Anti-Static: Overcoming Suburbia through Kinetic spaces

<p>Problem: Anti-Static critiques economically driven development that is exclusive of the natural environment creating uninspiring places comparable to low density urban environments. It proposes a new system of building, using motion of traditionally static elements, that encourages flexibility of space, sharing, and achieves higher densities and better connections to the natural context. Location: A strong reliance on vehicular transport and the ‘Pavlova Paradise’, or quarter-acre dream mind-set has created a sprawling built environment and inflexible building stock that threatens to engulf the landscape. Queenstown is an extreme example of this condition; intense pressure to develop is resisted by a need to protect the beautiful environment that attracts nearly two million visitors annually. Current solutions look to satellite towns, but this poses many issues regarding increased infrastructure use and environmental degradation. Aims and Objectives: This thesis applies the system to propose new standards for upwards and inwards development that focuses on sequestering integrated public open space. The theoretical component of this thesis argues for the intertwining of an objective and subjective theory: ‘Biophilia’ and ‘Picturesque Beauty’. It is argued that ‘picturesque beauty’, a visual style that appreciates natural composition, is strengthened by the contemporary theory of Biophilia, which states that people are intrinsically drawn to natural processes. The aims of this thesis are to develop a way of improving density, desirability and environmental performance of the suburban environment. It also aims to encourage an effective engagement with, integration into and connection to the natural environment. These aims are achieved by firstly establishing a case for environmental reintegration, understanding the benefits, requirements and visual theory so that it may be integrated effectively, secondly by researching and interrogating current systems from dense environments that improve efficiency through motion within buildings, establishing their context, intention and effectiveness, thirdly by designing and implementing a system that improves the spatial variety, environmental connection and efficiency through an iterative process, finally by testing the design in a comparative masterplan to an existing development and commenting on the success based on the established criteria.</p>

Anti-Static: Overcoming Suburbia through Kinetic spaces

<p>Problem: Anti-Static critiques economically driven development that is exclusive of the natural environment creating uninspiring places comparable to low density urban environments. It proposes a new system of building, using motion of traditionally static elements, that encourages flexibility of space, sharing, and achieves higher densities and better connections to the natural context. Location: A strong reliance on vehicular transport and the ‘Pavlova Paradise’, or quarter-acre dream mind-set has created a sprawling built environment and inflexible building stock that threatens to engulf the landscape. Queenstown is an extreme example of this condition; intense pressure to develop is resisted by a need to protect the beautiful environment that attracts nearly two million visitors annually. Current solutions look to satellite towns, but this poses many issues regarding increased infrastructure use and environmental degradation. Aims and Objectives: This thesis applies the system to propose new standards for upwards and inwards development that focuses on sequestering integrated public open space. The theoretical component of this thesis argues for the intertwining of an objective and subjective theory: ‘Biophilia’ and ‘Picturesque Beauty’. It is argued that ‘picturesque beauty’, a visual style that appreciates natural composition, is strengthened by the contemporary theory of Biophilia, which states that people are intrinsically drawn to natural processes. The aims of this thesis are to develop a way of improving density, desirability and environmental performance of the suburban environment. It also aims to encourage an effective engagement with, integration into and connection to the natural environment. These aims are achieved by firstly establishing a case for environmental reintegration, understanding the benefits, requirements and visual theory so that it may be integrated effectively, secondly by researching and interrogating current systems from dense environments that improve efficiency through motion within buildings, establishing their context, intention and effectiveness, thirdly by designing and implementing a system that improves the spatial variety, environmental connection and efficiency through an iterative process, finally by testing the design in a comparative masterplan to an existing development and commenting on the success based on the established criteria.</p>

The Suitable Machine: Exploring style through storytelling to inform design

<p>The Suitable machine demonstrates how aesthetic change can be made to a Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) device, allowing it to suit the visual style of a specified bedroom environment that has been described. Digital data (3D scans) of the CPAP device provided specific measurements allowing a wide variety of aesthetically styled outputs that were tailored to fit. Each suitable to the people, home and machine they are designed for. CPAP devices that are used to treat patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) are considered strongly driven by a medical aesthetic. The Suitable Machine explores how CPAP devices, hoses and masks can be housed within these bedroom settings, producing designs to personalise the domestic environment and reduce stigma through the improvement of aesthetic qualities. The research uses Research Through Design (RtD) as a methodology. Background Research, Design Audits and Narratives are used to define the scope and criteria, providing parameters for the research and design outputs. Background research shows both knowledge gaps and bias to a growing dilemma; suitability. Development of the designed outputs makes use of Sketching, 3D Scanning, CAD Modelling, digital Rendering and 3D Printing as methods; producing an experimental indication of what could be possible for the personalisation of medical devices through aesthetic change in domestic environments.</p>

The Suitable Machine: Exploring style through storytelling to inform design

<p>The Suitable machine demonstrates how aesthetic change can be made to a Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) device, allowing it to suit the visual style of a specified bedroom environment that has been described. Digital data (3D scans) of the CPAP device provided specific measurements allowing a wide variety of aesthetically styled outputs that were tailored to fit. Each suitable to the people, home and machine they are designed for. CPAP devices that are used to treat patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) are considered strongly driven by a medical aesthetic. The Suitable Machine explores how CPAP devices, hoses and masks can be housed within these bedroom settings, producing designs to personalise the domestic environment and reduce stigma through the improvement of aesthetic qualities. The research uses Research Through Design (RtD) as a methodology. Background Research, Design Audits and Narratives are used to define the scope and criteria, providing parameters for the research and design outputs. Background research shows both knowledge gaps and bias to a growing dilemma; suitability. Development of the designed outputs makes use of Sketching, 3D Scanning, CAD Modelling, digital Rendering and 3D Printing as methods; producing an experimental indication of what could be possible for the personalisation of medical devices through aesthetic change in domestic environments.</p>

Video Game Art Styles

The article examines the graphic styles that have arisen in the video game industry due to the technical features and development of this media. These styles are widely used and starting to go beyond the industry into the field of contemporary art. Despite the fact that pixel art is mainly used in the creation of video games, it has already become an independent form of visual style. Contemporary artists such as the Russian digital artist and designer under the pseudonym Uno Morales and the artist Natalya Struchkova turn to the pixel style when creating their works. Like the pixel art, voxel graphics has moved into the category of the game visual style, which employs an impressive community of digital artists. Low рoly graphics have modified from the main graphics of three-dimensional games, which look technically imperfect, into the category of an artistic style that forms a recognizable, attractive and unique geometric aesthetics of the image. We can trace the transformation of video game graphics, which have arisen as a result of technical constraints, into separate art styles: pixel art, voxel art, low рoly style, the minimalist style of the first classic video games. These styles are gradually becoming an independent visual unit that does not depend on the video game product as a whole.

The Immersive Continuity of Roma

In Gravity (2013), Alfonso Cuarón introduced a fully three-dimensional sound design approach that was originally termed by Idrovo and Pauletto (2019) as ‘immersive point-of-audition’. More recently, in Netflix’s Roma (2018), Cuarón not only perfected such treatment of sound, but consolidated an audio-visual style that stands out for its capacity to enhance our sensation of ‘presence’ in the narrative world, a style that is referred here to as immersive continuity. Grounded on the spatiotemporal continuity of the long take, Cuarón’s immersive continuity allows sound objects to flow all around the 3-D space, and hence opens a giant window of opportunity for the exploitation of Dolby Atmos. Through an extensive analysis of Roma, this article describes the aesthetics of such audio-visual style, and beyond, it explores the methods and workflows that permitted Cuarón’s sound team to fully exploit sound three-dimensionality. Finally, I discuss the growing adoption of Netflix as one of the major challenges that the theatrical cinema industry has to face; and argue that embracing immersive continuity may be a powerful weapon for attracting audiences to a cinematic experience that cannot be found at home.

Stroke Rehabilitation

<p>Upper limb rehabilitation after a stroke is vital when bringing a range of motion and strength back to a patient. Treatment for upper limb rehabilitation has come in many diverse methods over the years including the use of modern technology through the use of mirror visual feedback (MVF) and action observation therapy; this thesis digital applications for stroke rehabilitation and how varying visual styles can impact the patients experience in the upper limb rehabilitation process. Within the gaming medium the visual style in a game is an aspect of immersion and appeal that is often neglected by the user. The visual style of a game often reflects the tone a game designer has intended to convey while also catering to the target audiences expectations, with realism potentially appealing to a more mature audience while brighter abstract visuals may appeal to a younger demographic. By utilising two different styles of imagery, both realistic and cartoon based visuals, the level of immersion was observed and the user’s reaction to each form of visuals was analysed. The aim of this thesis is to investigate both realistic and stylized visual styles of computer generated imagery, distinguish the advantages and disadvantages for both realism in comparison to cartoon and finally analyse its effectiveness to assist the rehabilitation of upper limb deficiencies. The application being used for this study was made in collaboration with Victoria University Masters student Nicholas Wellwood, providing me the opportunity to focus solely on producing diverse and engaging visual styles to work in unison with a fully developed framework.</p>

Investigating Nordic Noir

<p>Scandinavian crime films and television series have become popular in recent years. This thesis explores some of the key texts in ‘Nordic noir’ through a discussion of detectives, the environment, and visual style. The emphasis in the project is on textual analysis. The first chapter examines the figures of Wallander and Lund in Wallander and Forbrydelsen respectively. I argue that the conflicts Nordic detectives often have between work and the domestic sphere are an indication of how gender stereotypes are challenged in the Scandinavian crime genre. The second chapter considers the role of the natural and built environments in Nordic noir. Features such as forests and water play a crucial role in Forbrydelsen because of the ways in which they create uncertainty, anticipation, and suspense. The urban spaces of Bron/Broen develop a sense of anonymity that recalls the function of the city in classic film noir. Rather than developing links between Sweden and Denmark, the series suggests that the Øresund bridge that spans the two countries is ultimately a disconnecting, centrifugal force that functions as what Marc Augé would call a ‘non-place’. The final chapter considers the role of colour and light in the films Insomnia and Jar City. My analysis demonstrates that Nordic noir encompasses more than naturalism and realism. Like classic and neo-noir, it includes a range of expressive aesthetic strategies that serve both narrative and thematic functions.</p>

Investigating Nordic Noir

<p>Scandinavian crime films and television series have become popular in recent years. This thesis explores some of the key texts in ‘Nordic noir’ through a discussion of detectives, the environment, and visual style. The emphasis in the project is on textual analysis. The first chapter examines the figures of Wallander and Lund in Wallander and Forbrydelsen respectively. I argue that the conflicts Nordic detectives often have between work and the domestic sphere are an indication of how gender stereotypes are challenged in the Scandinavian crime genre. The second chapter considers the role of the natural and built environments in Nordic noir. Features such as forests and water play a crucial role in Forbrydelsen because of the ways in which they create uncertainty, anticipation, and suspense. The urban spaces of Bron/Broen develop a sense of anonymity that recalls the function of the city in classic film noir. Rather than developing links between Sweden and Denmark, the series suggests that the Øresund bridge that spans the two countries is ultimately a disconnecting, centrifugal force that functions as what Marc Augé would call a ‘non-place’. The final chapter considers the role of colour and light in the films Insomnia and Jar City. My analysis demonstrates that Nordic noir encompasses more than naturalism and realism. Like classic and neo-noir, it includes a range of expressive aesthetic strategies that serve both narrative and thematic functions.</p>

Stroke Rehabilitation

<p>Upper limb rehabilitation after a stroke is vital when bringing a range of motion and strength back to a patient. Treatment for upper limb rehabilitation has come in many diverse methods over the years including the use of modern technology through the use of mirror visual feedback (MVF) and action observation therapy; this thesis digital applications for stroke rehabilitation and how varying visual styles can impact the patients experience in the upper limb rehabilitation process. Within the gaming medium the visual style in a game is an aspect of immersion and appeal that is often neglected by the user. The visual style of a game often reflects the tone a game designer has intended to convey while also catering to the target audiences expectations, with realism potentially appealing to a more mature audience while brighter abstract visuals may appeal to a younger demographic. By utilising two different styles of imagery, both realistic and cartoon based visuals, the level of immersion was observed and the user’s reaction to each form of visuals was analysed. The aim of this thesis is to investigate both realistic and stylized visual styles of computer generated imagery, distinguish the advantages and disadvantages for both realism in comparison to cartoon and finally analyse its effectiveness to assist the rehabilitation of upper limb deficiencies. The application being used for this study was made in collaboration with Victoria University Masters student Nicholas Wellwood, providing me the opportunity to focus solely on producing diverse and engaging visual styles to work in unison with a fully developed framework.</p>