaction:
shaking, rotating and push-
ing. Through the system
the people will be able to
affect the quality of light
in terms of colour and
intensity of each lamp and
of the overall system. Each
lamp is connected to others
through a luminous trail
which shows the direction
of the energy flow. The
people can thus define the
overall look of the park
through colors.
Orion
Fennel Chang, Andrew
Chao, Heonjae Jung
Orion is a system that helps
users navigate around the
city by providing dynamic
information about nearby
services, institutions,
areas of interest and special
events through the use of
luminous icons. In maritime
navigation, light from the
stars helped guide sailors
through the oceans. Our
goal is to have light once
again be a source of infor-
mation in aiding people
in navigation. Orion will
provide useful information
to both visitors and locals
in a universal format. Once
this language of icons and
lights is accepted we envi-
sion that this in turn could
help reduce the pollution
from existing signage,
lights, and information.
p. 13>>
I-Ball
Yu-Chang Chen, Yun
Hye Choi, Ling Yang
I-Ball introduces new ways
of decorating and illuminat-
ing the city.
Currently, public lights are
fixed lighting fixtures that
neither require nor encour-
age any interaction from
the citizens. I-Ball aims at
adding movable lights that,
in turn, will lead people
to gather around, create
new energy in the city, and
express their own identity
and personality in public
spaces. I-Ball introduces
a lighting system with a
behaviour that fosters new,
unexpected and exciting
methods of interaction with
the light. This, in turn, will
bring a new night-life to
Milano.
p. 12>>
 http://projects.domusacademy.net/v-tail/
WS#02 V-tail *project leaders *assistants
Visual interfaces for surprising Elena Pacenti, Renzo Giusti, *WORKSHOP brief
V-tail
retail experiences Chiara Diana Roberta Tassi
AIM
The workshop aim is to learn skills and knowl-
edge in visual design, information architecture
and information visualization with particular
respect to interface design. The course comprises
two distinct threads of activity, to sharpen basic
skills in GUI design the firsts and to develop a
major project the seconds.
FRAMEWORK
The shopping experience into retail spaces must
be urgently reinvented up against some
phenomena that are radically changing the
relationship among consumers, brands and
how to enhance the retail products.
experience through digital 01 the actual financial crisis and consumption cut
downs that make people to evaluate purchase
augmentation of the visual with a new sobriety and consciousness.
elements in shopping 02 the exponential diffusion of internet services
> 12
environments. that finally introduced new effective ways to buy,
comparing products and prices, proposing secure
and convenient transactions
03 the diffusion of a confessional and connected
culture through internet that is radically changing
the relationship among consumers, brands and
DIGITAL RETAIL products, where people comment without filters,
get informed in advance about products and
discounts and coming collections, share ideas
User Experience
and opinions.
The store cannot be a place for pure transaction
Visual interaction and consumption anymore, it has to propose
new service advantages and new reasons to go.
The new retail experience cannot either be just
Space augmentation
about entertainment and marketing seduction,
but looks for meaningful service empowerment:
competence about products, sense of com-
munity and belonging, actual personalisation
and added value. The emotional and relational
dimension of the experience must cohabit with
service effectiveness, rational choice and trans-
parency.
GOAL
The seminar wants to investigate the potential of
the new media and tools embedded into shops
and department stores as a way for augmenting
http://projects.domusacademy.net/v-tail/
the service experience within space and time.
V-TAIL is the digitally “augmented” retail space
that visually interacts with customers during the
shopping experience to provide innovative and
meaningful performances. New media, visual dis-
plays and digital tools embedded into the shop
are used as output of the interaction between
users, the space and products. The interaction
can be triggered by personal devices, personal id
or by other kinds of input devices to be designed
inside the shop, in combination with product
and their packagings, elements already present
within the retail space. The specific scope of the
seminar is to focus on visual interfaces inside the
store to positively interfere with the shopping ex-
perience. The big chains and department stores
are the contexts where this kind of innovation
can actually start: hosts of products and goods,
wide product range, alternative and competi-
tive choices, the volume of clients and visitors,
self-service and semi-assisted selling models,
make them an interesting test bed for “digitally
augmented experience” interventions.
13 <
CONTEXT
By the way, the shopping experience itself radi-
cally changes according to the kind of product
you’re going to buy: the way we browse, we
behave, we look at, we select, we choose and
move are different. You will have to design the
digitally augmented experience into 5 different
retail types: fashion and accessories, food,
consumer electronics, books and music,
furniture and tablewear.
WHAT TO DO
STEP 0 / PHASE CHOICE
Let’s choose a shopping experience phase. You’ll
be working on this phase into the 5 different
retail types first and then focus on one.
STEP 1 / 5x5 CONCEPT GENERATION
Let’s develop an interaction concept for every
retail types. Map today experiences, highlight
opportunities, outline one concept per each
retail type.
STEP 2 / 1 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Let’s develop only one of the outlined concepts
by deeper exploring interaction details, elements
of the system, visual interface as visible interac-
tion elements.
 > 14
BOX

the offer.
the products.

gestions among the offer.

PHASE 1 / ATTRACTION

PHASE 2 / ENGAGEMENT
the entrance, the welcome…

shop supports the user’s choice.

his own path into the offer/shop.
> TEMPTING AND SEDUCTION
whole in three big steps:
Imagine to ideally describe

capabilities and imagination become

the interaction with the information.

a seduction game in which expression

Consider how to enhance the way the

Consider how to enhance the way the
Consider how to enhance the way the

A stage of experience in which people

the offer with user needs and expecta-

and digital information giving a body to

The first moment of attraction can start

features become the means for keeping

tive is to keep high the interest of users.

EXPERIENCE CYCLE
the shopping experience as a

tions. The physical structure of the space

shop orientates, proposes and gives sug-
The environment, the tools and products

The phase in which the user starts taking

The store must tune the characteristics of

walking inside the shop, hanging around,

try to choose and evaluate the alternative

exploring the space and browsing among

and of the artefacts permits to establish a

shop attracts you as a potential customer.

The moment of attraction continues while

> ORIENTATION AND RECOMMENDING

from the outside: the facade, the window,

extremely important. An interaction based

on communication dynamics whose objec-

opportunities they see in the complexity of

> COMPREHENSION AND COMPARISON
direct relation between presented products
people interested and engaged. It becomes
variations.

components).
PHASE 3 / EXTENSION
the collection of feedbacks.

of products, the waiting time.

> CARE AND SEDIMENTING
> TESTING AND EVALUATION
detailed information and descriptions.

Consider how to enhance the way the

Consider how to enhance the way the

retail context. The retail experience can

manipulation of objects, demonstration

be a simple gesture of attention and re-

ment of truth for brands and retailers: it

express feed-back. It includes the action

elements for the personal experience, to

testing the performance, the occasion in

which to activate the senses, in which to

tomer even after shopping. The care can

viding and filtering information, showing

clients after shopping. Clients are not of-

is the situation in which the user touches

shop cares about and keep in touch with

The phase of testing is an important mo-

of testing (a suite, a pair of boots, a cap),

keep in touch and dialogue with the cus-

vironment where the user can collect the

(of the functionalities of a product), taste

media. It can involve the moment of pay-

the product and often easily expresses its
confront different products and to access

opinion and thoughts. It’s the moment of

evolve in time creating the opportunity to

loyalty is not often rewarded into physical

the store can actually design new ways to

shop supports the moment of testing and
and explaining features, advising, compar-

to maintain the relationship through other

ing for the product bought, the packaging

assistants, the tools, the product displays..)
must be able to support the choice by pro-

(food..), composition (of some variations or

establish a durable relationship. That’s why

ten cared about after buying and customer
According to different context and product

warding, as well as a more complex system

types, the shop (the environment, the shop

ing products, suggesting combinations and

The Experience Space is an inspirational en-

Icon Aid V-Fit V-Farm Ekoo Click

Celine Yang, Pinak Sheetal Ingolikar,
Parekh, Nicholas Wallen Heonjae Jung, Yu-Chang
Chen
Icon-aid focuses on
enhancing customers’ ef- V-Fit addresses a particular
fectiveness when browsing situation, which is however
a large selection of laptops. common: doing purchases
The system derives unique for people who are not
icons from customers’ in the store. V-Fit, hence,
laptop-selection priorities. works to enhance the way
Each icon appears next to the shop supports the mo-
up to nine laptops on an ment of testing in fashion
interactive screen. The icon and accessories shops. The
varies in size according to visual interface helps to
each machine’s fit with the describe a person in terms
priorities. Selected Icons of height, width and overall
based on similar sets of body shape using different
priorities are visual siblings body languages and ges-
providing quick visual filter tures. V-Fit thus provides an
Icons are also interface ele- aid to chose and test gar-
ments. When in front of a ments in all those circum-
laptop a customer touches stances when actual testing
an adjacent icon to see an is not directly possible. This
interactive visualization provides an added value to
which compares the recom- the overall shopping experi-
mended machines associ- ence by engaging the user
ated with the icon and the and offering support in an
current laptop. innovative way.
p. 13>>
Lin Ying Kuo, June Ho
Suh, Carlo Zapponi
The retail experience cycle
is based on three steps:
attraction, engagement
and extension. V-Farm is
a visual iterface for retail
spaces which specifically
works to enhance the
extension phase, focusing
on rewarding customers’
loyalty to establish durable
relationships. The system
reproduces a virtual farm
in which customers can
cultivate, share and harvest
their own seedlings. After
harvesting customers can
exchange their virtual fruits
for real products. In store
interaction is based on
touch screens placed at
accessible positions in the
retail space. Remote access
is provided through a web
site and an application for
mobile phones.
p. 12>>
Yen-Ling Chang, Li-Yin Andrew Chao, Chen Lei,
Chiu, Yun Hye Choi Jung Hoon Lim
eKoo is an interface for Click! is a system for fash-
creating a link between ion stores that provides ori-
people and the music they entation and recommends
like. eKoo engages people products. The system first
in unexpected music dis- surprises the user by post-
coveries, as well as creating ing a candid photograph
a supplementary outlet for of the user on a nearby
shops. To have a taste of screen made to look like a
latest music releases, peo- mirror or poster. The user’s
ple will be able to interact photo will be superimposed
with a dynamic shopping with a random selection of
window display. The system clothing from racks neigh-
connects the shop with its boring the visual interface.
storefornt allowing people The user will then be able
to exchange recommen- to interact with the inter-
dations and suggestions. face to browse through
Through Bluetooth pairing other recommendations.
with digital players and The orientation aspect of
mobile phones, passersby the visual interface will be
could also purchase the subtle encouraging the
recommended tracks. eKoo customer exploration of the
will ultimately enable an store assortment without
easier access to music, being too intrusive or
leveraging on community prescriptive. In short, Click!
building dynamics through enhances the exploratory
informed suggestions. shopping experience at
fashion stores.
 http://projects.domusacademy.net/sonics/

WS#03 sonic’s *project leader *assistant

Investigating by designing the expressive Claudio Moderini Renzo Giusti
potential of sonic experience.

*WORKSHOP brief

Sonic’s UNDERSTAND | EXPERIMENT

how to explore the
expressive potential of
aural stimuli, to develop
sound-based interfaces
hightlighting the
complementarities of visual
and aural expressions.
> 16
Sound design
Soundscape
Phonic Interfaces
Audio/VIsual Interplay
http://projects.domusacademy.net/sonics/
INTRO
Human beings are multi-sensorial entities by
nature.
Mono-sensoriality is just a product of our culture
that highlighted some physiological peculiarities
of the different senses.
On this premise, then, arts have deepened a hia-
tus between the visual and the aural dimension.
A division which was further reinforced by the
historic separation of training paths for the dif-
ferent disciplines.
Western culture has witnessed a predominance
of sight above all other senses.
Aural sense, has also been explored and to some
extent exploited, yet often in an isolated fashion,
emphasizing its symbolic and aesthetic dimen-
sions within the context of artistic expression
– ie. music and movie –, but it has been rarely
interested by integrated design interventions.
Aim of SONIC’S is to investigate by designing the
communicative ad expressive potential of sonic
experience.
SOUND IS
Sound is a pervasive phenomenon it permeates
the environment inhabited by humans. It can be
as much an element which is taken for granted
as it can be purposely designed for entertain-
ment, for alarm, for …
Sound is a crucial “sensorial quality” that plays
a key role in shaping the interactive experience
with objects, spaces and services.
When dealing with acoustic media through
technologiy, which are the emergent “ways of
interaction”, which are the “materials” and the
qualities of interactive phonic objects, aural serv-
ices and sound spaces?
Sensorial qualities do play a key role in shaping
the interactive experience. And of course sound
has the means for enhancing and even radically
changing the perception of a phenomenon Thus
leading to unexpected levels of engegement.
AN AURAL QUEST
Certain sounds are distinctive of an environment.
Certain sounds are purposefully chosen and even de-
signed to create the mood, the soundscape of a place.
Places can have a distinctive aural identity.
Now embark on a journey discovering how different
places sound. Investigate your surroundings. Collect
evidence of the distinctive “sound” identities of places,
buildings, events and even brands. Individual traits can
be hidden in rhythms, noises, sound patterns and even
more in music genres and playlists…
Examine your collections and by matching places with
their sound patterns find the commonalities or the
artificial mismatches between the ambiance, its distinc-
tive qualities and how it is being populated with sounds.
Create an audio/visual mash-up.
Use the sounds you captured to provide a highlight, an
emotional commentary, to render the athmosphere of a
certain event context or space. Mix and match together
17 <
audio samples working out a distinctive sonic language,
which draws from the power of spoken word and codi-
fied music, yet as for RAP music, attains a new expressive
power capable of reaching beyond the simple sum of its
parts.
EXPLORE | POTENTIALITIES
COLLECTING REFERENCES
Collect references of artistic expression, projects, instal-
lations, public performances and even applications that
are either originally exploring or cleverly harnessing the
potential and the qualities of the sound/music domain.
RESOURCE TOOLS
Maximize your efforts and participate in a common
process of discovering and learinig. The department
used twine [www.Twine.Com], a platform for sharing
resources. You are invited to contribute to sonic’s twine,
by signing up and adding your findings.
CLUSTERING AND BENCHMARKING
Analyze your findings in light of the aspects that they
contribute to elicit. Group any functional and technical
similarity. Take into account all the relevant features that
pertain aural qualities, point out how they are being
used and which issues they are addressing.
POPULATING A TERRITORY
With the data collected understand where each of the
instances could be placed in relationship to all the others
and to the main axes of the territory identified.
Consider how each item is balancing between its visual
and aural component and how it manages to engage its
users.
 > 18

sors etc.
learning.

KEY VALUES
OBJECTIVES

FEASIBILITY

different media.
the experiential.

SONIC’S STAGE

SONIC’S SCAPE

CONCEPT SCENARIO
experience, sound therapy

SHARE | Findings

to a potential client/investor
Potential areas of application:
Potential areas of application:

MOTIVATIONS AND KEY ISSUES

It therefore points towards 2 threads:

indicators in the selected work context.

CREATE | Two Directions

on top of a specific topographic framework.

the baseline for a streaming “life soundtrack”.
Sonic’s aims at highlighting the complementarities of

narrations, travelling and tourism guides and orienta-

Define the feasibility with regard to the technological

Point out and highlight the intrinsic values of the pro-
features, viable alternatives, other considerations, etc.
description of the supported activity, functionalities of
entertainment, spatial navigation and orientation, aes-
Sound and music are intended as aesthetical and com-

Try to position the envisioned solutions within the pro-

storytelling by waving together multiple audio-streams

involved, type and quality of the content, technological

information sharing, cultural experience, memories and
and possibly point out a balance between the aesthetic

thetical experience, awareness and monitoring, musical

fiction (ar), visually impaired, locative gaming, language

tion, local content and knowledge sharing, audio based
tainment and sociability. Both noise and sounds provide

posal from the perspective of the different stakeholders

municative experiences. Emphasis is placed on on enter-

the proposed framework as if you were to present them

visual and aural expressions. Sonic’s wants to investigate

posed framework, explaining their relevance to the main

choices, paying attention to the integration between the

menting stories and narrations. Favouring active explora-
and the productive domain; between the theoretical and

Listening to the environment. Using the territory for sedi-

Describe the project scenario you developed in a synthet-

the tools, characteristics of the context, role of the actors

tion. Fostering new location-based narrations. Innovating

Identify and describe general objectives with reference to

ic and clear way. Try to describe it like a system, including

involved: user, client, content providers, promoters, spon-

Ding Pixonic Sonifi Sonic memoir

Li Yin Chiu, June Ho Celine Yang, Heonjae Andrew Chao, Yun Hye Yen-LingChang, Yu-
Suh , Lei Chen, Sheetal Jung, Pinak Parekh, Choi, Lin-Ying Kuo, Jung Chang Chen, Nicholas
Ingolikar Carlo Zapponi Hoon Lim Walleng

DING investigates the role
of aural qualities in shaping
the interactive experience.
DING is an innovative
sonic interface inspired
by musical instruments to
access audio information
in public spaces. It has
various functions such as
browsing the categories
of sound, controlling the
sound qualities (volume,
tone, speed and continuity)
as well as adding additional
sound effects. It consists
of a speaker as a metaphor
to attract attention, slider
for browsing the content
categories, strings for
activating and controlling
sound quality and pegs for
adding sound effects.
p. 13>>
Pixonic is an application SoniFi is a system that Sonic Memoir helps people
for smart phones and manages a user’s commu- use sound to preserve their
other portable devices nication channels and alters memories. The project is
which transforms images surrounding sounds based based around an online
to sounds. Using a camera on user selections. By con- sound archive filled with
to take real time pictures, solidating all forms of audio sounds recorded throughout
the software can generate communication, SoniFi al- one’s daily life. Capture is
interesting sound loops by lows a user to easily answer preformed with the Picker,
scanning parameters of the an incoming call from any which is a small Bluetooth
visual contents. The user channel and automatically microphone connected to
can interact and manipulate updates their status on the a smartphone. The Picker
the generated soundtrack other channels to let others may be operated manually
through some graphics know about user’s avail- or configured to record au-
editing functions. Another ability. Using sound, SoniFi tomatically. The smart phone
level of interaction is based can alter incoming and is used to manage sounds
on direct sound control. outgoing forms of commu- on the Picker and send them
To further customize the nication. The system can to the online archive. In the
resulting sounds, themes morph background noise home, the Sonic Memoir
selected according to user’s or add a soundtrack to fit Drawer facilitates an intimate,
location are provided. a user’s mood or desired tangible relationship with the
Sounds can be shared perception during audio sound archive by allowing a
and published on the web communication. user to attach favorite sounds
through a social network- to objects and browse his/her
ing platform. archive by date.

p. 12>> http://tinyurl.com/memoir-video
 http://projects.domusacademy.net/bnm/

WS#04 BRAVE NEW MUSEUMs *project leaders *assistant

Interactive installation design for museums Massimo Banzi, Alexandra Renzo Giusti http://projects.domusacademy.net/bnm/
Deschamps Sonsino

*WORKSHOP brief

how to create and prototype

Brave new museums
innovative ways of interacting Museums are commonly perceived as the shrines
of knowledge, the institutions that are meant
with contents and information to preserve and, at the same time, promote
of a museum exhibit to engage the knowledge on different aspects of human
activity. When talking about museums, thought
visitors. naturally points towards fine arts and, more
generally, to the territory of art and design. Sev-
> 20 eral museums however are operating in totally 21 <
different domains, where the aesthetic quality of
the exhibits might not be the primary driver for
the audience.
Many of these museums, usually around areas of
science and particularly children’s museums, have
been recently setting new standards in exhibition
set-up, providing unexpected experiences and
highly engaging discoveries.
Using the framework of the Archeological Muse-
um of Valle Sabbia, in Gavardo, 15 international
students from the I-design course are asked to Objective
devise interactive solutions, capable of engaging The objective of the present workshop is to
and captivating the museum visitors. encourage the Interaction Design Students to in-
The workshop is meant to stimulate the students vestigate and create innovative ways of interact-
Tangible Interactions to explore state of the art technologies and ing with the contents and the information that a
appreciate their creative potential, while really museum would likely be communicating.
understanding the context of the museum. They Projects, therefore, must pay attention on the
Prototyping will be asked to develope and hone skills which level of performance of the final solution.

they will have then to apply to the creation of Students are encouraged to create functional
Physical computing functional prototypes. mock-ups and prototypes of their ideas as both
These prototypes are meant to communicate the active experimentation and proofing tools of
conceived ideas in a more engaging and direct their design choices.

content management fashion than a simple mockup. Tinker.it! assists Ultimately the final concept must be illustrated
in leading the workshop by the involvement of by means of a working prototype which will out-
the 2 founders Massimo Banzi and Alexandra line the main features of the interactive system
Deschamps Sonsino. devised.

BOX
PHYSICAL
INTERACTION LABS
Throughout the first semester, a series of
two-day Labs introduce different tools &
techniques in physical computing.
In the skill-based sessions, students work
both in groups and individually to com-
plete short assignments and exercises.
The first Lab is Lowtech Sensors & Actua-
tors, where students are introduced to
wired logic electronic principles.
The second introduces Keyboard Hacking
as a way to interface with a computer.
The third Lab introduces the Arduino
platform as a way to define behaviours of
prototypes according to interactions.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS
> 22
On Thursday February the 19th the
Interaction Design Class 2009, had its first
hands-on experience of what was earlier
introduced as ìsketching with thechnology.
Under the supervision of Massimo Banzi,
the students followed an entire day, full-
immersion, experience experimenting and
hacking with common electronic gadgets
and “cheesy” interactive toys.
The scope and the objectives of the activity
have been illustrated by Massimo Banzi,
whith a short presentation of instructive
case histories. Banzi displayed how such
an activity can have twofold beneficial
outcomes. First of all, the module is meant
to be an exploratory activity encourag-
ing participants to observe carefully the
objects, even the most mundane, present
in their surroundings.
Attention is therefore directed towards
discovering how these objects work. The
examination stage aims at unveiling which
are the technical solutions implemented
to make such gadgets responsive and de-
livering a sensible interaction. The second
stage of the activity pursues the creation
of a higher and deeper confidence with
electronics, therefore making students
aware of how certain results are obtained
and instilling a familiar attitude towards
experimenting with technology.
of two elements. The first is
Loupe Table system consists
loupe (magnifying glass). By
dio contents browsing solu-
a physical table showcasing
arrays of slides. The second
tem provides a visual & au-
moving the Loupe towards
tion for people to navigate
of the slide, accessing sup-
element is a display, which
an augmented reality view
details on slides by using a
Hoon Lim, June Ho Suh
large multimedia libraries.
magnifying lens. This sys-
The inspiration for Loupe
behavior while watching
on it, people can trigger
one slide and closing up
observation of people’s
reminds the shape of a
Heonjae Jung, Jung
Table comes from the
plementary contents.
Loupe Table
p. 12>>
Massimo Banzi, then showed how the
simple components found in ordinary
objects, can be recombined and connected
together for building up complex and
interesting interactive objects. The basic
YunHye Choi, Ling Yang,
out the virtual fragments as
with the puzzle and piecing
Once the puzzle is correctly
contents about the specific
electronics, operating simple toys or basic
be showcasing mutimedia
archaeologists, the young
interested in archaeology.
pieces change the images
discovery of the museum
The puzzle is made up of
museum visitors will gain
exhibits by means of en-
is meant to promote the
six square tiles on which
knowledge and become
puzzle. Through playing
gaging game dynamics.
tive puzzle game which
household tools, can be used as building
completed, MixMix will
subject depicted in the
appearing on the tiles.
Users by shuffling the
images are projected.
blocks to develop sketchy prototypes of
MixMix is an interac-
interactive systems. These objects, in turn,
would work reacting upon stimuli trig-
MixMix
gered either by peole’s presence, their mo-
13
Lei Chen
tion or their direct intervention on knobs,
>> p.
buttons and levers.
I-Design students, hence, were encour-
aged to start using all the interesting com-
ponents they found in the innards of the
electronic toys they had at their disposal.
KEYBOARD HACKING
individual quests are tied to
an overarching story, which
aims to lead users through
the user to participate in a
Andrew Chao, Nicholas
use of sounds. By placing
lection to life through the
to different sound effects
that immerses users in an
bringing a museum’s col-
gate different artifacts to
Wallen, Carlo Zapponi
The second instalment of the I-Design Labs
characters from the past.
variety of quests. VIsitors
alternate reality game by
the museum and investi-
These characters will ask
artifacts, users can listen
will then have to explore
a “stethoscope”-shaped
solve these tasks. These
and to the narratives of
sintroduced a more complex technique to
Echo Echo is a system
the whole collection.
device in front of the
link together events using other kinds of
quick hacks.
Echoecho
Keybords chipsets can become easily
modifiable controllers to start prototyp-
ing interesting ways to bridge the physical
and the digital world. As an introduction,
Massimo Banzi showed a collection of
curious and clever projects that thanks to a
cunning selection of triggers: light sensors,
http://tinyurl.com/sweetvase-video
infrared sensors, tag readers, cameras
etc... have succeded in creative engaging
ceived for the Sabbia Valley
optimize the exhibition real
estate, managing contents,
Sweet Vase O` mine can let
interactive installation con-
lection of pottery artifacts.
people overcome the glass
experience right inside the
a realistic simulation of an
virtually beyond the glass,
selves and antiques. Once
people can observe much
museum. The installation,
Archeology Museum col-
by harnessing a library of
Sweet Vase O` mine is an
applications.
digital contents can help
O` mine presents people
the exhibits. Sweet Vase
archaeological discovery
more details concerning
which could virtually be
Li-Yin Chiu, Lin-Ying
Kuo, Yu-Chang Chen
barrier between them-
In day 1 students have to refresh their
recently acquired familiarity with soldering
Sweet vase
and basic circuit bending for developing
a basic system for controlling animations
o’mine
developed in Processing. In order to add
unlimited.
more fun to this phase, the students will
be free to chose one among the many
Processing Monsters collected by Lukas
Vojir and use a conveniently modified key-
board chip connected to a set of sensors to
control their monster’s behaviour. On day
and daily life of ancient civi-
ancient life, with characters
2 the activity takes a slightly more sarious
visual animated stories and
real time experiences to let
acters using the prop-tools
ancient civilizations. Work-
Ingolikar, Pinak Parekh
tions. The installation uses
Yen-Ling Chang, Shetal
collaborate with the char-
cient cultures and civiliza-
stages different scenes of
addresses school children
the visitors explore which
upon objects, techniques
lizations. Work-it! Mainly
to help them successfully
twist. Students are encouraged to quickly
to teach them about an-
Work-it! concept is built
Visitors will be asked to
it! using a set of props,
engaged in their work.
were the daily tasks of
prototype some of the interactions they
achieve their goals.
are envisioning for the projects they are
developing during the V-Tail Investigation
on visual interfaces.
Workit
http://tinyurl.com/tangiblecalculator-prototype
 http://projects.domusacademy.net/2015expopath/

WS#05 via di terra *project leaders *assistantS *WORKSHOP brief

Setsu Ito, Luca Buttafava, Camilo Ayala Garcia,
Paolo Cesaretti, Robert Le Konrad Bobrzecki, Maria
Quesne, Domenico Pisaturo José Fabregat, Mauro
D’Alessandro
territory identity
Path navigation
public infrasctructure
community reinforcing
> 24
how to conceive the new
public infrastructure
for the Milan of the
future, leveraging on the
momentum of the 2015
Expo.
http://projects.domusacademy.net/2015expopath/
Via di terra
The Land Way project consists of a visitor and
theme trail which connects a number of loca-
tions and buildings of special note, and which
leads from the Darsena to the future Expo site,
a symbol of tomorrow’s city of Milan. The route,
about 22 km in length, will allow visitors to
admire the historic parts of Milan (often not that
well known but with plenty of interesting things
to see) as well as the large new regeneration
projects designed by internationally acclaimed
architects.
This is an ambitious project which, once com-
pleted, will be able to continue even beyond
the Expo. This route can be covered on foot, by
bicycle, or in low environmental impact vehi-
cles, and will include some of the infrastructure
projects planned for the city. Construction of the
route will also provide an opportunity to adopt
a coherent system of street furniture, or, where
this is not possible, to install removable items
whose purpose is to indicate the way. A further
aim will be to carry out renovation and enhance-
ment works on building fronts along the route,
or to activate substantial renewal programmes
for some historic city places.
The Land Way aims to welcome Expo visitors
who want to visit Milan and get to know the
city’s cultural sites, its old and more recent his-
torical locations, combining art and enjoyment,
with shopping and gastronomy. The Land Way
will also be a way of enabling everyone to enjoy
the city and move around it at a leisurely pace.
The “Via di Terra” Project will see 4 different
possible declinations of the general brief, each
one proposing an original take on the design
challenge proposed by the Municipality.
DESIGN DOMAINS
The Project will deal with the design of custom
conceived Route facilities and services. Support
facilities for visitors will have to be designed and
then placed along the Land Way within existing
public areas due for redevelopment or planned
regeneration.
BIKE - STATION
The bike station is menat to be where visitors
will access services enabling them to cover the
route. They will be able to rent bikes, tandems,
rollers, skate boards, etc..., as well as accessories.
Visitors will also be able to make use of facilities
such as rest rooms and luggage lockers. Bike
Stations will be located near the main transport
nodes to offer visitors a sustainable mobility op-
tion for moving around the city.
GATES
These entry gates to the route will constitute
the points of contact and direct transit between
the main route and the secondary theme routes,
signalled by art installations which will act as
strong features of attraction and identity for
these places.
NAVIGATORS
The Navigators will be specially-equipped loca-
tions enabling visitors to access information
about the routes. Here, visitors will find informa- 25 <
tion about distances, location of amenities, and
so on. WI-FI networks will enable visitors to ob-
tain supplementary information about the route
or to use the Internet to find out other nearby
points of interest.
REST - AREAS
These areas will provide visitors with comfort-
able places to take a break in the open air during
their journey across the city. Some themes and
sub-themes of the World Exposition can also be
presented in these oases of comfort.
LOOK-OUTS (LANDMARKS)
Certain spots will be selected as features of the
Milan skyline which will also serve as points of
reference for orientation along the route. At the
time of the Expo visitors will be also be able to
access some of the taller buildings normally not
open to the public, to get a panoramic view of
the city.
ZERO - EMISSION BUSES
Lastly, the Land Way will be served by ecological,
open-air shuttle buses, fitted with multimedia
equipment that will enable Expo visitors to enjoy
the city’s various trails in comfort. These vehicles
will be hydrogen-fuelled to promote zero-emis-
sions urban mobility.

BOX
*WORKSHOP brief declination 1
INVISIBLE
TERRITORIES-
IDENTIFIABLE
TERRITORIES
Luca Buttafava
The main challenge of “Via di Terra”
Project is not to be able to design, but
to understand WHAT to design, WHERE,
and for WHOM, establishing what will
happen, HOW it will happen, and WHEN
and WHERE this or that strategy must be
applied rather than any other.
There are various SITES on the territory
that quite often have interesting but HID-
DEN IDENTITIES, and yet, since they do
not manage to COME OUT, they are not
RECOUNTED. Yet there are people who
DO KNOW about those SITES, but since no
one asks them for their ADVICE, and since
no one gives them any CREDIT as treasur-
ers, this PRECIOUS KNOWLEDGE will be
lost one day. It is first and foremost funda-
mental to visit the TERRITORY, to explore
> 26
it, experience it, touch it, photograph it,
film it, and know it; it must be recounted
for the aspects that each and every one
of you, as a designer, finds interesting, by
CAPTURING unexpected motivations, that
can transform the sites into IDENTIFIABLE
TERRITORIES
Identify WHAT could RAISE INTEREST FOR
CULTURAL EVENTS that concern the COM-
MUNITY and part of the city, its identity,
memory, traditions. You can choose to
focus on one or more of these aspects.
What is important is to choose what type
of users you want your project to address,
and to define the TARGET you intend to
engage.
THE ROUTE that connects the various loca-
tions that you are investigating with one
another, must STRESS this RELATION; it
must narrate the PASSAGE from one point
to the other, allowing thus anyone to per-
ceive small clues, which together convey
an IDENTIFIABLE message. Think about
guerrilla marketing or street art with stick-
ers. Students must find a rich narrative that
has the ability to stress the COLLABORA-
TION between the groups of visitors since
they’re all connected to one another along
the route. The goal of the project is to de-
fine a system of relations, spaces, objects
and media that can improve the visibility
of the SITES; they must be welcoming, and
reflect the essence of Milan’s identity.
27 <
- to explore the role of interactivity in our
BOX society by exploiting its potentialities, by
making tangible the intangible.
*WORKSHOP brief declination 2 - to enhance the experience of the visitor
MAKING SENSE OF in the space;
- to tell the history/story of the place
TIME AND SPACE through the creation of an emotional reso-
Domenico Pisaturo, Robert Le Quesne nance in the visitor.
REQUIREMENTS
“Via di Terra” will be a predefined trail The proposed solutions should fulfil the
to discover Milan experiencing the his- following requirements:
tory through the qualities of the spaces OBJECTIVES: identify general objectives
along the path. While present fruition of with reference to the proposed framework,
historical info happens primarily through as presenting them to a client/sponsor.
books or exhibition labels, there is a real MOTIVATION AND KEY ISSUES: try to
experience of artefacts and spaces which position the envisioned solutions within
is not commonly accessible or officially the proposed framework explaining the
recognized as history. Every object, every objectives relevance.
architecture communicates. The artefacts CONCEPT SCENARIO: describe it like a
become the means through which their system, including description of the sup-
own story unfolds. Each space provides ported activity, functionalities of the tools,
us with sensory mnemonics that trigger characteristics of the context, role of the
unique reactions for each individual. The actors.
use of technology adds a way of under- KEY VALUES: identify and describe the
standing our surroundings through the use values of the proposal from the perspec-
of metaphor and interaction. tive of the different actors involved.
DESIGN OBJECTIVES FEASIBILITY: define the feasibility with
All the projects should aim at develop- regard to the technological choices, paying
ing concepts and scenarios of artefacts, attention to the integration between the
spaces, systems and services that will different media.
permit us:

Para_site
Dicle Begum Arslan,
Faten Baassiri, Yu-
Chang Cheng
Milan, the capital of design,
misses some spontaneity in
its everyday life. The city is
tough and would risk not
to be welcoming tourists
coming in for Expo 2015.
The whole city life, how-
ever, shifts during Aperitivo
time, which is a typical Mi-
lanese ritual. Parasite uses
this gathering as a platform
to amplify the city throught
a process and not a prod-
uct, and allows visitors
to understand it through
personal experience. This
event is mainly located in a
small park called Parco delle
Basiliche, known for the big
amount of places serving
Aperitivo.
Oh my guide!
Tuğçe Ayan, Vasundhara
Parakh, Carlo Zapponi
Oh my guide! is an aug-
mented reality application
that aims at guiding people
in the city using people as
guides rather than maps.
Oh my guide! is a service of
collaborative guiding: the
user selects on his mobile a
destination and the guide
(another subscriber) that
she/he will be following. By
panning the phone users
going to the same direc-
tion will identify eachother
with a visual tag. The
user in need of direction
agrees to follow the guide
and the guide agrees to
be followed. This service
connects people in the city
and promotes  interaction
between locals and visitors.
The service features social
networking functions for
tracking/rating.
p. 13>>
> 28
Pico
Yen-Ling, Chang Ling,
Shu-Yu Wu
Turists and visitors often
have difficulties taking a
perfect picture of them-
selves in front of touristic
venues or other landmarks.
Pico provides a system that
enables people to take
self-portraits at memorable
sites. Several cameras are
placed in various posi-
tions and the portraits are
taken from different angles,
therefore adding a special
quality to the shots taken.
For the 2015 Expo, Pico
cameras are thought to be
set up at scenic spots along
the “Via di Terra” allowing
a full documentation of
those who will decide to
walk the whole path.
p. 12>>
Memo
Lin-Ying Kuo, Yoshihisa
Shinagawa, Hao-Ting
Sun
History is the most precious
sedimentation of a com-
munity’s collective memory
and there is no deny-
ing that memory always
evokes emotions. Memo
purposefully awakens the
memory of episodes of the
city’s history by means of
site-specific installations.
Several of those episodes
are now forgotten and
obscure because of the lack
of meaningful connections
to the original events which
marked, also emotiaon-
ally, certain city locations.
Memo by using architec-
tural projections and other
landmarking solutions,
honours the memory of Mi-
lan’s past during the event
of Expo 2015.
Portami
Fennel Chang, Andrew
Chao, Heonjae Jung
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vulla con ulla feuismo lo-
bore tatis ercillaore eros et
incinim do consequat. Cum
nonullaor iurem venisci
tismod te facilisi.
Tatet lum at ut accum in
hent ilissecte mod eugait
la commodolore consequis
adit ipsum exero et voles-
sim do odignim endit am
at adio eniam zzrilisi bla
commolore tio od tet iri-
ureetue dolor il dolor sisisci
ncidui blandit del dolummy
numsandiat luptat nostrud
doluptat. Sit ing euiscini-
praess.

T3
Jin Woo Han, Daniele
Claudio Silvestri, June
Ho Suh
T3 is a system of resting ar-
eas and information points
made for the Universal Ex-
position that Milan will host
in 2015. T3 is composed of
3 units of different design,
made to be placed in three
specific places of touristic
and cultural interest in
Milan: Triennale museum,
Largo Africa in front of City
Life building site and Piazza
Sempione. The concept
derives from the idea that
as a tree provides a natural
shelter and resting feeling
while giving also fruits, T3
provides shading and in the
same time information that
users can be pick and store
using a provided “e-guide
map”.
Teaser
Andréa Chagnon, Pinak
Parekh, Didem Sakipaga
Teaser is an augmented
reality viewer for public
places. Its strong visual
identity and its features
are menat to invite visitors
to discover hidden sights/
sides of Milan, overlaping
images of the past to real-
ity. It allows the user to go
through the different eras
of the city and to live its
past history in the course of
an interactive experience.
Teaser makes the city inter-
esting to the visitors and
shows how the community
has grown in the past. It is
an interactive and engaging
way of living the cultural
identity of Milanese people
and for the visitors to have
unforgettable memories
and experience.
> 30
Vision
Angela Kim Faison,
Arim Kim, Jung Hoon
Lim
For Via di Terra, the city of
Milan needs to enhance
certain pathways that will
reveal hidden territories,
while providing comfort
for those participating.
Vision, is a wayfinding
project that marks certain
routes throughout Milan’s
“Creativity Area”. Vision
will create a light infrastruc-
ture to communicate the
pathway through subtle,
but reiterated graphic sig-
nage. Vision comprises also
elements of urban furniture
and lighting systems which
utilize existing objects and
surfaces expanding them
and marking their presence
as pointers to potential
points of interest.
CityCity
BangBang
Han Gwe Ahn, Peter
Andersson, Yun Hye
Choi
Finding your way or a place
to rest is currently difficult
in Milan, which makes the
city sometime a difficult
place to be in. City city
bang bang is about making
the toursits feeling more
welcome. To achive this
goal, City city bang bang
will help tourists providing
directions, useful informa-
tion and also places to rest.
City city bang bang uses
objects and structures al-
ready excisting in the urban
enviroment so it can be
placed on the narrow side-
walks that can be found all
around the city.
Vitacletta
Andrew Chao, Li Yin
Chiu, Ying-Ying Li
Vitacletta tries to take
advantage of the large
amount of tourists that will
arrive in Milan for the 2015
Expo as a resource to bring
new energy to the city.
Vitacletta is an enhanced
bike rental service that also
harvest the kynetic energy
produced by tourists and
visitors while pedalling,
to activate amenities and
touristic facilities located
along the Via di Terra.
Abandoned areas will be
transformed into places for
people to gather and con-
tribute exchanging along
with the bikes rented also
small quantities of energy
that they produced.
Sociocity
Pelin Dumlu, Heonjae
Jung, Eshaa Samantha
Venkatesh
Networking has become a
key part of our daily lives
nowadays. socioCITY aims
at satisfying the growing
need of person to person
interaction by creating a
live and interactive journal
for an individual. socioC-
ITY provides two systems,
one catering to people who
decide to walk and explore
the city and the second for
people who use the Bike
Mi bicycle rental. In the first
case a software applica-
tion will create a live online
journal for the user, which
will update itself according
to the users movements
across the city. The second
layer of the system will help
people to navigate through
the city by bike while
keeping a data log of their
journeys..
Milano
Akanksha Bhandula,
Sheetal Ingolikar, Chen
Wang
“Milano” aims at chang-
ing the attitude of people
towards the city of Milan
and let people explore all
the lovely places the city
has to offer. “Milano” is
comprised of temporary
experiences as well as a
permanent solutions. The
temporary solutions are
two; ‘stamp of love’ and
‘love in the air’. The perma-
nent solution gave freedom
to users to express their
views in terms of likes and
dislikes about the city and
eventually people can get a
token of love for express-
ing themselves. “Milano”
provides a solution to
real problems by trigger-
ing public involvement to
trigger richer community-
generated experiences.
Zonaterra
Davide Bot, Nicholas
Artis Wallen, Kim-Ming
Yap
Via di Terra is a connection
between landmarks and all
defined routes connecting
them. With over 29 million
visitors estimated during
Expo 2015, it is imperative
that visitors spread across
Via di Terra, are interested
in what the route offers,
and are able to orientate
themselves between the
connecting landmarks.
Zonaterra, proposes to
reclaim neglected intersitial
space to turn dead green
spots connecting land-
marks into actual centres
of interest: encouraging
exploration and social
interaction along the Via
di Terra.
 project
leaders
Massimo Banzi
Massimo Banzi is the co-founder of the Arduino project
and has worked on many interaction design project for
clients like: Prada, Artemide, Persol, Whirlpool, V&A
Museum and Adidas. He spent 4 years at the Interaction
Design Institue Ivrea as Associate Professor. Massimo
has taught workshop and presented at institutions like:
Architectural Association - London, Hochschule für
Gestaltung und Kunst Basel, Hochschule für Gestaltung
Schwäbisch Gmünd, FH Potsdam, Domus Academy,
Medialab Madrid, Escola Superior de Disseny Barcelona,
ARS Electronica Linz, Mediamatic Amsterdam, Doors
of Perception Amsterdam. Before joining IDII he was
> 32 CTO for the Seat Ventures incubator. He spent many
years working as a software architect, both in Milan and
London, on projects for clients like Italia Online, Sapient,
Labour Party, BT, MCI World- Com, SmithKlineBeecham,
Storagetek, BSkyB and boo.com.
Luca Buttafava
Luca Buttafava received a degree in architecture at the
Polytechnic University of Milan. In 1996, he attended
the Interaction Design Course at the Domus Academy in
Milan. He worked there for ten years, after traveling for
work in Korea and Japan. He worked at Domus Acad-
emy, at DARC (Domus Academy Research and Consult-
ing) as a senior researcher, and then began teaching and
working as supervisor of Masters programs. Buttafava
also teaches in other Italian and international institutes,
and since 2001 he has worked extensively with the Poly-
technic University of Milan, in the Design Department as
a professor of Communication and Media Integration. In
2008, he become a member of NABA (Nuova Accademia
di Belle Arti) as a Special Programs Coordinator in Milan,
managing programs in the International Department. A
partner of Id-Lab, his most recent team project is Venezia
[exhibition] Architecture Biennale.
Paolo Cesaretti
Paolo Cesaretti (1963), architect. After a short period at
the Amsterdam based UnStudio, in 1998 Paolo Cesaretti
becomes co-partner of vc a in Milan, specialising in
exhibit and experience design. Among the most recent
achievements the studio has been selected for the ADI
Design Index - years 2004 and 2008 - and invited to take
part in the collective exhibition “VuotoXPieno / Tempo-
rary Architecture in Italy”. Today vc a is designing the
new retail identity for leading Italian hypermarkets brand
Ipercoop. Regular lecturer at SPD and guest professor
at Politecnico di Milano and Domus Academy, Paolo
Cesaretti is currently working as a design consultant and
art director exploring the concept of designed space as a
communication tool.
Stefano Cardini
After obtaining a degree in architecture -in 1996- with a
thesis about an innovative system integrating car pooling
and car sharing, he decides that architecture is a good
hobby. He spent 8 years working at Domus Academy
on EU funded research projects (Presence, LiMe, MATS,
Pogo); as art director at Domus Academy Research and
Consulting he was responsible for DA brand identity and
for several projects for DARC clients. In 2005 he moved
to trivioquadrivio, working on projects bridging visual
identity and organizational development consultancy.
He’s been teaching at DA, both in workshops and short
courses, and since 2000 he’s teaching at Politecnico di
Milano. He’s interested in the relationship between new
and old media (and believes that they cannot be split, at
the moment), and spends most of his efforts trying to
represent complicate concepts in a simple way.
Alexandra Deschamps Sonsino
Alexandra is an industrial and interaction designer. She
attended the Interaction Design Institute Ivrea where
she met the other founders of Tinker.it!. She has been
involved in projects for clients such as Nokia, Motorola,
Droog design, Thinglink, Jaiku, Blast Radius, fo.am and
Blyk bringing creative and strategic leadership to multi-
disciplinary teams. She is an active speaker on the next
generation of technology-aided product design and
heads Tinker.it!’s operations from London.
Chiara Diana
Communication and interaction designer, with a degree
in Design at the Polytechnic University of Milan and a
master in I-Design - Interactive objects, spaces and serv-
ices - at Domus Academy, Chiara Diana is Domus Acad-
emy Art Director. In 2003 she joined Domus Academy
Research and Consulting Department (DARC), where she
is responsible for communication and interaction design.
In January 2006 she has been appointed to Domus Acad-
emy Art Direction. She participated in the development
of concepts, interaction design model and interfaces
for MILK: MULTIMEDIA INTERACTION FOR LEARNING
AND KNOWING and CARE!CREA projects. She has been
responsible of the concept and design of signage system
and environmental identity, in RCSMediaGroup building,
ended in 2005. In collaboration with D.COM - com-
munication design department of Polytechnic Univer-
sity of Milan - she designed the new face of EDIZIONI
POLIDESIGN, academic publishing house.Since 2005 she
is Adjoint Professor at the Faculty of Industrial Design at
the Polytechnic University of Milan and at Arsnova Digital
Arts Academy of Siena.
Setsu Ito
Designer and Architect. After graduating in Japan at
Tsukuba University, in 1989 he moved to Milan where
first he worked for Studio Alchimia and then collabo-
rated with Angelo Mangiarotti. Since 1995 he has been
working between Milan and Tokyo in partnership with
Shinobu Ito as a consultant for important companies
such as De Padova, Edra, Sawaya&Moroni, PoltronaFrau,
Dupont Corian, felicerossi, Guzzini, Nava, Richard Ginori,
Colle-Vilca, Swarovski, Tiffany, Sony CP Laboratories, Hi-
tachi, Sharp, Toshiba, Canon, Yamaha, Mitsubishi, TDK,
Cassina Ixc and Toyo Kitchen&Living.He is also a Visiting
Lecturer in Milan at the Milano Politecnico and at the
Domus Academy and at the Istituto Europeo di Design,
and in Tokyo at the Tama Art University and Tsukuba
University. His work has been exhibited throught Europe
and Japan and has received several awards. Some pieces
are part of the permanent collection at the museum of
Contemporary Art in Munich.
Robert Le Quesne
39 years old. Born in London, England, Robert studied
Photography, Film and Video at the University of West-
minster before becoming a founding member of mul-
timedia design collective Antirom. Antirom pushed the
boundaries of multimedia and interactivity and became
internationally acclaimed working with clients such as
Levi-Strauss, BBC Worldwide, and the Science Museum.
After leading the production teams of major London
accounts such as Natwest and Banca Mediolanum at the
global internet company Razorfish, Rob became head of
production at the newly formed office in Milan. It was
here that he developed the strategy ‘Digital Retail Space’,
looking at ways of transforming the ways people interact
with brands in physical retail spaces. He co-founded
thebigspace to develop these ideas into workable client
solutions. Since setting up thebigspace in 2002, he has
developed cutting-edge experience design solutions for
clients such as Levi-Strauss, Artè, Polo Ralph Lauren, Le
Coq Sportif, Alfa Romeo, JC Penney and Replay Jeans.
Claudio Moderini
Born in 1965, interaction designer, he is director of
the Master Programme in Interaction Design at Domus
Academy. Since 1995 he is member of the research staff
at DARC (Domus Academy Research and Consulting) and
since 2000 responsible of the interaction and media de-
sign research activity. He has worked in several projects
on interaction design and multimedia, developing con-
cepts related to telecommunication, media spaces and
graphical interfaces. He taught New Media Theories and
Techniques at the Faculty of Communication Science of
the University of Siena and Visual Communication in the
Industrial Design Course at the Faculty of Industrial De-
sign of the Politecnico di Milano. He lectured at Domus
Academy, the Politecnico of Milano, Royal College of
Art, University of Siena and University of Milano Bicocca,
focusing on interaction design in enhanced media, art
installations and network environments.
Elena Pacenti
Graduated in architecture and PhD in Industrial Design,
Elena Pacenti deals with the design of services, design of
service interfaces and design of new media for everyday
use. Since her graduation at the Polytechnic University
of Milan, she investigated on service design theory and
tools to be applied both in traditional sectors, from com-
mercial to social services, and with respect to telecom
and web–related services. Since 1996, she is part of
the Domus Academy Research and Consulting (DARC),
where she’s coordinating research activity on service
design. As service and interaction designer at DARC, she 33 <
developed projects for the European Union and advised
for governmental and private agencies in Italy. She has
coordinated the activities of DARC for the “Presence”
and the “Campiello” projects, within the EU Esprit-I3
(Connected Communities) and “Milk” project. Since
1998 she is Adjoint Professor at the Faculty of Industrial
Design at the Polytechnic University of Milan, where she
teaches service design. Since 2002 she’s the director of
Domus Academy Research and Consulting (DARC).
DOMENICO PISATURO
Born in Salerno in 1975, moved to Milan to study Busi-
ness Administration at the University “Cattolica del
Sacro Cuore”. In 1997 he begins his collaborations with
Domus Academy taking part in the research projects
“Lime”; “Presence” and “Campiello”, within the research
programme of the European Community i3 under the di-
rection of Marco Susani and Claudio Moderini. Still with
Domus Academy, worked as an Interaction Designer on
several commercial projects. In 2000 joined Razorfish as
a Senior Interaction Designer and founded together with
Rob Le Quesne (former Antirom) the department of Dig-
ital Retail Space, a research laboratory aiming at creating
new concepts for technology integration within point of
sales and exhibiting spaces in order to enhance the users
involvement. At the same time he lectures in several
Italian universities on User Experience and CRM. Visiting
professor for the I-Design master course of Domus Acad-
emy, is an Associate Partner of Creative Communications
since January 2002.
PROJECTS

PRJ#01 I-Ball
PRJ#02 Orion
PRJ#03 V-Farm
PRJ#04 V-Fit
PRJ#05 Ding
PRJ#06 Pixonic
PRJ#07 Loupe Table
PRJ#08 MixMix
PRJ#09 Oh my guide
PRJ#10 Pico
35 <
> 36
WS#01
I-Ball
Orion
Moolamp
Pear
Vivid Leaf
WS#02
Click
Ekoo
V-Farm
V-Fit
Icon aid
WS#03
PIXONIC
Sonifi
Sonic memoir
Ding

WS#04
Loupe Table
MixMix
Echoecho
Sweet vase o’mine
Workit
WS#05
Portami
Memo
Para_site
Oh my guide!
pico
Milano
Vitacletta
Vision
Teaser
T3
Zonaterra
Sociocity
CityCity BangBang
37 <
 http://projects.domusacademy.net/led_2009/?page_id=190

PRJ#01 *Team members WS#01 *brief *project leader

Alix Chen, Yun Hye Choi, << p.
LightLight Stefano Cardini
06
Celine Yang

*project title

I-Ball
what is it?
‘I-Ball’ is a lighting solution based on movable spheres of
light that leads people to gather around, create new lively
> 38
spots in the city, and express identity and personality in pub- value and potential
In conclusion, I-Balls are inte- 39 <
lic space. ‘I-Ball’ shows a new behavior for lighting system grating in one solution lighting
that triggers unexpected playful and exciting methods of and interaction. They aren’t just
interaction with light. moveable lights. They promote
a meaningful re-appropriation
Each ‘I-Ball’ is 1.8 meters in diameter. The surface of the ball of public spaces, through self-
is semi-transparent PVC, which can protect the LEDs inside. expression and playfulness.
Users will be able to elicit diverse
Meanwhile, the LEDs give off soft glows through the PVC feedbacks as soon as they use
surface. The surface is constructed with LED panels. In the them. Hopefully I-Balls will en-
centre of the lights, there is a system, which produces and courage people to cooperate and
share together efforts and ideas
transfers power to the lights and other activities. to beautify and decorate the
town. For Milan, I-Ball will bring
in a great opportunity to have a
HOW IT WORKS? some customized icons. shinier and livelier nightlife.
The ‘I-Balls’ have many functions.  First The spherical shape of ‘I-Balls’ permits to
of all, they are urban lighting fixtures, users to easily and dynamically arrange
which can be put in streets, parks and the lights in the environment, by simply
other public spaces to brighten the pushing and rolling them. 
Second, ‘I-Balls’ are decorative elements ‘I-Balls’ display different light effects on
that populate the cityscape and land- the basis both of people interaction and
scape with graffiti made of light. The of reciprocal proximity.
‘I-Ball’s’ surface is composed of touch For instance, people can play some kind
screens that are connected to a sensor in of race games or matching games with
the center. other I-Balls, and during the interaction
Being ‘I-Ball’ a digital platform for self process the balls will show different re-
expression and creativity, people can actions that have the scope to introduce
alter the light’s color and brightness, some elements of variability within the
change the pen’s pixel and color to simu- game, stimulate people to gather and
late painting, and even stamp it with interact in a playful way.
 http://projects.domusacademy.net/led_2009/?page_id=195

PRJ#02 *Team members WS#01 *brief *project leader

Fennel Chang, Andrew Chao, << p.
LightLight Stefano Cardini
06
Heonjae Jung

*project title

Orion
what is it?
‘Orion’ is a system of dynamic signage that uses light ex-
pressivity in order to help users navigate around the city by value and potential
As mentioned before, Orion can
> 40 providing dynamic information about nearby services, insti- provide some real-time informa- 41 <
tutions, areas of interest and special events through the use tion.  This can also include special
events and/or emergencies. Orion
of icons and light. Orion will provide useful information to also saves users time because one
both visitors and locals in a universal format. can quickly see what is available
on adjacent streets without cross-
HOW IT WORKS? transportation icon scrolls for displaying ing the street or even walking
Being a fixed physical infrastructure that the different transportation units avail- down the street.
provides dynamic information about able in the area, showing also related in- In the future, adding icon-
a location, ‘Orion’ will be situated on formation like estimated arrival time of a shaped lights in front of shops
street corners as well as other strategic bus, distance and walking time to reach to correspond with the icons on
locations if necessary.  The units will the nearest bus/taxi stop and so on. Orion will make locating shops
be positioned at a proper height so Below the “transportation icon” other that much easier for visitors and
that people can spot ‘Orion’ from a “lit icons” inform people about services, locals.  By spreading Orion’s
fair distance and can quickly survey an events and areas of interest along the “language” of icon and lights we
intersection for available services, attrac- street.  A number next to icons indicates could potentially reduce the exist-
tions, etc. i.e.. the number of similar services ing mishmash of signs.
‘Orion’ structure is based on four panels currently open.  The user can use a Each individual Orion unit, which
with an “L” shape format.  The angle vertical touch-pad for scrolling through is aware of its own streets, could
of the “L”, so as the size and number of the listing of similar services to see the potentially communicate with
panels may differ depending on the ac- exact location of desired service and its nearby units to further aid users
tual location.  On the panel is displayed relative distance from the current ‘Orion’ by expanding the area it covers. 
the name of the street with an arrow unit.  Furthermore, some dynamic Orion could potentially guide
that indicates the direction of the listed information about the service may also users to services and destinations
street as well as the direction of the be shown.  For example, if there are blocks away or further.
services and areas of interest shown on more restaurants along a street, the
that particular panel.   user can select restaurants and in the
The top lit icon is for public transporta- detailed info box they can see the type
tion - buses, trams, and trolleys, so as of cuisine as well as if the restaurant is
for indicating pedestrian paths. The busy or not.
 http://projects.domusacademy.net/v-tail/?page_id=180

PRJ#03 *Team members WS#02 *brief *project leaders

Lin Ying Kuo, June Ho Suh, << p.
V-tail Elena Pacenti,
10
Carlo Zapponi Chiara Diana

*project title

> 42
V-farm http://tinyurl.com/vfarm-prototype 43 <
what is it?
‘V-farm’ is a virtual reproduction of a real farm in which cus- VALUE AND POTENTIAL http://tinyurl.com/vfarm-scenario
The V-Farm system allows retail
tomers can cultivate, share and harvest their own seedlings stores to improve the way they
placed in public places and accessible also remotely. After care about and keep in touch
harvesting, customers can exchange their virtual fruits for real with their clients after shopping
through a rewarding system that
products. In-store interaction is based on touch screens placed can educate people to a more
at accessible points in the retail space. Remote access is provid- sustainable “shopping style”.
Communities based on sharing
ed through a web site and an application for mobile phones. and exchanging  can be born
around the virtual farm. Pos-
HOW IT WORKS? provided by large scale touch screens sibilities of interactions between
The system consists of four main tools: through which users can manage, seed people around the v-farm are
a membership green card, the ‘V-farm’ and share their fruits with other users. endless.
lounge, kiosks, a web-site and a mobile The software serves tools for managing Simple possible developments
phones application. When buying eco- and sharing the seedlings. could be related to widen the
sustainable and bio-products customers ‘V-farm’ access is also available through set of activities and products in
collect points by way of their member- a website that gives each user a way the virtual farming experience
ship card. After collecting a certain to observe other user’s harvest and (i.e. bees, animals, etc.). A more
amount of points they can use them for propose exchange and trade of culti- structural potential development
planting new seeds in the virtual-farm. vated products. A mobile application could be the installation of a real
The card is the main tool for logging is supplied to users who want to have garden inside the shop where
into the virtual farm, which is installed an overview of their own farm through people can grow and share their
inside a lounge (in case of big stores) their mobile phones and check ex- real products through the help of
or in kiosks placed in strategic positions change proposals. a “green customer service”.
chosen in order to enhance post-buying The system cycle ends when fruits are
experience. ready for the harvesting and then they
Interaction in the ‘V-farm’ lounge is are exchanged for real products.
 http://projects.domusacademy.net/v-tail/?page_id=178

PRJ#04 *Team members WS#02 *brief *project leaders

Sheetal Ingolikar, Heonjae << p.
V-tail Elena Pacenti,
10
Jung, Alix Chen Chiara Diana

*project title

> 44
V-fit http://tinyurl.com/vfit-prototype 45 <
what is it?
http://tinyurl.com/vfit-scenario
The focus of ‘V-fit’ is to reinvent the shopping experience value and potential
into retail spaces through visual interfaces to create a mean- The visual interface enhances
ingful interaction between users, the space and products. the overall shopping experience
driven by consideration of mo-
The specific scope of the project is to enhance the way the ments of engagement between
shop supports the moment of testing in fashion and ac- people and space.
cessories shops. The scenario of ‘V-fit’ implies a client that It helps to add a certain value
to the moment of testing and
wants to buy a gift for somebody else. In this context it is provide a new entertainment to
very useful to visualize the person, who is not present in the user within the retail environ-
ment. The solution, V-fit, serves
the shop, and choose the correct size of clothes for him. as a high adaptive interface for
The visual interface helps to describe a person in terms of variable fashion stores.
height, width and overall body shape by way of body lan- Further potential development
would be a printable version of
guage and gestures. the interface feedback which
people can take away as a souve-
HOW IT WORKS? be described. The interface reacts to the nir of their experience.
‘V-fit’ system is based on human gesture gestures and hand movement and ena-
recognition technology that combines a bles the user to modify the image to suit
set of technologies, such as infrared rays his requirement. It is possible to modify
led array, camera-based recognition and the image in terms of height, width
capacity sensor-based recognition. In and overall body shape in the front and
the standby mode the interface displays side profile. After completing the image
different images from the visual library description the system gives the recom-
and the users can choose the image mendation for a suitable size of clothes
which closely resembles the person to for the person described.
 http://projects.domusacademy.net/sonics/?page_id=79

PRJ#05 *Team members WS#03 *brief *project leader

Li Yin Chiu, June ho Suh, << p.
Sonic’s Claudio Moderini
14
Lei Chen, Sheetal Ingolikar

*project title

Ding
what is it?
The focus of ‘Ding’ project is to investigate the role of aural
qualities in shaping the interactive experience. The sonic
interface of ‘Ding’ is inspired by string musical instruments,
> 46 47 <
representing an innovative way to play audio information
in public spaces. The system addresses four types of infor-
mation such as sounds of the city (environmental sounds),
stories and narrations, news and languages. It has various
functions such as browsing the categories of sound, control-
ling the sound qualities like volume, tone, speed and con-
value and potential
tinuity as well as adding additional sound effects. Ding is a The sonic interface, Ding is a new
new approach towards sonic interfaces to enhance the sonic and innovative approach towards
experience through contribution and sharing. audio interfaces and information.
It has more attractive and meta-
phorical appearance for public
HOW IT WORKS? modalities, such as news, audio stories
spaces in the urban context. It
‘Ding’ is a series of interactive sonic and narrations and translations into dif-
gives the opportunity to actively
urban artifacts consisting in a pole, a ferent languages, the access to different
interact with audio information
frame structure that contains the strings, level of details within the same category
enabling contribution and shar-
a slider and a loudspeaker. Both the is activated by rotating the slider along
ing. In a way the sonic interface
strings and the speaker are treated like the vertical axes. The pegs serve the
has the means for enhancing and
3D icons and have the scope to physi- function of selecting the language
even radically changing the per-
cally represent the main functionality options for news and narrations and
ception of audio information.
that is playing with sounds and listening. for adding additional sound effects.
The slider mounted on the side of the Brushing the strings activates the sound
frame is used for browsing and selecting information, plucking harder increases
the different functions, the string for the volume and plucking the upper and
activating, playing and controlling the lower extremes of the string produces a
sound quality and the pegs for adding variation of the tonality of the sound. In
sound effects. this way it enables the user to interact
By sliding up and down the slider it is completely with the audio information
possible to select the different audio and manipulate the audio qualities.
 http://projects.domusacademy.net/sonics/?page_id=87

PRJ#06 *Team members WS#03 *brief *project leader

Celine Yang, Heonjae Jung, << p.
Sonic’s Claudio Moderini
14
Pinak Parekh, Carlo Zapponi

*project title

Pixonic http://tinyurl.com/pixonic-scenario

what is it?
‘Pixonic’ is an application for smart phones and other portable
value and potential
devices, which transforms real time images into sounds creat- Pixonic gives people, a chance to
ing a personalized, contextual soundtrack. Using a camera to investigate reality in an unusual
take real time pictures, the software can generate pleasant way: through sound. We believe
> 48 that this application could change 49 <
sounds by scanning the visual contents. The user can interact the passive attitude of the user
and manipulate sounds through some simple graphics editing and make him/her more active
and discover the surrounding
functions. Another level of interaction is based on direct sound space in engaging ways, answer-
control. Themes are provided to customize sounds and they ing the question: “Maybe this
can also be suggested by geo-location. Sounds can be shared sounds nice!”.
Increasing the creativity towards
and published on the web through social networking. sound in terms of fun is not the
only aim of this project, we also
expect Pixonic to help the users
HOW IT WORKS? with both visual and interactive ele-
ments. to create memories of places and
The application works in two modalities:
The main idea is to give the user an moments and share them with
exploration and expressive modes.
interface to move sound scanners that others. This last goal might be
In the exploration mode, the software
detects meaningful spots in the taken achieved with the adoption of
recognizes visual elements and trans-
picture, each spot represents a spe- themes, which will provide differ-
lates them into sounds through an
cific object based on shape and color. ent musical experiences based on
object detection algorithm. The camera
Sound spots can be added, removed locations.
embedded in the portable device
catches real-time pictures to be analyzed and moved inside the picture to define
and directly transforms them into pleas- unique sounds. A wide range of themes
ant sounds the user can listen to, and are available to customize sounds, they
decide whether to save them or not. are based on different instruments,
In this modality the user can affect im- rhythm and melodies from various music
age properties by changing some basic and countries.
parameters as brightness, zoom and A geo-location system provides sugges-
contrast, this way the user can assist the tions based on the location the user has
software to investigate the visual ele- taken the picture from. As final step the
ments and create new sounds. user can save his/her sound and share it
In the expressive mode it is possible to with other people through publishing it
directly interact with sounds, playing to the web and social networks.
 http://projects.domusacademy.net/bnm/?page_id=1023

PRJ#07 *Team members WS#04 *brief *project leaders

Heonjae Jung, Jung Hoon << p.
Brave new Massimo Banzi, A.
18
Lim, Joshua Juneho Suh museums Deschamps Sonsino

*project title

Loupe Table
what is it?

> 50
‘Loupe Table’ is a low-cost augmented reality museums dis- http://tinyurl.com/loupetable-prototype 51 <
play for searching, browsing and displaying multimedia con- VALUE AND POTENTIAL
The concept behind Loupe Table
tents. By means of a small monitor mounted on a mechanic has been inspired  by the action
arm, the user can visually navigate through the detailed of analyzing diapositives on a
light table with a precision mag-
multimedia information related to the slides showcased on nifying lens. The intention was
the light-table. to harness an iconic act in order
to establish a communication
HOW IT WORKS? On the technical side, Loupe Table short-circuit. Loupe Table builds
Loupe Table’s concept draws momen- slides cover several arrays of reed sen- upon the resemblance with a fa-
tum from the assumption that often sors. Every sensor, when triggered by a miliar looking tool to suggest the
museums have large and unused collec- magnet placed behind the LCD display, system affordances and beguile
tions of documentary materials, such as activates the multimedia contents related visitors curiosity. 
diapositives slides. Loupe Table brings to the overlying slide. The low range of Loupe Table tries also to make
these objects to the forefront, making the reed sensors caters to activating the the most of documentary archive
them the vehicles through which actively supplementary contents only when the materials that often lie unused in
engaging visitors and disseminating fresh display is conveniently close. most museums. Quite ordinary
contents. The display constantly calculates its objects such as slides are turned
Loupe Table consists of two main height from the light-table surface by into real attention grabbers by
elements, an LED backlit light table, means of an infrared sensor placed on its accurate display layout and light
showcasing different arrays of slides, and back part. This allows to accurately apply set-up. Then the consistent use
a mechanic-arm mounted, movable LCD a zoom in effect when closing-up on the of a clear “mental model” makes
display, in its form factors reminiscent of slides. them an effective digital content
a magnifying glass (or Loupe).  browsing solution.
Users can move the display hovering it
over the slides array. Stopping on top of
one diapositive and closing up on it, will
trigger a choice of multimedia contents
associated with the underlying slide. A
dial on the display side will allow select-
ing among the contents available. 
 http://projects.domusacademy.net/bnm/?page_id=1024

PRJ#08 *Team members WS#04 *brief *project leaders

Yun Hye Choi, Celine Yang, << p.
Brave new Massimo Banzi, A.
18
Lei Chen museums Deschamps Sonsino

*project title

MixMix
what is it?
MixMix context of use is a small archaeology museum VALUE AND POTENTIAL
MixMix most remarkable result
whose main visitors are primary school students. MixMix is that it adds engagement and
project is a mixed reality puzzle game made up of six tiles interactivity to a museum visit.
Furthermore it enables dealing
whose manipulation triggers the projections of artifacts
with educational contents in an
images drawn from the museum collection. Scope of the amusing and entertaining way.
game is to correctly match the puzzle pieces in order to This allows MixMix to be particu-
larly fitting for the target audi-
obtain the picture of an artifact. This, in turn, gives access to ence of the museum considered.
> 52
multimedia contents about the artifact’s story. A new game MixMix game dynamic also
53 <
is started each time the pieces on the table are shuffled. appears to be suitable to the
context of an archaeology mu- http://tinyurl.com/mixmix-prototype
Through playing with the puzzle game and piecing out the seum, as it connects the element
virtual fragments as archaeologists, the young visitors will of discovery through manipula-
gain knowledge about archaeology in an engaging fashion. tion to the archaeologists work.
Piecing out the virtual fragments,
children can experience what
HOW IT WORKS? puzzle. Stopping for 2 seconds on one it feels like to be an archaeolo-
MixMix primary interface are six squared of the outlined objects will select it as gist. Therefore MixMix can be
pieces every one of which is a cuboid the object to be recomposed. A sound, exploited to make education in
of 12 by 12 by 3cm  whose surface is then, will set start to the puzzle game. an archaeology museum a fun
used as a small projection screen. The Users, then, will have to match correctly activity. 
pieces sit on an 80cm by 80cm square the 6 tiles. At the completion of the
table with a semi-translucent surface. puzzle, MixMix will trigger selected mul-
A video-projector is positioned perpen- timedia contents revealing details of the
dicularly on top of the table in order object shown on the puzzle. The Video
to project on the tiles. Underneath the content, for instance, can illustrate the
table an infrared camera tracks the story of the object discovery or alterna-
position of the tiles. Each puzzle piece tively of its restoration.
is identified by a fiducial ID, allowing
the correct positioning of the portion of
image associated to it.
MixMix game dynamic is simple and
straightforward: users have to re-
compose correctly the image projected
on the tiles surface. At the beginning
of the game, fragments of an outlined
museum item appear on the top of the
cuboids. Shuffling the puzzle pieces on
the table, will change the subject of the
 http://projects.domusacademy.net/2015expopath/?page_id=130

PRJ#09 *Team members WS#05 *brief *project leader

Tuğçe Ayan, Vasundhara << p.
Via di terra Domenico Pisaturo,
22
Parakh, Carlo Zapponi Robert Le Quesne

*project title

Oh my guide!
what is it?
‘Oh my guide!’ is is a service of collaborative guiding based
on the interaction between two kinds of users: the guide
and the follower. The follower is the one who is looking for
guidance and direction and the guide is the one who offers
to guide followers to their destination.
> 54 value and potential 55 <
HOW IT WORKS? before deciding to create a group. ‘Oh my guide!’ provides an agile
The system creates a layer of augmented Followers can rate the guide, therefore infrastructure for connecting
reality between the real world and the creating an informal trust-network people in the city. ‘Oh my guide!’
user by collecting and dispatching status for other people to find out  reliable builds upon the social/virtual
message updates. guides or one that can speak a certain paradigm, translating it into the
A follower in need to find out a guide, language.  real world. The service potentially
activates the software and pans his ‘Oh my guide!’ features functionality increases also the chances for
phone scanning his view-field. In real similar to any social network as – status, interaction between locals and
time, bubbles are overlaid above people wall messages, groups, messaging, rat- visitors/newcomers.
who are going towards the same or a ings and subscriber profiles. ‘Oh my guide!’ can be used
neighbouring destination. The system supports alternative worldwide and potentially
The follower asks to trail the guide modalities of use:  strengthens the city’s social
and eventually the guide agrees to be 1) Default modality, which caters to fabric, making it more tourist
pursued.  looking for and providing direction. friendly. Users can see the city
through local people and can get
Upon accepting to guide a follower, 2) Game modality, in which us-
first-hand insights on sites and
guide and follower are grouped to- ers or associations can use ‘Oh my
places.
gether by the system. In the augmented guide!’functionalities to set up urban
‘Oh my guide!’ featured ‘Bread
reality application the guide will be then games and alternate reality quests. 
crumb modality’ is potentially a
marked with a flag icon above his head 3) Volunteer modality, in which during
huge area of development as it
while the follower will sport a sheep the Expo the organization can spread is a way of customizing the city
icon, therefore being recognizable to volunteers around the city to help peo- through virtual location-based
other ‘Oh my guide!’ users. Groups ple in giving directions and providing tagging.
moving towards different directions will support in different languages. 
be color-coded, thus avoiding potential 4) Bread crumbs modality: this is a
confusion. modality in which users can drop geo-
Groups can be custom-created depend- located, location-specific messages
ing on featured citywide events or around the city, for sharing suggestions
depending on users interests. Potential about shortcut directions, entertain-
followers can get further information ment, amenities, restaurants, and hid-
about the event the guide is bound for, den places. 
 http://projects.domusacademy.net/2015expopath/?page_id=102

PRJ#10 *Team members WS#05 *brief *project leader

Yen Ling Chang, Ling Yang, << p.
Via di terra Luca Buttafava
22
Shuyu Wu

*project title

Pico
what is it?
Tourists have often a hard time at taking a perfect picture by
themselves, let alone taking shots from particularly sceno-
graphic angles. Pico tackles these and other similar situa-
tions providing an infrastructure of high-res digital cameras
VALUE AND POTENTIAL
located in relevant sites around the city, to help tourists and Pico provides an imaginative solu-
> 56 visitors take self-portraits. tions to several inconveniences 57 <
Pico will give the possibility of shooting photographs from people experience while taking
self-portraits. Pico takes high
a variety of different angles, engaging the users in discover- quality pictures from the most
ing funny and cheerful poses. After the pictures are taken, notable touristic points of inter-
est. Pico provides users a special
Pico will take care of saving them, either forwarding them to and cheerful experience by
the visitor’s email or storing them on the service community simplifying the process of taking
homepage. The photos can later be edited before sharing realistic-looking candid-shots on
particularly scenographic sites.  
them on other social networks or they can be printed in an Pico’s system architecture is
actual photo album. modular and scalable, allowing
multiple solutions for its installa-
tion on different sites. Within the
HOW IT WORKS? from unconventional perspectives.Pico’s
framework of the Expo 2015 ini-
Before starting to use Pico, users will shooting sites will be made easily recog-
tiatives, being placed at strategic
need to subscribe to the service online nizable through an identifiable signage. 
locations along the Via di Terra,
or at one of several tourists informa- Pico Cameras installed in different
Pico will provide a valuable aid
tion centre in town. After registering, positions are equipped with a variety
for capturing and sharing images
users will be able to download Pico of sensors in order to provide appropri-
of memorable moments experi-
smart phone client application. A map ate feedback before photographing the
enced in Milan.
of Pico’s virtual photo-sets locations will users. Shutters of cameras will be trig-
be available to subscribers to let them gered upon detecting that the visitors
locate all the points of interests where are performing certain actions.
the service is available. Several Pico Certain, conveniently located, cameras
cameras will be installed along major will facilitate taking ‘candid-style’ pic-
touristic routes, such as during the Expo tures enhancing the unexpected factor.
the “Via di Terra”. Cameras will mostly After the shooting, users can immedi-
be located at remarkable scenic spots, ately add their comments by sending the
or in their vicinity. A number of devices system a text message. The photo will
will also be installed in curious locations then be saved to their email or on the
enabling visitors to take funny pictures Pico homepage for further editing.
> 58 59 <
 LECTURERS
Massimo Banzi / Franco Bolelli / Andrea Bran-
zi / Gianluca Brugnoli / Ampelio Bucci / Luca
Buttafava / Stefano Cardini / Philippe Casens
/ Riccardo Castaldi / Paolo Cesaretti / Line
Christiansen / Silvio De Ponte / Alexandra De-
schamps-Sonsino / Chiara Diana / Jozeph Fora-
kis / Francisco Gomez-Paz / Gualtiero Harrison
> 60 61 <

/ Setsu Ito / Eugenia Laghezza / Giovanni Lauda /

Robert Le Quesne / Daria Loi / Eliana Lorena / Ezio
Manzini / Claudio Moderini / Francesco Morace
/ Simone Muscolino / Elena Pacenti / Domenico
Pisaturo / Claudia Raimondo / Gabi Scardi / Fa-
bio Sergio / Francesca Tassistro / Rodrigo Tor-
res / Pietro Turi / Jan-Christoph Zoels.
> 62 63 <

domus academy
Domus Academy was created in Milan in 1982
as an open project around Italian experiences
in design and fashion. Over the years DA has
developed two major areas of specialisation, each
enriched by mutual exchange with the other:
the institution has established itself both as an
international centre for postgraduate training and
as a laboratory for research and consulting in the
fields of design and innovation.
The Master In Interaction Design
Domus Academy - Interaction Design Department

Head of Department - Master Course Director

Claudio Moderini
Coordinator - Tutor
Renzo Giusti
Course Information
Susanna Gualazzini
info@domusacademy.it
PH +39 0242414001
Admission and Registration
Carmela Bongermino
Loredana Lunasco
admissions@domusacademy.it

Art direction and graphic design: Chiara Diana, Francesca Valadé.