Interactive Garden

The aim of the "Interactive Garden" is to provide attractive public space for NDSM, activating the free empty space, and bring together people of different communities and thus enhance the interaction.

The start of the intervention into the eco-system of NDSM is a cautious one: a cloud of points. It could be free standing points that have minimal impact to the site, or could starts with a minor connection and developed into super complex network like snowball effects.

Interactive Garden

The concept of "Interactive Garden" is realized through sets of free-standing columns in an open space, capable of connecting together with each others to form continuous sheltered space. We would like the design capable of react to different requirements of events, and also the changing of the climate.

Connections

Modular Customisation

Modular Customisation and Interactive garden share almost the same area so they connect physically. Modular Customisation uses 1,8 m edge as a basic component, from which different shapes and volumes can be made. It can grow and change shape, accordingly to its current use, but the length of the edge remains the same. In the areas of the NDSM, where both projects overlap, the Interactive Garden can expand, or shrink, to correspond with the shape and volume of Modular Customisation. The pattern is being changed form Voronoi to more mathematical one, so that they could connect in certain points and merge to each other, making a bigger, more complex structure.

Project Modular Customisation is in constant change and growth, which makes it impossible to make a fixed, temporary connection between it and the Interactive Garden. Therefore they can react in multiple ways:

- Both projects are placed apart from each other, in different areas of NDSM - they work independently

- Modular Customisation grows into the area occupied by the Interactive Garden - Interactive garden senses the movement and reacts accordingly to it, connecting to the joints

- When the space is shared Interactive Garden acts like an extension to Modular Customisations pavillions, both physically and functually

Inputs of Prototype

Multiple Inputs

With the developing of the concept "Interactive Garden", the prototype of the design now connects to more inputs than just human behavior. We want the prototype capable of reacting not only to human behavior but also to the climate.

Human Behavior

Events

One of the main characteristics of NDSM is the dramatic change in the number of users at certain times. Because it's a very popular event venue it can get from barely anyone walking in the area to a giant crowd enjoying a concert or a festival. Such a temporary usage pattern requires a responsive environment, able to adapt to constant density changes.

Recreation

After surveying some of the NDSM users it occurred that they lack a recreational area there. In warmer months the area, where Noordelich Café is placed, attracts the majority of people, because it’s one of the few places that can offer greenery. The Interactive Garden aims to provide similar quality, using different means. The structure provides openness or semi enclosure for people inside it, exactly like a forest would. It also gives the chance to relax, and take a rest from all the surrounding industrial factors.

Playground

The Interactive Garden structure encircles the warehouse, which is the home of Media Lab, hosting workshops for children and teenagers. A natural functional connection is made - after classes kids need a place outdoors where they can play or relax. The structure provides such space. While expanded the wires connected to the basic poles make a form which can be used in many ways to play with, depending only on childrens creativity.

Shelter

The weather plays an important role in how we perceive cities and places. Thanks to various sensors, the Interactive Garden structure can respond to current weather conditions, making the experiencing NDSM a lot more comfortable for the user. When the information about changing weather conditions (the wind has become too heavy, direct sunlight is blundering, or it started to rain) reaches the rail mechanism, hidden under the ground, the structure expands, providing sheltering. It gathers real time information so the structure is changing all the time and it’s impossible to foresee which geometry it’s going to have next.

Market

In market days.

Performance

Because of it’s adaptability the forest-like structure can be used as well by performance artists. Its changing geometry offers a possibility of freely arranging it, closing and opening different parts, making a kind of temporary scene. If needed it can be also used in performances itself, as an interactive part of the set.

Climate

Pachube

The system uses weather data from the station in Amsterdam as an input, and then respond according to the current conditions (rain, wind, temperature).