A building block approach 
for assembling 
interactive 
media architectural installations 
Ting-Han Chen 
Chang-Chih Tseng 
Ching-Chih Chan 
innoCirque New Media Co. Taipei, Taiwan 
2014 Interiority and Interior Architecture
A building block approach 
for assembling 
interactive 
media architectural installations 
Keywords: media architecture, interactive architecture, 
Interaction design, media façade, lighting design
Architecture has become an inhabitable interface that 
communicates information and responds to its surroundings 
thanks to physical computing technologies. 
After: realities:united, Transreflex, 2013; photo: realities:united
A strand of design research, generally known as 'interactive 
architecture' (Bullivant, 2005) or 'media architecture' (Schoch, 
2007), has been carried out in practice by several noted 
architects and artists for years… 
Illustration of Responsive Architecture: A Project by Tristan d'Estree Sterk, 
The Office for Robotic Architectural Media & Bureau for Responsive Architecture ORAMBRA (2005)
INSTITUT DU MONDE ARABE, Paris, France (1981 – 1987). 
Architecture: Jean Nouvel, Gilbert Lézénès, Pierre Soria, Architecture Studio. Image © Georges
Daan Roosegaarde’s Flow 5.0
Wall modular lighting system LivingShapes interactive wall - Philips Lumiblade
With the flourishing developments in interactive 
media architecture, corresponding new architectural 
compositions and designs also need to be explored 
further.
With the flourishing developments in interactive 
media architecture, corresponding new architectural 
compositions and designs also need to be explored 
further. 
How can we develop a flexible interactive media architectural 
system that has the ability to assemble a variety of architectural 
forms to fit different site conditions? 
How can physical computing technology better facilitate designers 
with building blocks as they search to implement media 
architectural installations in various forms?
Six-Fourty by Four-Eighty 
(Marcelo et al, 2011) 
Media Block Chair 
by TeamLab (2012) 
Tangible Pixels 
(Wen et al, 2012)
Input: Infra-red sensor 
40 x 40 x 40 cm 
Output: LED strip 
Inflatable polyurethane with a matte surface 
An acrylic tube
Design process: 
1. Conception 
2. Simulation 
3. Prototyping 
4. Implementation 
5. Installation
The video: 
The Light Dam│iLight 
Marina Bay 2012 Singapore 
https://vimeo.com/39383277
After: https://www.facebook.com/pages/PieceDuino/1446536828948164
Possible applications: 
1. As a communicative media 
2. As an ambient awareness partition 
3. As an information shelf 
4. As a playful landscape
Future directions: 
1. A more completed design system 
2. A new type of furniture for interior design
innoCirque New Media
Thank you for your attention! 
Ting-Han Chen 
Chang-Chih Tseng 
Ching-Chih Chan 
innoCirque New Media Co. Taipei, Taiwan 
2014 Interiority and Interior Architecture

A Building Block Approach for Assembling Media Architectural Installations - [in]arch international conference 2014 presentation

  • 1.
    A building blockapproach for assembling interactive media architectural installations Ting-Han Chen Chang-Chih Tseng Ching-Chih Chan innoCirque New Media Co. Taipei, Taiwan 2014 Interiority and Interior Architecture
  • 2.
    A building blockapproach for assembling interactive media architectural installations Keywords: media architecture, interactive architecture, Interaction design, media façade, lighting design
  • 4.
    Architecture has becomean inhabitable interface that communicates information and responds to its surroundings thanks to physical computing technologies. After: realities:united, Transreflex, 2013; photo: realities:united
  • 5.
    A strand ofdesign research, generally known as 'interactive architecture' (Bullivant, 2005) or 'media architecture' (Schoch, 2007), has been carried out in practice by several noted architects and artists for years… Illustration of Responsive Architecture: A Project by Tristan d'Estree Sterk, The Office for Robotic Architectural Media & Bureau for Responsive Architecture ORAMBRA (2005)
  • 6.
    INSTITUT DU MONDEARABE, Paris, France (1981 – 1987). Architecture: Jean Nouvel, Gilbert Lézénès, Pierre Soria, Architecture Studio. Image © Georges
  • 7.
  • 8.
    Wall modular lightingsystem LivingShapes interactive wall - Philips Lumiblade
  • 9.
    With the flourishingdevelopments in interactive media architecture, corresponding new architectural compositions and designs also need to be explored further.
  • 10.
    With the flourishingdevelopments in interactive media architecture, corresponding new architectural compositions and designs also need to be explored further. How can we develop a flexible interactive media architectural system that has the ability to assemble a variety of architectural forms to fit different site conditions? How can physical computing technology better facilitate designers with building blocks as they search to implement media architectural installations in various forms?
  • 11.
    Six-Fourty by Four-Eighty (Marcelo et al, 2011) Media Block Chair by TeamLab (2012) Tangible Pixels (Wen et al, 2012)
  • 13.
    Input: Infra-red sensor 40 x 40 x 40 cm Output: LED strip Inflatable polyurethane with a matte surface An acrylic tube
  • 26.
    Design process: 1.Conception 2. Simulation 3. Prototyping 4. Implementation 5. Installation
  • 27.
    The video: TheLight Dam│iLight Marina Bay 2012 Singapore https://vimeo.com/39383277
  • 38.
  • 40.
    Possible applications: 1.As a communicative media 2. As an ambient awareness partition 3. As an information shelf 4. As a playful landscape
  • 41.
    Future directions: 1.A more completed design system 2. A new type of furniture for interior design
  • 42.
  • 43.
    Thank you foryour attention! Ting-Han Chen Chang-Chih Tseng Ching-Chih Chan innoCirque New Media Co. Taipei, Taiwan 2014 Interiority and Interior Architecture