Interactive Architecture and Interaction Landscaping
Mikael Wiberg Institutionen för informatik

Most recently the current trend of embedding small, networked computers into our physical surrounding under the notion of "Cubiquitous computing" has taken an important step of development. Today, we can observe not only how these small computers get installed as to enhance a built environment with additional functionality, but also how digital technology gets blended with the fundamental architecture of a building as to create new interactive surfaces, or "digital textures", to create ambient information environments, or to support social interaction. From a research standpoint this trend is currently being addressed through the development of concepts including: interactive architecture, responsive environments, media places, hybrid spaces, ambient intelligence, and digital art installations.In this seminar I will address this trend, and more particularly elaborate upon the notion of interactive architecture as a general label for the total blend of architecture with digital interaction technologies. I will also present two projects, i.e. the ArchITechtum project, an architecturally situated interaction design project aimed at exploring the design of digital devices informed by architectural thinking, and the xID - "Interaction Design in Extreme Environments" project including our current work on embedding public displays at the ICEHOTEL and its implications for interactive architecture. Finally, I will discuss the notion of interactive architecture in relation to interaction landscaping which refers to the human activity of modifying the interactive features of an area of land.