UNPLEASANT

unPLEASANT is an interactive art installation that challenges the audience to explore and push their limits by going through an unpleasant experience. As participants engage with this unconventional experience, their contribution to nurturing the flourishing flowers with water symbolizes the potential for growth and beauty.

Role Product designer

Duration Four weeks

Tools Arduino, 3D modeling, Laser cutting

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The installation

Role

Product designer

Duration

Four weeks

Tools

Arduino, 3D modeling, Laser cutting

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This project was part of a collective exhibition for the Tangible Interaction course at the University of Oslo. Our installation, created in a span of four weeks as a group project, was featured in the exhibition themed Resonance.

Project overview

CONTEXT

Before developing this concept, we spent several days discussing what we wanted to convey and explore. Early on, we identified a shared interest in the theme of unpleasant interactions, finding it interesting for creative exploration. We also sought inspiration from nature, aiming to draw connections between natural growth and human experience. Through mind maps, mood boards, and extensive discussions, we arrived at the core idea: growth often emerges from discomfort or challenges. We wanted to convey the message that through pain, we flourish.

The installation symbolizes this concept by rewarding the act of pressing a painful button with the blossoming of illuminated flowers. Positioned on a pedestal resembling water, the button represents the struggle required for growth. As the button is pressed, a rippling effect is triggered, with the water seemingly moving toward the flowers, symbolizing the nurturing process. The more effort put in, the more progress is shown, ending with the flowers blooming—a metaphor for growth through perseverance.

The process of creating our installation involved countless hours of meticulous work. We spent extensive time 3D printing and modelling components, and crafting, cutting and sewing flower petals with various textile. We also experimented with various materials to achieve the desired effect.

The final installation featured four mechanical flowers, each with 3D-printed bases, interconnected with lights. One of the flowers, with a circumference of over a meter, was connected to a two-meter LED strip. This LED strip was connected to a pedestal made from construction foam, designed to resemble water. Arduinos were used to control the lights and measure the pressure from the button, programming the lights to create a rippling water effect when the button was pressed, adding a dynamic and immersive element to the installation.

THE PROCESS

Ideation

THE PROCESS

From concept to design

RESULTS

The exhibition

Final Takeaways

This was my first time working on a large, immersive installation, and I learned a lot throughout the project. I hadn’t realized how much effort was involved in creating an installation with so many different components. It was exciting to experiment with new materials and technology. We hosted over a hundred people at the exhibition, and while it was quite demanding, it was also very rewarding.

RESULTS