Seavilization
Speculative design / Urbanism / Futuristic Design / Global challenges
Seavilization explores an alternative perspective on climate change, delving into the specific ramifications of elevated sea levels on society and landscape planning.
Year
2022
Expertise
User and Society
Technology and Realization
Math, Data and Computing
Creativity and Aesthetics
Institution
Design Academy Eindhoven
Expositions
Graduation Show 22
Seavilization explores an alternative perspective on climate change, delving into the specific ramifications of elevated sea levels on society and landscape planning.
In the current socioeconomic paradigm, climate change is often perceived as a chaotic issue, with rising sea levels viewed as a struggle fraught with insecurity and challenges. However, envision a scenario where we embrace this impending future as an opportunity for transformative growth in an era to acquire knowledge, improve our practices, and coexist with water rather than stand against it. By adopting this perspective, we may discover not just threats, but also opportunities for positive change. Seavilization also explores ways to bring across a message through a medium that sparks curiosity and engages the audience in more than one way.
Qualitative research indicates that there are ongoing developments in technologies and methodologies aimed at turning the speculative vision of living harmoniously with water into a tangible reality. However, as underscored in Jan Rotmans’ book “Omarm Chaos,” there exists a continual gap between technological advancements and societal readiness.
Rotmans suggests that technology typically precedes societal adaptation by three steps. This implies that while innovations and solutions for coexisting with water may be at an advanced stage, their seamless integration into society might lag due to existing frameworks, regulations, or societal preparedness. Acknowledging and bridging this gap becomes essential for a successful transition toward a future were living with water is not just a conceptual possibility but a practical and embraced reality.
How can we design to initiate a dialogue about higher sea levels that, instead of instilling fear, cultivates curiosity and encourages the audience to introspect regarding potential solutions?
Therefore, it becomes crucial to ready society for an impending challenging discussion. The question arises: how can we design to initiate a dialogue about higher sea levels that, instead of instilling fear, cultivates curiosity and encourages the audience to introspect regarding potential solutions? It is essential to recognize that while the presented issues may not offer direct solutions, they can serve as catalysts, initiating a meaningful discourse on climate transition.
Utilizing augmented reality and our inherent inclination for sand play, I crafted an interactive installation. This installation projects a vibrant 2D landscape diagram that users can mold to their preferences. As the sand shifts, creating varying heights, an infrared sensor detects and analyzes these changes, generating a unique pattern atop the sand. The public can discern different zones by referring to the provided legend. Through this interactive play, users can conceptualize their version of Seavilization—a society adapted to the new high sea levels environment, coexisting with water.
This immersive experience allows participants to metamorphose a simple sandbox into their personalized futuristic water scenario through interaction with AR technology. The gamification of this the climate transition, hopes to lower the tension around the theme some helps to provide a playful environment that sparks curiosity in the audience.
My objective is to evoke curiosity about this innovative approach to playing with water and instill eagerness in discovering new possibilities.