Convergence (backdated 8 Dec 06)

Ported over the blog from Xanga to Blogger, and here's my maiden post on Project Convergence.

08 Dec 2006

Convergence

"The process of coming together or the state of having come together toward a common point."

I'd hate to begin a blog with a dictionary definition, but that quite succinctly defines the nature of this project.

This blog serves as the unofficial diary for my involvement in the project. Please note that this isn't the official website of the project - for that, you'll have to look at the Remapping LA page.

Neither is Project Convergence the official name of the project - it's simply a working title for a better understanding of the nature of the project, both as a physical entity (hopefully that's what results from it, eventually) and as an academic pursuit.

So, what exactly is Project Convergence? It's all of the following things.

1. My project at the school of Architecture, National University of Singapore (NUS), in pursuit of an MArch degree, under the experimental track (which supposedly gives me more leeway to explore avenues that transcend basic spatial planning and architectural design).

2 . The first baby which would result from a collaboration between REMAP (Centre for Research Engineering, Media and Performance), UCLA (University of California Los Angeles); IDM (Interactive Digital Media), NUS; and Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI).

3. A project that would bring the diverse cultures (particularly, migrant cultures from Asia and Europe, which remain "foreign" to many of the locals) of the city of Los Angeles together at one specific site.

4. A project that would eventually form a methodology for a similar project in Singapore.

5. Last, but not least, a project that involves the collaboration of individuals from the fields of Interactive Media, Design, Architecture, Programming, Engineering, Film... and from various institutions spanning the Pacific.

I expect the list to continue as things begin to sort themselves out.

The collaborating institutions:
1 REMAP, UCLA
2 IDM and Department of Architecture*, NUS
3 WDI

* The Department of Architecture isn't directly involved, but I'm doing my project as part of the requirement for my architecture degree.

These departments have come together as a think tank on how technology, architecture and creative design can coexist, and better yet, give birth to a new interpretation of how people experience their environments. In recent discussions, we've talked about how sensor technologies can come into play in one's experience of a space. For instance, if I were to carry a PDA (with details about myself and my interests) and visit a park, I would be directed, either by the park's architecture or through interactive displays integrated into the architecture, to visit the areas of the park which might interest me. This would be possible due to an integrated network within the park that is capable of reading the data on my PDA (with my permission, of course). This data is then passed onto a pre-programm ed system which second-guesses as to where I might prefer to go.

The LA State Historic Park (see aerial photograph below), nicknamed "Cornfields", after an installation art project that involved growing corn on a part of the park, represents the "testing grounds" for one such park. Currently barren, except for patches of grass on some parts, it's an empty 'playground' waiting for something to happen. On the larger scope of things, it can be perceived as a starting point for experiencing the city of LA. Think "tourist information booth", but in a way that is a complete departure from the visitor information centres of major cities that you're used to.

More on the site in a future post - I'll document the communities in its vicinity, the lobbying that was done to preserve it, the position of the site in relation to the urban centres of LA... For now, a Google Earth image (click for a larger image):

A project as such would require multiple parties - and multiple fields of expertise - to be involved, and to have a collective vision of what the end-result (or at least, its direction) could be. The Remapping LA project is still in its infancy, and there are ongoing efforts to recruit the relevant people who might be interested in various aspects of the project - research, content creation, technology integration. My role in it is 'spatial planner / architect' - I have to ensure that all these efforts tie up and create a well-planned experiential environment for the park-goers.

With that, the project begins. I'm still trying to grasp the enormousness of the city of lost angels - being transplanted from a packed cosmopolitan city into a sprawling megalopolis whose most memorable urban features are its freeways. Nevertheless, I'm taking it all in, digesting, with the hope that something good will come out of it.

I'll explain a bit more on "why convergence", and post a few images of the sights and sounds I've seen in further posts.