Blog | New York City Site Visits
SITE VISIT REPORT | June 27th, 2024
New York Hall of Science + Connected Worlds
It had been almost ten years since I had last been to see this important public interactive exhibit. I was very interested to observe whether or not Connected Worlds had aged well. Because of the speed in which technologies change, through innovation or convention, some public interactives do not age well or disappear from the public altogether....
I joined SUNY Purchase College students Lee Albino, Taneer Middleton, Michele Miller, Jovanna Sampayo, and Risa Tirado inside the NySCI Great Hall that houses Connected Worlds. Upon entering the Great Hall, I was surprised at how contemporary the entire exhibit still felt. Within the exhibit there were groups of young children, families, and museum goers.
I immediately observed how the children in particular engaged with the piece, whether they got bored, if the content and modes of interaction still held their attention. I noted that this group of children, all presumably digital natives whom have grown up surrounded by interactive technologies, still found the exhibit intriguing. 10 years ago I remember that many children (and myself included) found Connected Worlds more awe inspiring than engaging. At the time it was truly innovative to be able to interact with and influence a digital environment of this size.
Our team made quick note based on observations about the infrastructure supporting Connected Worlds, that it was powered by electricity, dependent on large high resolution projectors, large surfaces for projection, infrared sensors and cameras, a large touch screen control table, audio speakers, and cylindrical pillows lined with silver reflective materials. We noted that the visual media material aesthetics were largely comic book or other-wordly fantastic, mostly geared for young children.
We were fortunate to be joined by NySCI Explainer Tony who walked us through the control panel for the exhibit on his iPad tablet. He explained that Connected Worlds has many pre-programmed modes such as one enabling exhibit presentation optimized for display or photo, a reset button, pause button, volume controls, and difficulty setting levels for different age groups. Tony pointed out that the control panel also included volume control for exhibit audio. When asked about the popularity of Connected Worlds, Tony replied that that exhibit is extremely popular, that he doesn't feel like it would be replaced soon unless NySCI updates it with new content or technologies.
Tony continued that the large touchscreen touchtable needs replacement once a year due to wear and tear. He explained that the digital components of the exhibit such as the sensors, software, projectors, and cameras require maintenance every two months. He pointed out that one of the six ecosystems in the exhibit was not functioning as intended at the time of our visit.
Public Interactives Research Team for Connected Worlds site visit: Lee Albino, Taneer Middleton, Michele Miller, Jovanna Sampayo, Risa Tirado, David Wilson
posted 3/26/25
SITE VISIT REPORT | July 25th, 2024
Times Square + Reach:New York Urban Music Intstrument
I was excited to return to Times Square for the first time in many years to continue research into public interactives. At its most intense, Times Square can feel highly presurized, unrelentingly mediatized and mediated. Large digital screens encase this environment, super charging it with high contrast color and rapid eye catching movement. This is a place for the senses, in whatever capacity your senses are able to engage. In terms of research into public interactives and public interactivity, the main questions about this place involve why is this area interactive, for whom, and who controls the conditions for interactivity and why....
I exited the subway station to be washed over by humanity, humidity, and media. I have been here many times before on research, but this time was particularly overwhelming. I personally had not returned since the pandemic. Times Square was teeming with visitors. People, tourists, have come back to NYC and they are interested in being public, being seen, exploring.
Prior to meeting with Purchase College students Jovanna Sampayo and Risa Tirado, I made my way around Times Square for a set of first impressions. As was present the last time I visited, I noticed the different types and sizes of media screens in the area. The screen at 20 Times Square was still impressive. Advertising their presence with their own kiosk Times Square Alliance founded in 1992, works to improve and promote Times Square, cultivating the creativity, energy and edge that have made the area an icon of entertainment, culture and urban life for over a century. I also passed by the extremely busy TKTS Live booth, complete with a running text display of the days performances.
I observed a large bank of media screens that were not functional (behind a person in a gorrila suit). In the age of public interactives, observing non-functional infrastructure or faulty content is not unusual. This is because exposing media and interactive infrastructure to the public and the environment, particularly in Times Square, is extremely demanding. There are infrastructural, environmental, and human interaction demands all at play with public interactives. Sometimes they break due to stress, where the artist or those responsible for the content must address and remedy the issues as quickly as possible. This is one characteristic that differentiates public interactives designers from those who create other communications forms, when public interactives break oftentimes it is the designer who must be able to troubleshot and resolve the issues.
I noticed content advertising the ability to post to a particular screen. It reminded me that one aspect of public interactives that creates interest in the public is the opportunity and ability for the public to interact with or author to publicly situated screens or artwork. It is an emergent affordance that public interactives offer, that the public themselves are content creators, curators, and performers on a public stage.
Finishing my first go around of Times Square, I was inspired to consider the many reasons why people from all over the world converge on this particular space from the lens of public interactives. I observed a type of non-mediated interactivity, that people truly seem to enjoy being with and amongst each other, seeing each other, without having to necessarily participate in any direct communication, which is ironic given the heavy mediatization and mediation of this environment. Given the density of the crowd, it was easy to imagine the experience as especially pleasurable given that only a few years ago, opportunities to cohabitate in this way were forcibly taken from us by pandemic. It should be noted that many visitors on this day, including myself, felt it necessary to wear a mask for protection.
Public interactives are ever evolving. In this case, a livestreaming electronic musician, an emergent form of technocultural wandering bard.
After Times Square we made our way to the 34th Street Subway Station N & R Line to observe REACH: New York, a classic public interactive in opperation since 1995. According to artist Christopher Janney REACH has engaged New York City subway riders to connect with their urban environment in an unusual and musical way. As waiting pedestrians reach up and wave their hands in front of one of the eight eyes, a beam of light is interrupted. This activates REACH, which emits a range of sounds from melodic instruments (marimba, flute) to environmental sound images (Everglades, rain forest). The piece is installed on both the uptown and downtown platforms of the 34th Street N/R subway station in New York City. Riders often play REACH with other passengers across the tracks.
I've seen and been with REACH before, but not for many years. As we arrived on the subway platform, a few trains had just roared past so the environment was not immediately welcoming. After the trains had clacked past, the platforms were stunningly silent, a rare moment of New York City calm before the calamity that was due to arrive in five minutes with the next subway train.
It took a bit of investigating up and down the subway platform, but we eventually found REACH. It looks as if it has been well kept but worn a bit due to public exposure. In standing with the piece, prior to our interacting with it, a wait state activated that calls attention to the piece by cycling through notes and tones. The wait state activiates if no one engages with REACH for a certain amount of time. I dont recall the piece having this behavior when I first visited it in 2013.
As I engaged with REACH, it felt awkward but fun to be making this reaching gesture on a subway platform where usually, I am trying my best to blend in and not be noticed, buried in my mobile phone, or listening to my own soundscape within my bluetooth headphones. I enjoyed calling attention to myself by activating REACH. As I did so, I noticed and heard others interacting with the piece.
Public Interactives Research Team for Times Square + REACH:NYC site visit: Jovanna Sampayo, Risa Tirado, David Wilson
posted 3/26/25
SITE VISIT | October 28th, 2024
A research team visited Mercer Labs Museum to survey their interactive exhibition space. A site visit report will be posted.
Future site visits:
'If you hear something, free something': What's behind new sound at NYC's subway stations - Gothamist
TWA Hotel at New York's JFK Airport
Stephanie Dinkins' 'If We Don't, Who Will?' unveiled at The Plaza at 300 Ashland - Downtown Brooklyn
Heft Gallery | Artists Who Use Systems to Create Meaninful New Works
Color Factory - Interactive Art Experiences for All Ages
Bungee Space by 3standardstoppage
Kinokuniya New York - Kinokuniya USA
The Bowery Site Survey
Local Projects
Design I/O
The High Line
Little Island
Davis Center at the Harlem Meer
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Van Gogh's Flowers | New York Botanical Garden
Link NYC Public Internet Infrastucture Survey
Hall des Lumieres NYC | Center for Immersive Experiences in New York
Cinema 4Dx NYC Survey
Mathematica: A World of Numbers...and Beyond | NySCI
9/11 Memorial & Museum | World Trade Center
Machine Learning & AI | NYC - Microsoft Research
FATE: Fairness, Accountability, Transparency & Ethics in AI - Microsoft Research
Google Research - Explore Our Latest Research in Science and AI | Google Research NYC
SNA Displays: LED Screen & Digital Signage Display Manufacturer | NYC Headquarters
Times Square Arts | Times Square NYC
SITE VISIT REPORT | June 27th, 2024
New York Hall of Science + Connected Worlds
It had been almost ten years since I had last been to see this important public interactive exhibit. I was very interested to observe whether or not Connected Worlds had aged well. Because of the speed in which technologies change, through innovation or convention, some public interactives do not age well or disappear from the public altogether....
I joined SUNY Purchase College students Lee Albino, Taneer Middleton, Michele Miller, Jovanna Sampayo, and Risa Tirado inside the NySCI Great Hall that houses Connected Worlds. Upon entering the Great Hall, I was surprised at how contemporary the entire exhibit still felt. Within the exhibit there were groups of young children, families, and museum goers.
I immediately observed how the children in particular engaged with the piece, whether they got bored, if the content and modes of interaction still held their attention. I noted that this group of children, all presumably digital natives whom have grown up surrounded by interactive technologies, still found the exhibit intriguing. 10 years ago I remember that many children (and myself included) found Connected Worlds more awe inspiring than engaging. At the time it was truly innovative to be able to interact with and influence a digital environment of this size.
Our team made quick note based on observations about the infrastructure supporting Connected Worlds, that it was powered by electricity, dependent on large high resolution projectors, large surfaces for projection, infrared sensors and cameras, a large touch screen control table, audio speakers, and cylindrical pillows lined with silver reflective materials. We noted that the visual media material aesthetics were largely comic book or other-wordly fantastic, mostly geared for young children. We were fortunate to be joined by NySCI Explainer Tony who walked us through the control panel for the exhibit on his iPad tablet. He explained that Connected Worlds has many pre-programmed modes such as one enabling exhibit presentation optimized for display or photo, a reset button, pause button, volume controls, and difficulty setting levels for different age groups. Tony pointed out that the control panel also included volume control for exhibit audio. When asked about the popularity of Connected Worlds, Tony replied that that exhibit is extremely popular, that he doesn't feel like it would be replaced soon unless NySCI updates it with new content or technologies.
Tony continued that the large touchscreen touchtable needs replacement once a year due to wear and tear. He explained that the digital components of the exhibit such as the sensors, software, projectors, and cameras require maintenance every two months. He pointed out that one of the six ecosystems in the exhibit was not functioning as intended at the time of our visit.Public Interactives Research Team for Connected Worlds site visit: Lee Albino, Taneer Middleton, Michele Miller, Jovanna Sampayo, Risa Tirado, David Wilson
posted 3/26/25
SITE VISIT REPORT | July 25th, 2024
Times Square + Reach:New York Urban Music Intstrument
I was excited to return to Times Square for the first time in many years to continue research into public interactives. At its most intense, Times Square can feel highly presurized, unrelentingly mediatized and mediated. Large digital screens encase this environment, super charging it with high contrast color and rapid eye catching movement. This is a place for the senses, in whatever capacity your senses are able to engage. In terms of research into public interactives and public interactivity, the main questions about this place involve why is this area interactive, for whom, and who controls the conditions for interactivity and why....
I exited the subway station to be washed over by humanity, humidity, and media. I have been here many times before on research, but this time was particularly overwhelming. I personally had not returned since the pandemic. Times Square was teeming with visitors. People, tourists, have come back to NYC and they are interested in being public, being seen, exploring.
Prior to meeting with Purchase College students Jovanna Sampayo and Risa Tirado, I made my way around Times Square for a set of first impressions. As was present the last time I visited, I noticed the different types and sizes of media screens in the area. The screen at 20 Times Square was still impressive. Advertising their presence with their own kiosk Times Square Alliance founded in 1992, works to improve and promote Times Square, cultivating the creativity, energy and edge that have made the area an icon of entertainment, culture and urban life for over a century. I also passed by the extremely busy TKTS Live booth, complete with a running text display of the days performances.
I observed a large bank of media screens that were not functional (behind a person in a gorrila suit). In the age of public interactives, observing non-functional infrastructure or faulty content is not unusual. This is because exposing media and interactive infrastructure to the public and the environment, particularly in Times Square, is extremely demanding. There are infrastructural, environmental, and human interaction demands all at play with public interactives. Sometimes they break due to stress, where the artist or those responsible for the content must address and remedy the issues as quickly as possible. This is one characteristic that differentiates public interactives designers from those who create other communications forms, when public interactives break oftentimes it is the designer who must be able to troubleshot and resolve the issues.
I noticed content advertising the ability to post to a particular screen. It reminded me that one aspect of public interactives that creates interest in the public is the opportunity and ability for the public to interact with or author to publicly situated screens or artwork. It is an emergent affordance that public interactives offer, that the public themselves are content creators, curators, and performers on a public stage.
Finishing my first go around of Times Square, I was inspired to consider the many reasons why people from all over the world converge on this particular space from the lens of public interactives. I observed a type of non-mediated interactivity, that people truly seem to enjoy being with and amongst each other, seeing each other, without having to necessarily participate in any direct communication, which is ironic given the heavy mediatization and mediation of this environment. Given the density of the crowd, it was easy to imagine the experience as especially pleasurable given that only a few years ago, opportunities to cohabitate in this way were forcibly taken from us by pandemic. It should be noted that many visitors on this day, including myself, felt it necessary to wear a mask for protection.
Public interactives are ever evolving. In this case, a livestreaming electronic musician, an emergent form of technocultural wandering bard.
After Times Square we made our way to the 34th Street Subway Station N & R Line to observe REACH: New York, a classic public interactive in opperation since 1995. According to artist Christopher Janney REACH has engaged New York City subway riders to connect with their urban environment in an unusual and musical way. As waiting pedestrians reach up and wave their hands in front of one of the eight eyes, a beam of light is interrupted. This activates REACH, which emits a range of sounds from melodic instruments (marimba, flute) to environmental sound images (Everglades, rain forest). The piece is installed on both the uptown and downtown platforms of the 34th Street N/R subway station in New York City. Riders often play REACH with other passengers across the tracks.I've seen and been with REACH before, but not for many years. As we arrived on the subway platform, a few trains had just roared past so the environment was not immediately welcoming. After the trains had clacked past, the platforms were stunningly silent, a rare moment of New York City calm before the calamity that was due to arrive in five minutes with the next subway train.
It took a bit of investigating up and down the subway platform, but we eventually found REACH. It looks as if it has been well kept but worn a bit due to public exposure. In standing with the piece, prior to our interacting with it, a wait state activated that calls attention to the piece by cycling through notes and tones. The wait state activiates if no one engages with REACH for a certain amount of time. I dont recall the piece having this behavior when I first visited it in 2013.As I engaged with REACH, it felt awkward but fun to be making this reaching gesture on a subway platform where usually, I am trying my best to blend in and not be noticed, buried in my mobile phone, or listening to my own soundscape within my bluetooth headphones. I enjoyed calling attention to myself by activating REACH. As I did so, I noticed and heard others interacting with the piece.
Public Interactives Research Team for Times Square + REACH:NYC site visit: Jovanna Sampayo, Risa Tirado, David Wilson
posted 3/26/25
SITE VISIT | October 28th, 2024
A research team visited Mercer Labs Museum to survey their interactive exhibition space. A site visit report will be posted.
Future site visits:
'If you hear something, free something': What's behind new sound at NYC's subway stations - Gothamist
TWA Hotel at New York's JFK Airport
Stephanie Dinkins' 'If We Don't, Who Will?' unveiled at The Plaza at 300 Ashland - Downtown Brooklyn
Heft Gallery | Artists Who Use Systems to Create Meaninful New Works
Color Factory - Interactive Art Experiences for All Ages
Bungee Space by 3standardstoppage
Kinokuniya New York - Kinokuniya USA
The Bowery Site Survey
Local Projects
Design I/O
The High Line
Little Island
Davis Center at the Harlem Meer
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Van Gogh's Flowers | New York Botanical Garden
Link NYC Public Internet Infrastucture Survey
Hall des Lumieres NYC | Center for Immersive Experiences in New York
Cinema 4Dx NYC Survey
Mathematica: A World of Numbers...and Beyond | NySCI
9/11 Memorial & Museum | World Trade Center
Machine Learning & AI | NYC - Microsoft Research
FATE: Fairness, Accountability, Transparency & Ethics in AI - Microsoft Research
Google Research - Explore Our Latest Research in Science and AI | Google Research NYC
SNA Displays: LED Screen & Digital Signage Display Manufacturer | NYC Headquarters
Times Square Arts | Times Square NYC
