martin bricelj baraga's cyanometer installation measures the blueness of the sky

martin bricelj baraga’s cyanometer installation measures the blueness of the sky

‘the cyanometer’ by slovenian artist martin bricelj baraga, is an instrument that measures the blueness of the sky. it is both a monument and an open source software that visualises the air quality in ljubljana, which is then recorded and sent to an online archive. placed within the pedestrian zone of the capital, the design aims to shift one’s attention to the important matter of air pollution.

video courtesy of MoTA – museum of transitory art 

the original ‘cyanometer’ was invented by horace benedict de saussure in 1789 – a swiss physicist interested in the geology, physics and topography of the alps region. his work found that the blueness of the sky is influenced by both moisture and the amount of suspended particles in the air.

all images © iztok medja

martin bricelj baraga’s installation works by capturing images of the sky. these images are then translated into fifty-three shades of blue, which details the air quality of the sky as well as displaying the temperature and current weather conditions. users can read the exact measurement on the device, which is presented on a color scale from red to green which points towards the level of pollution. all of the data is recorded on the cyanometer website which you can follow here. 

the ‘cyanometer’ stands on the main street in ljubljana, facing the alps

the ‘cyanometer’ is both a monument and open source software that periodically collects images of the sky

the device is powered by solar panels
image © bobo

the device is connected to ljubljana’s air quality measurement station

the ‘cyanometer’ by night

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions  feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: hollie smith | designboom