Week 19 - 20 | MA Data Visualisation Term 2
Touchdesigner Workshop & Collaborative Unit with Emma`s
Over the past two weeks, our primary focus has been the development of the Work-in-Progress (WIP) show, alongside the conceptualisation and production of visual artwork. This period has provided valuable opportunities to integrate technical learning with creative experimentation.
In particular, Patrick’s TouchDesigner workshop significantly expanded my understanding of real-time generative design, enabling me to explore the software’s capacity for interactive visualisation in greater depth.
Additionally, Emma Charleston’s lecture on hand-drawn frequency mapping, based on Victoria’s sound waves, introduced an alternative, analogue approach to sound visualisation.
Her practice-based methodology highlighted the potential of combining manual mark-making with data-driven narratives, enriching my perspective on multimodal representation.
WIP Show
Through the collaborative process of preparing for the Work-in-Progress (WIP) show, we gained valuable insights into the diverse design approaches and conceptual thinking of our peers. The cross-cultural exchange between Eastern and Western students proved particularly enriching, fostering a dynamic environment where differing aesthetic sensibilities, cultural references, and value systems intersected. This diversity not only stimulated creative dialogue but also provided a fertile ground for shaping the thematic direction of our project. As a result, the topic ‘Yuck or Yum’—which explores culturally specific perceptions of food and taste—was meaningfully informed and grounded in the nuanced interplay of contrasting cultural perspectives.
Carmen Chu`s Intraction Design Show
I had the honour of attending an exhibition at the Science Museum featuring “Space Concert”, an interactive installation created by Carmen Chu, a student from the MA Interaction Design course at LCC. The project explores the imaginative convergence of sound, space, and interactivity, inviting audiences to engage with sonic interpretations of the cosmos. Through a combination of sensor-based inputs, spatial audio design, and real-time generative visuals, the installation transformed abstract astronomical data and celestial movements into an immersive audiovisual experience.
Experiencing Space Concert deepened my understanding of how interaction design can transcend conventional narrative formats by utilising sound as a medium for spatial storytelling. The work demonstrated how audiences could actively participate in shaping an environment through movement and sensory engagement, turning passive observation into a co-creative experience.
This encounter has had a subtle yet meaningful influence on my conceptual approach to the Shambala Festival project. It inspired me to consider how sonic interaction, spatial immersion, and audience agency might be integrated into our design to create a more participatory and emotionally resonant festival experience. In particular, it opened up new possibilities for translating thematic elements—such as rhythm, myth, or ritual—into multisensory, site-specific interventions.