This project based-course will break the boundaries of current screen-based software, by linking physical objects and environments.
The global pandemic of 2020 is a stark reminder of the essential human need to connect with each other, in person or remotely. But flat screens cannot replace the intimacy of touch and the feeling of presence when sharing a room. To challenge the current status quo, this studio course sets out to invent radically new interfaces for remote presence. We examine current state-of-the-art tools for collaboration, critically engage with a theory of communication channels, and learn how to design hard- and software interfaces that connect people over a distance. Could we invent interfaces for remote presence that are calm, or immersive, or poetic, artistic, intimate, private or extremely public? Inspired by Gianni Colombo’s concept of "elastic space", we will technologically stretch environments across distances, even through the course format. This is a collaborative class that is taught remotely between Parsons in New York and Atlas Institute at CU Boulder in Colorado. 15 students on each side will collaborate remotely and will build multiple working interfaces that communicate across time and space.
Students who successfully complete this course will: