PASSAGES 2019, France, Toulouse
A permanent videoconference network in public spaces. People, dancers or artists can communicate through Passages, in real time and life-sized proportions.
March 2019. An old lady walks in a street of Toulouse. She meets a young kid with his skateboard. She raises her hand, he does the same. They laught together. The kid is in Montreal.
The idea : Connecting cities all around the world. The project : A videoconference network in public spaces. People, dancers or artists can communicate through Passages, in real time and life-sized proportions. The challenge : Make the digital communication devices disappear. Take the Internet out of the private or professional sphere. Free hands. Silent system using Sign & body language to communicate. Deaf people involved in the project to make emerge an international sign language. A passage measure 2.2 x 3.9m.
Details
Building or project owner : Guillaume Ajavon
Project artist/ concept/ design/ planning : Guillaume Ajavon
Structural engineering : Mikaël Gramont & François de Rochebrune
Technical layout light : Patrice Atchy Dalama
Light hardware (LED hardware) : Patrice Atchy Dalama
Project co-ordination : Agnes Domingo
Interaction design/ programming : François de Rochebrune
Project sponsor/ support : Etoie Dièse Company
Descriptions
Facade type and geometry (structure) : Preexisting glass wall visible from public space. Rectangle : 2.2m high x 3.9m large (16:9)
Kind of light creation : Ultra bright LED Screen to have an immersive experience, to be with "the others".
Resolution and transmitting behaviour : 1080p, no delay of transmission.
Urban situation : Center of Toulouse and center of Montreal.
Description of showreel : 1 month of communication between the 2 cities. 24/7, free, all the people passing by can interact.
Participatory architecture & urban interaction
Community or communities involved : Fablabs are the "gate keepers" Deaf communities teach to hearing people sign language. Artist, designers and dancers involved to test the Passages.
Legal form : Association (Non lucrative organisation, 1901 law)
Issues addressed : Interaction between distant people. Interaction between deaf and hearing people Geopolitic (will China or Emirates, for example, accept to open a Passage) ? Can a rich north country be daily visible by a city in Africa ? How people will react ? Make the digital communication devices disappear. Take the Internet out of the private or professional sphere.
Impact : Thousands of people. In each city.
Tools developed : App to control and connect Passages and destinations.
Tools used : creativity, videoprojector, camera, glasspaper, WEBRTC technology, servers
Next steps : Deploy 10 Passages across the globe. Make them switch once a day. Develop web radio (to bring the sound via smartphones) and digital writing (a form of daylight painting).
Mediacredits
Pablo Garcia
Pablo Garcia