some place studios' ethereal screens lead viewers through exhibition in vienna

some place studio has created the exhibition design for ‘uncanny values: artificial intelligence and you’, an exhibition focused on artificial intelligence at the museum of applied arts in vienna, austria. using ethereal screens as a space-making device and informational surfaces, the designers create a ghostly atmosphere to match the exhibition made for the vienna biennale for change 2019.

the designers intended for the exhibition design to allow a dynamic, yet uncanny space, where shadow-like figures pass on the borders of perception. they created floating, non-cartesian spaces that contrast the plinths, benches and platforms that are firmly rooted in the ground and highlighted through contrasting colors.

the lighting concept was conceived as producing a diffused effect, adding to the overall abstract atmosphere. natural light is allowed in through a filter and reminds viewers of the perception of the outside world. while creating an overall ambiance, the lighting system can be adapted to a range of different conditions and artist requirements, including completely enclosed and darkened spaces.

to create darker areas, the layering of the fabric intensifies for an enclosed space that focuses narrowly on a particular kind of work. a custom black box was built for a work by trevor paglen. the darkened space was achieved through the layering of the screens and a material change on the interior layers. in other instances, the screens become carriers of artwork and information themselves when operated as projection surfaces. they can hold a portion of the wall text, making these otherwise unobtrusive, subtle canvases come to the foreground.

image © simon oberhofer

just like a virtual layer, the screens can be selectively activated to stream different content. mediating between physical artifacts, projections and digital content, the exhibition design envisioned by some place studio takes simple elements such as fabric screens and adapt them to our increasingly digitized world.

image © simon oberhofer

image © simon oberhofer

image © simon oberhofer

project info:

exhibition name: uncanny values. artificial intelligence & you an exhibition of the mak 

location: museum of applied arts, vienna vienna biennale for change 2019

lead architects: some place studio (bika rebek, daniel prost)

curators: paul feigelfeld, media theorist, and marlies wirth, curator, digital culture and mak design collection

graphic and interaction design: process studio (martin grödl, moritz resl)

scientific consulting: christoph engemann

artists and designers: automato.farm, rachel ara, mladen bizumic, james bridle, tega brain, julian oliver and bengt sjölén, kate crawford, vladan joler, simon denny, heather dewey-hagborg and chelsea e. manning, lynn hershman leeson, constant dullaart, david link, jonas lund, giulia bruno and armin linke in collaboration with luc steels, trevor paglen, philipp schmitt and steffen weiss, superflux and jorinde voigt.

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: cristina gomez | designboom