Ruge’s journal  23fall

- Semester one 👾

  1. Human sense
  2. Air
  3. Pigeons
  4. Shadows
  5. Skin




UX of  PigeonsYuning, Teddi, Noor, Ruge
Create a 'world of pigeons' within a space using lighting, projections, sound, and props, offering a human perspective to experience the feelings of pigeons in urban life.

"Pigeon Space" props
Pigeons in the City



Process

Pigeons in the City

We spent a lot of time outdoors tracking pigeons. They appeared unexpectedly, leaving traces in the city like food and feathers on the ground, and droppings on benches.

Explorations
Simulating the perspective of pigeons
Simulating the colors seen by pigeons
Testing the distance pigeons can see
We sought inspiration by mimicking the visual perspective of pigeons (which is approximately 300 degrees). However, it didn't provide much inspiration, so we shifted our approach and entered the world of pigeons from a human perspective.

Love Letter&Breakup Letter
I turned our breakup letter and love notes into a video. Initially, I thought this research method was only applicable to product design, when designers need to explore users' emotions towards a product. Applying it to pigeons with love letters and breakup notes, I wasn't sure what reaction to expect. However, it turned out to be quite intriguing. Before this, I hadn't fully considered my emotions towards pigeons, and I believe many others haven't either.

Production process

Adjusting the projector
Props
Props
Sketch(Noor)

After deciding on our design direction, we wasted no time and swiftly got into action. Our team had clear roles, and the efficiency was high. My responsibilities included sound production and creating olfactory props.

Contrast
Opening the projector enhances our space
Closing the projector diminishes our space
When we turned off the lights and used the projector to cast the colors that pigeons see onto our props (pigeon feathers, berries, pigeon droppings), everything looked vibrant and beautiful. However, when we turned off the projector and waited, all we saw was a messy pile scattered on the ground. We found this to be an interesting contrast, much like how humans often perceive the living spaces of pigeons in cities as messy and unclean.



Summaries

Week1
In the first week, we spent a lot of time outdoors searching for traces of pigeons in the city, which was quite impactful for me. In my home country, pigeons are not as common, and I didn't pay much attention to them. I conducted research on the living conditions of animals in urban areas and discovered that some building materials humans use are unfriendly to birds, such as glass, which birds cannot distinguish and may collide with, leading to fatalities. Additionally, wires or spikes installed on eaves are meant to prevent pigeons or other birds from perching or nesting. While birds nesting under human eaves can be inconvenient, I believe it's important to consider whether such designs are friendly to them. We share urban space but desire to maintain some distance from each other.


Week2
I am relatively satisfied with the presentation outcome of our project. We were allowed to incorporate digital elements, and the feedback from others has been generally positive. We cleverly utilized digital elements to create a unique space. However, I also recognize areas for improvement in our project. For instance, guiding the audience through the browsing sequence in our space to prevent them from feeling lost is a challenge. I consulted with teachers about the question of whether an open space needs to provide indications for the audience. Indications are intended to serve the content, and if a work has a clear linear storyline, providing some guidance to the audience during exploration is beneficial. However, it's crucial that these indications are subtle and seamlessly integrated into the overall project, enhancing the viewer's experience.

Additionally, feedback during the presentation highlighted concerns about the scale of our project space. The question raised by the teacher about why we chose the corner of the classroom and the dimensions of our project space was meaningful. Honestly, we hadn't carefully considered these aspects at the initial design stage. The choice of the classroom corner was based on its availability and spaciousness for placing projectors. This is a significant issue that we overlooked, as factors such as space dimensions and lighting color play a crucial role in shaping the audience's experience. Moving forward, I believe it's essential to personally experience and scrutinize every detail before unveiling our design projects to ensure a more thoughtful and impactful presentation.


UAL_LCC_MA-UX2023-2024