Connecting Cities: Urban Reflections - Workshops

In several workshops from the 11 - 13th September 2014 the Connecting Cities Artists are going to analyze how the inhabitants can be included in participatory processes through media art. The Workshops are embedded in a rich programme within the 'Connecting Cities: Urban Reflections' Programme, with Symposium, Light Parcours and a Stadt Picknick (Urban Picnic).

Find all Workshops below and please register under: contact@connectingcities.net

Workshop 1 // ‚PROTOTYPING INTERACTIVITY WITH MEDIA FACADES‘
by Dr. Alexander Wiethoff & Marius Hoggenmüller

Sa, 13.09.2014 - 14:00 bis 17:00
SUPERMARKT, Brunnenstr. 64, Berlin

Media Facades provide a great potential as interactive gateway between citizens and buildings. However, architects and designers might not always be able to prototype even early installations of interactive media architecture timely and explore the design opportunities that these systems provide because till today methods and tools in this domain are hardly available and still demand high technical expertise. We share our design process approach using prototyping tools that help to co-design and pre-test interactive media façade installations in conjunction with potential users in their urban environment. The proposed toolkits allow fast replication and prototyping iterations while involving a broad audience to investigate what type of interface proposal has the potential to be successful.

Participants: 12 // Free // Please register under contact@connectingcities.net

Dr. Alexander Wiethoff is a lecturer and researcher at the Univesity of Munich (LMU). His experience includes activities in commercial human-machine interface design practice, combined with various educational and research activities on media architecture at top-ranked national and international research universities and design schools. In his research work he pursued an interdisciplinary and user-centred approach, and it has led to high-level international publications, as well as a patent and a research award for his previous scientific efforts in the field of design process models for urban media façade development. www.medien.ifi.lmu.de/team/alexander.wiethoff
Marius Hoggenmüller studies Media Computer Science at University of Munich (LMU). He developed various media and light installations and participated in a project at Luminale 2014 in Frankfurt.

Workshop 2 // ‚Smart Citizens‘ Dashboard‘
by Moritz Behrens & Nina Valkanova

Sa, 13.09.2014 - 12:00 bis 14:00
SUPERMARKT, Brunnenstr. 64, Berlin

The artists Moritz Behrens and Nina Valkanova explore participation in urban space by means of interactive technologies. In their new project, Smart Citizen Dashboard Sentiment’ they explore together with the citizens questions such as: How do you feel in your city’. During the workshop the participants will create ‘mental maps’ and analyze the Brunnen neighborhood to open up a discussion about urban development and quality of life. Note: Please register with email, phone. Bring with you: photos of your favorite place or places as needing improvement

Participants: 10 // Free // Please register under contact@connectingcities.net

Nina is a researcher in the field of interaction design, media artist and creative programmer. She is interested in the exploration of innovative ideas at the intersection between technology, art and design. Born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Nina holds a master’s degree in mathematics and computer science from the Technical University of Darmstadt. Nina is currently a PhD student at the University Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona and works as a researcher for the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design. www.ninavalkanova.com
Moritz is an architect, interaction designer and researcher in the field between Media architecture and human-computer interaction. His work focuses on
the media-technological extension of social interactions in the city. Moritz was active in the research project ‘Screens in the Wild’ at the UCL Bartlett School
in London, which explored the potential of interactive and networked screens for urban development. www.moritzbehrens.com

Workshop 3 // ‚Urban Alphabets’
by Suse Miessner

Do, 11.09.2014 14.00- 17.00
Fr, 12.09.2014 - 10:00 bis 12:00
Sa, 13.09.2014 - 10:00 bis 12:00
SUPERMARKT, Brunnenstr. 64, Berlin

Which characters, logos and tags make the Brunnen neighborhood unique? How to send personalized messages with the app? During the ‘Urban Alphabets’ Workshop, the artist Suse Miessner introduces her smartphone app and invites the participants to contribute to the Berlin city-alphabet. The ‘Urban Alphabets’ workshop draws the attention of the citizens to their physical environment and invites them to actively shape it. The typographic elements are collected in the physical space, categorized in the digital space and shown from September 12 to 14 from 19h30 clock during the screening in a netwoked scenario with the European Capital of Culture Riga.

Participants: 10 // Free // Please register under contact@connectingcities.net // Bring: A charged smartphone (iOS or Android operating system)

Suse Miessner is an artist, designer and researcher who lives and works in Helsinki. In her work she is interested in the relationship between technology and the behaviour of people in public spaces. Miessner has an interdisciplinary background in architecture and new media and studied at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and at the Media Lab Helsinki. Since 2010, she researches and analyzes, in various projects and installations the connections between space, society, media and technology. Their project, ‚Urban Alphabets‘ is a smartphone app that explores the space and involves the user in an interaction with his/her environment. www.susemiessner.org

Workshop 4 // ‚Occupy the Screen‘
by Paul Sermon & Charlotte Gould

Fr, 12.09.2014 - 12:00 bis 14:00
SUPERMARKT, Brunnenstr. 64, Berlin

As pioneers of telepresence Paul Sermon and Charlotte Gould connect with the installation ‘Occupy the Screen’ people between Riga and Berlin in a 3rd digital space: the window. What technologies are used for telematic encounters, which forms of interaction develop? In the workshop ‘Occupy the Screen’ make Paul Sermon and Charlotte Gould present their work and develop and explore together with the participants possible interaction scenarios.

Participants: 10 // Free // Please register under contact@connectingcities.net

The British artist duo Paul Sermon and Charlotte Gould examine in their interactive art installations, the creative and cultural potential of urban screens and with the issue of telepresence. www.paulsermon.org