Data Waltz

This paper explores the impacts of the Internet of Things (IoT) on the field of interactive architecture and the ways this novel technology enables realignments toward inclusive and critical practices in the design of computational systems across different scales. Specifically, it examines how the integration of IoT in the design of architectural surfaces can encourage interaction between local and remote users and increase accessibility amongst contributors. Beginning with a survey of media facades and the superimposition of architectural surfaces with projected images, the paper outlines a historical relationship between buildings and the public realm through advancements in technology. The paper next reveals ways in which IoT can transform the field of interactive architecture through the documentation and analysis of a project that stages an encounter between local and remote Wikipedia contributors. The installation creates a feedback loop for engaging Wikipedia in real-time, allowing visitors to follow and produce content from their interactions with the gallery’s physical environment. Light, sound, and fabric contextualize the direction and volume of real-time user-generated event data in relation to the gallery’s location, creating an interface that allows participants to dance with dynamic bodies of knowledge. By incorporating IoT with the field of interactive architecture, this project creates a framework for designing computational systems responsive to multiple scales and expanding our understanding of computational publics.