The Cracks: A Window to Connection

Loneliness in a Bottle

The Cracks: A Window to Connection Loneliness in a Bottle

Overview

  • This project, created for MAP mima at Speers Point, Lake Macquarie, NSW, consists of two interactive installations: "The Crack: A Window to Connection" within the indoor Cube and "Loneliness in a Bottle" as an outdoor Catenary Display. Both installations address themes of loneliness and connection, inviting participants to explore and transform isolation into shared, meaningful experiences.

    Project Duration: 12 weeks, approximately 150 hours

    Final Deliverables:

    • Report

    • Concept Videos

  • The MAP mima project at Lake Macquarie aims to create interactive digital experiences across two key spaces, with specific goals for each:

    • Cube Projections (Indoor): An 8 x 8 x 8-meter space with immersive wall projections that react to body proximity, allowing multi-user interactions. This experience aims to foster connection and immersion, encouraging visitors to engage actively with the digital environment.

    • Catenary LED Lights (Outdoor): A 270-meter promenade with programmable LED lights controlled by users through a QR-code-accessed website. The goal is to create an engaging, dynamic lighting experience that responds to user input, enhancing community interaction in public spaces.

    The overall project goal is to combine digital placemaking with cultural engagement, establishing MAP mima as a unique destination for immersive community experiences and innovative digital art.

  • Ginky Huang

    Jianing (April) Yuan

    • Low-Fidelity Prototype Development

    • Visual Report Composition (including background research, user evaluation, technology, impact statement, etc.)

    • Light Effect Programming

    Leah Luo

    Leanna Yue

Discover

Secondary Research: Explored community demographics and themes of loneliness, examining how interactive digital art can foster connection.

Primary Research: Conducted interviews with local residents to understand their desire for community engagement.

Design Process

Define

Problem Statement: Address community isolation by transforming loneliness into an opportunity for connection through interactive installations.

Develop

Ideation: Brainstorming sessions for solution ideas.

Prototyping: Created low- and mid-fidelity prototypes for the “Crack” and “Bottle” concepts, refining them through multiple iterations to align with user expectations and site constraints.

Deliver

User Testing: Conducted usability and engagement tests, using methods like think-aloud and reaction cards to gather real-time feedback and emotional responses.

Final Solution: Delivered two interactive installations—The Crack: A Window to Connection for indoor engagement, and Loneliness in a Bottle for outdoor interaction—each designed to foster empathy and connection through interactive, immersive experiences.

Primary and Secondary research

Cube and Catenary: Structural Details

Research

Our research focused on understanding community engagement, isolation, and the role of public art in fostering connections at Speers Point. By combining primary interviews with local residents and secondary data analysis, we identified key factors influencing loneliness and community interaction, which informed the design of interactive installations to enhance social connectivity.

    • Cube Awareness: Only 20% of residents visited the Cube, despite 80% frequenting Speers Point Park, suggesting a need for better integration.

    • Isolation Factors: Older median age (45) and high immigrant population contribute to community isolation (ABS, 2021).

    • National Loneliness: 1 in 5 Australians report loneliness, underscoring the need for connection-focused spaces (AIHW, 2021).

    • Council Vision: MAP mima aligns with Lake Macquarie City Council’s aim to use interactive art to strengthen community bonds (Lake Macquarie City Council, 2023).

  • How far is your journey to get here?

    How often do you find yourself at Map mima, what do you usually end up doing here?

    What’s your favorite thing about this place?

    Have you ever been to any exhibitions or had a chance to do something related to art in the Cube?

    Do you have any special stories or memories about growing up / living in the neighborhood?

  • Age Range: Predominantly 35–70 years old.

    Gender: 60% female, 40% male.

Problem Definition

The project sought to address social isolation within the Speers Point community, particularly in light of the area’s older demographic and cultural diversity. The design challenge was to transform loneliness from an isolating experience into an opportunity for connection.

Ideation

The design phase transformed research insights into interactive installations for the Cube and Catenary, focusing on themes of loneliness and connection. Through ideation, storyboarding, prototyping, and user feedback, the team crafted experiences to foster community engagement at Speers Point.

Drawing from our background research, we've identified loneliness as a profoundly meaningful theme to present at MAP mima. With the aim of encouraging individuals to take a deeper look at the nature of loneliness and our relationship with it, we've chosen to assign an overarching theme to both the Cube and the Catenary, allowing for a more comprehensive exploration of this topic.

For the Cube


We want to incorporate metaphors into the interactive elements to convey a message: loneliness isn't solely a negative emotion but rather an opportunity to reach out for new relationships and connections.

Low-fi Prototype

Paper prototype of the interface for the Catenary installation.

Paper prototype of the Cube's interactive crack, designed for user engagement, with scattered paper fragments and tied paper strips to simulate the visual effects of triggered interactions.

Design

For the Catenary


We want to build a platform to enhance communication about feelings and thoughts of loneliness within the community, employing the concept of "message in a bottle." The aim here is to convey the message that individuals are not alone in feeling lonely.

User Testing

Participant engaged with the interactive crack.

Paper strips simulated the triggered trace left behind participants.

Programmed LED light strip to simulate the lighting effects of the catenary installation.

User testing was conducted to improve the interactive design elements of both the Cube and the Catenary installations. The testing focused on usability, engagement, and emotional resonance.

When participants interacted with the crack, falling paper fragments simulated the particles activated by the interaction.

Participant interacted with the interface prototype and observed the triggered LED light effect.

Product Reaction Card Results

    • Think-Aloud Protocol: Participants voiced their thoughts during interaction, offering real-time insights into usability issues.

    • Product Reaction Cards: Collected users' emotional and cognitive responses to the installations.

    • Post-Test Interviews: Provided in-depth feedback on user experiences and suggestions for improvement.

  • Cube:

    • Initial Engagement: 83% of users reported that the crack system was unclear and lacked visual cues to prompt interaction. Users often bypassed the cracks without realizing they were interactive elements.

    • Particle Effects: Users responded positively to the particle effects that followed their movements, noting that the intersecting particle trails created a sense of shared paths and community connection.

    • Emotional Resonance: While some participants felt the experience was thought-provoking, others felt that the cracks needed additional visual depth to better convey the theme of loneliness and connection.

    Catenary:

    • Interaction Clarity: Nearly half of the users found the "throw" button for sending a message uninspiring and somewhat confusing. Many expressed a desire for a more intuitive, gesture-based interaction.

    • Emotional Reactions: The "like" function received mixed feedback, as participants felt it lacked depth for expressing empathy. Many suggested that an alternative response, like a "hug" or "support" symbol, would be more meaningful.

    • Privacy and Comfort: Some users expressed concerns about visibility when interacting with the Catenary. They felt unsure about their anonymity, which limited their comfort in engaging fully with the installation.

  • Cube:

    • Enhanced Visual Cues: Added subtle animations to the cracks, such as slight pulsating effects, to attract attention and invite user interaction.

    • Improved Particle Dynamics: Increased the particle trail responsiveness, making it more visually dynamic and responsive to users' movements to strengthen the feeling of connection.

    • Thematic Depth: Enhanced the cracks’ visual complexity by adding layered textures, helping to better communicate the transition from loneliness to connection.

    Catenary:

    • Gesture-Based Interaction: Replaced the "throw" button with a swipe gesture for sending messages, creating a more intuitive and engaging experience.

    • Alternative Response Options: Replaced the "like" function with a "hug" symbol, adding emotional depth to the interaction and making it easier for participants to express empathy.

    • Privacy Adjustments: Incorporated visual indicators to reassure users of their anonymity, encouraging more open interaction and engagement with the installation.

Final Design Solution

The final design solution consists of two installations, The Crack: A Window to Connection and Loneliness in a Bottle, each addressing themes of loneliness and connection in unique ways.

Cube (Indoor)

The Crack: A Window to Connection:

Built on the concept that "loneliness can be a crack, but a crack can be a window to light," this installation invites participants to engage with interactive cracks that gradually open, symbolizing the transformation of loneliness into hope and connection.

Community Connection: The installations turn personal vulnerability into shared experiences, reducing feelings of isolation and fostering connection.

Supportive Environment: By providing a safe space for open expression, the project promotes empathy and mental well-being, establishing MAP mima as a vital resource for addressing loneliness in the community.

Core Attributes and Impact of the Final Design

Interactive and Accessible: Both installations feature intuitive interactions, allowing users to engage easily without detailed instructions.

Emotional Resonance: The installations reflect themes of loneliness and connection, transforming isolation into a communal experience that resonates personally with users.

Overview

Interactive Element Diagram

Wireflow

Storyboard

Video

Interact with the Prototype

User Anonymity for Comfort: "Loneliness in a Bottle" enables anonymous sharing, fostering openness and meaningful engagement.

Responsive Visual Effects: LED lights in "Loneliness in a Bottle" mimic ocean fluidity for a calming effect, while dynamic animations in the Cube’s "cracks" invite interaction.

Empathetic Interactions: Simple gestures, such as swiping to send messages or selecting "hug" responses, allow users to express support and foster a sense of community.

Catenary (outdoor)

Loneliness in a Bottle (Catenary Installation):

Centered around the message "you are not alone in feeling lonely," this installation uses responsive LED lights to display messages of support, creating a shared experience that reinforces community connection.

The project faced several key challenges in achieving a balance between engagement, clarity, and emotional resonance. Users struggled to understand the intended interactions, especially with the Cube’s "crack" feature. Despite adding visual cues and animations, participants still found the interactions unclear. Simplifying the design further could help enhance clarity and make it more intuitive for users.

Conveying themes of loneliness and connection in a way that felt approachable yet impactful proved challenging. Some participants expressed discomfort with sharing personal experiences, even anonymously, indicating that the design might benefit from adjustments to make it more welcoming and accessible to all users.

Due to limited resources, we were unable to test the design in the actual MAP mima location, which impacted the user experience. Without testing on-site, it was challenging to fully anticipate how the LED lights and Cube animations would perform in real time. Real-world testing would likely improve interaction fluidity, providing smoother and more immersive feedback for users.

Reflection