Machano Melody | Responsive Threshold

This project aims to increase the interaction between people, nature and the environment. Due to the policy of removing informal constructions in Shanghai, social activities under the ceremonious entrance space in the historical residential area decreased dramatically. Through investigating people’s various behaviors on rainy days, in the sunshine and at night, sixteen interaction states are categorized for interactive system design.

Using the geometry of circles and triangles to create the linkage mechanism inspired by Theo Jansen to shape a deformable vane, the installation can be fixed into different positions to form a biotic door. It shapes an environment that can generate responses to activities of people and elements of nature by combining environmental sensors with Arduino, including a rain sensor, an ultrasonic distance sensor, two passive infrared sensors and a photoresistor. Through 3D printed technology and testing in actual entrances of the residential area, it reshapes people’s perception and their subsequent behavior could in return be affected by different spatial forms and motion states. It shaped a catalyst that augments people’s experience in traditional entrance space, creating a medium between humans, nature, and the city to revitalize Lilong.

Catalystic Cognition | Door in Traditional Lilong as Threshold