Klara on the Yard

Interactive Installation | Projection | Storytelling
This is a projection where I set myself to challenge storytelling with installations. Based on the novel Klara and the Sun, I collaborated with a scene designer to create Klara’s last memory from Klara and the Sun through a series of immersive installations. In this interwoven space, audiences re-experience Klara’s story through evocative scenes and interactive devices, guided by the AF’s first-person perspective.

ROLE
Interactive Media Designer
Immersive Experience Designer

TIMELINE
2024/08-2024/10

TOOLS
Arduino
Touch Designer
SketchUp /Rhino
CAD + Laser Cutting

Inspiration

Exploring Humanity Through Artificial Eyes

The narration from a robot's perspective fascinated me, so I began searching for works on this theme.

My partner and I ultimately chose Klara and the Sun, a memoir of a robot, which tells the story of Klara and Josie’s family through the robot’s narration. Klara’s perspective is precise, objective, and absolutely honest, like a mirror quietly reflecting the inner world of Josie and everyone around her.

A Challenge -- Storytelling Through Installations

1. Plot Dissection

We extracted chapters from the novel in chronological order based on scenes and plots, and catch the emotional highlights of each segment. In the meantime, we almost instinctly brainstormed some interactions.

Through Brain storm, we a few ideas about what we were trying to make:

a mixture of spaces (blend the scenes together)
use interaction to enhance storytelling (emphathize with Klara)
tell the story by fragments (not the whole story)

Brainstorm!

2. Work Closely Together

We tried to make some prototypes of the scenes together. For each scene we would have different interaction related to the story. Since the interaction itself, along with a lot of electrical modules, would interefere my scene designer’s work, my partner and I ended up working closely togther. And this is the best thing ever, as you can:

inspire each other
get clearer of you ideas

We pushed each other’s design process massively. A lot of great ideas emgerged as we design mechanics along with the scene design.

That’s me showing off our puppet.

She had no idea what we were doing at first...

Of course, I had to help out on art works.

She said, ‘I want Klara to move in the scene.’

You’ll have an idea once you make something.

3. Prototypes... A lot!

Once we had some ideas, I started to test out them right away. Making quick, cheap prototypes to demonstrate and test your ideas are EXTREMELY beneficial because they can help you:

demonstrate your ides better (... so your partner would understand)
get more ideas from testing
debug you codes
supplement your manufacture lists

Computer models also count.

Academic Focus: Narrative Environment

My background in architecture provided me with professional knowledge in exhibition and environmental design. However, we still lack guidelines that focus on experience-centered and narrative contents.

That’s when we found this amazing reference. Tricia’s case studies are very helpful and inspiring.

Narrative Environments and Experience Design:
Space as a Medium of Communication

By Tricia Austin

Our So-called Spatical Storytelling

As we got insights from the book, we formed our own methodology of immersive storytelling in space.

Floor Plan

Emotional Map

How we built the whole environment as part of the story...

The distribution of space in spatial storytelling

bridge, serene, twist/conflict

The Experience

A journey into Klara’s mind

The story will be revealed through Klara's memory card. And each interaction would unveil a corresponding plot.

Memory Cards

Visual Elements

To tell the story from Klara’s perspective...

Kazuo described Klara’s vision as rectangle frames in her vision. Therefore, we want to add similar elements aesthetically to remind people of Klara’s identity as an AF. Our final design delivery are defined as:

grid-patterned
glitched
naive

De Stijl

glitched vision

Process

Interaction Development

Separate Interactive Modules

I was struggling with placing interactive electronic modules into the scaled model.

However, it has become obvious that we can make the interactive components independently and test them separately.

The Flashing Lights

The narration from a robot's perspective fascinated me, so I began searching for works on this theme.

Live-Visuals Development

Touch Designer + Projection

The narration from a robot's perspective fascinated me, so I began searching for works on this theme.

Woodwork

This is a lot...

We divided the construction work into 3 different stages.

Insights

1. Don’t stop communicating, even when you’re INSANELY MAD at each other.
2. Different roles in a team can inspire each’s work! (...so always communicate)
3. Pattern recognition is a core ability. That’s why adding interactions is more like a process to relocate that emotion/feeling.
4. Make interactable prototypes separately. This can boost your manufacture process.

More in Mumblings

Team

Interactive Media & Experience Design by Jingyi Xie
Art & Scene Design by Ziqi Guo
Based on Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

Nellie’s Alley