Performative Media ：Final Project
Performative Media
Final Project
The teacher then explained how to use the equipment required for the final assignment and highlighted the importance of space planning for the presentation. He also referenced past student projects to give practical advice on presentation narrative and spatial display, helping us understand what to focus on for the final showcase.
The lecturer explained that this year’s exhibition will take place within the same GFED area, using both the white-wall sections and the tower-like structure.
In previous years, exhibitions typically lasted 7–10 days, but due to time constraints, this year’s display period will be limited to three days. During the exhibition, students will take turns supervising the artworks, explaining their concepts to visitors, and ensuring the safety of the equipment. The lecturer emphasized that this responsibility mimics real industry practice and is therefore an important part of the learning experience.
All interactive components must be run using a laptop. Each group must decide whose laptop will be used for the showcase—or, alternatively, borrow one from the school.
However, if a borrowed laptop is used, someone must remain present throughout the entire presentation to monitor and safeguard the equipment.
The lecturer repeatedly stressed the importance of pre-show testing, reminding us that technical issues such as sensor malfunctions or playback failures must be identified and resolved beforehand.
The lecturer presented several strong examples from past years and highlighted a few key expectations:
Physical elements are essential—the work cannot rely solely on screens.
The installation must have narrative clarity, visual logic, and a meaningful spatial experience.
Last-minute sketches or rushed concepts are unacceptable; the design must reflect real thought, planning, and testing.
He emphasized again and again:
“Your final showcase is effectively the first page of your professional portfolio.”
This set a very clear standard for the level of refinement expected.
After hearing the lecturer’s explanation, we began developing new ideas for our final project. We sketched a simple concept and shared it with him for early feedback.
Our proposed setup includes three screens, ground reflection materials, and dynamic lighting:
Center Screen: Displays detailed winter visuals—snow particles, storm-like motion, and subtle atmospheric shifts.
Side Screens: Use softer, more abstract colors with prismatic or mirrored refraction to create ambience.
Reflective Ground Surface: A low-key reflective material is placed on the floor to refract visuals into the surrounding space, enhancing immersion.
Spatial Lighting: Soft, low-intensity LEDs or DMX lighting create a subtle flow of light across the floor.
The goal is to evoke a semi-enclosed sense of “winter emptiness,” allowing the audience to feel the quiet, gentle atmosphere of a space where the presence of the season is suggested through absence.
The teacher acknowledged the potential of our concept, particularly the layered visuals and reflective effects, but emphasized several key points: the installation must include well-defined physical components rather than relying solely on screens; lighting and DMX effects can add unique depth; concept sketches and diagrams should clearly convey atmosphere and narrative; and all technical elements—reflection, sensors, and lighting—must be thoroughly tested before the exhibition. Additionally, next week we need a complete equipment and material list, spatial layout, and visualizations to prepare for fabrication.
The teacher posted the task details：
Week 10
“It doesn’t look like snow yet.”
We need to adjust either
the visual style, or
the conceptual narrative
to ensure the interaction matches the storyline.
The art description must be extremely concise and precise. After reading it, the instructor should immediately understand:
the theme
the emotional progression
the interaction model
He will compare the description with our visuals to check for alignment.
CDs
metal or aluminum wire
lightweight ornaments
foam materials
At the same time, we must consider:
safety
stability
weight distribution
durability during the exhibition
He also requested more detailed structural sketches.
the safety of the scent mechanism
whether the scent should react to interaction
how close the audience will be to the scent source
Our group presented the updated version of our interactive installation, and the teacher responded positively overall. He also gave several key suggestions that are crucial for our next development steps. This feedback helped us understand how to move forward more clearly.
The teacher emphasized two main points regarding the physical dimensions:
The footprint should ideally stay within 1m × 1m to ensure easy transportation to the GMDB exhibition space.
The height can be flexible, and building it close to human height is completely fine.
This means we can still achieve an immersive scale as long as the structure remains portable.
The teacher supported our decision to place the interaction area at the front of the installation. He noted that this layout makes it intuitive for visitors to know where to stand, whether we use projection or a physical screen.
Currently, the projection surface appears too flat. The teacher suggested:
Giving the screen or projection surface more three-dimensional form, or
Extending the visuals onto parts of the structure.
This would create more depth in the visual experience and integrate the digital content more naturally with the physical installation.
Our materials are not yet finalized. The teacher reminded us to begin considering factors such as:
Weight and stability
Transparency or opacity
Surface texture and reflectivity
How each material will affect projection and interaction
Material choices impact not only the construction process but also the aesthetics and user experience, making this an important focus for the next phase.
The teacher believes we are moving in the right direction. The visual concept is engaging, and the interaction aligns well with the spatial layout. With further refinement in materials, projection integration, and spatial depth, the installation will become even stronger and more complete.
After that, we further determined the required materials and tools.
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Exhibition location changed to Level 3A at GMBB (higher foot traffic)
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Installations cannot be set up in advance on Level 3A
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Thursday: moving installations downstairs during these time slots:
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8:00am–12:00pm
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8:00pm onwards
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Friday 8:00am–11:00am: class at GMBB for final adjustments and testing
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Exhibition dates and time updated to:
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Friday, Saturday & Sunday
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11:00am–7:00pm
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Lecturer will stay on-site to supervise on Friday
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Updated supervision sign-up sheet and full schedule have been shared
This Thursday we returned to the exhibition hall. We moved the installation from the 5th floor to the main exhibition hall on the 3rd floor and replaced the projector with a television to ensure the clarity of the project. We also tested the equipment and made final adjustments to the installation.
Week 14
Through this project, I gained a deeper understanding of how performative media operates not only as a visual outcome, but as a process that integrates concept, space, technology, and audience interaction. One of the most important lessons for me was learning how abstract ideas must be translated into clear, physical, and experiential forms in order to function effectively in a real exhibition context.
During the development process, I realized that designing for an audience requires constant testing and adjustment. Decisions that seem effective in sketches or digital mock-ups may not work as expected once placed in a physical space. This project challenged me to think more practically about structure, stability, timing, and user flow, rather than focusing solely on aesthetics.
Collaboration also played a significant role in my learning. Working within a team required clear communication, flexibility, and shared problem-solving, especially when facing technical limitations or time pressure. Through this, I became more aware of my responsibility as both a designer and a team member.
Overall, this project helped me shift from a purely conceptual mindset toward a more professional and execution-oriented approach. It has strengthened my confidence in working with performative and interactive media, and it has highlighted areas I want to further improve, such as early prototyping and clearer interaction design in future projects.
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