SCAPE. EXPO 2000
Multimedia exhibition
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Immersive virtual reality installation
Multimedia exhibition with website serving as a global communication platform and designed as a virtual architecture. Interactive installations encouraged playful engagement with new media.
The internal discussion about a preferably lasting landmark for EXPO 2000 lead to the design of the virtual architecture 'visionscape'. The discourse about computer generated architecture – which was highly topical around the turn of the century – suggested representing the world exhibition with such a symbol. The concept ironically exhausts the unlimited dimensions of virtuality: the bud-like shape of 'visionscape' rises above the Expo grounds up to a height of two kilometres. Inside a 4000 sqm exhibition hall the interactive event site 'scape' was realised as a physically tangible segment of this immaterial construct.
The topic defined in the context of the programme of cultural events was intended to inspire young people to an experimental approach to new media. 'Scape' was designed as a multilayered perception space which enabled physical and virtual experiences at the same time: In several lounges with different themes visitors could alter their surroundings atmospherically using interactive installations. Some of these interfaces linked the real space 'scape' to the virtual communication space 'visionscape.de' which detached the project from its dependence on space and time and transferred it to a globally accessible level.
The design of both the real and the virtual architecture was developed from the conceptional approach of 'genetic architecture' which achieved its first realisation in this project. The organically shaped, textile structures were designed with reference to computer simulated growth processes. They symbolise the increasing convergence of biology and technology.
During the world exhibition several club nights took place in the 'memory lounge'. The climax of this series of events was the 'final event' on the 31. October 2000. The DJ sets of Ken Ishi in Tokyo, Sven Väth in Hannover and Kit Clayton in San Francisco were broadcast on the internet as a live video and audio stream. The audience in front of the Expo hall could follow the session on 25 metre water screens whose liquid matrix, at times atomised by the wind, symbolised the momentariness of the event.
| Type | Multimedia Theme World |
| Location | EXPO 2000, Hannover. Germany |
| Year | 2000 |
| Status | Completed |
| GFA Gebäude | 4.000 m² |
| Client | Expo 2000 GmbH |
| Webdesign | Screenbow GmbH |
| A/V programming, interface design & technology | MESO Digital Interiors GmbH, Frankfurt/Main |
| Sounddesign | Hagü Schmitz, Michael Kohlbecker |
| Animationsdesign | fiftyeight |
| Modedesign | Blue Modedesignbüro |
| Innenausbau, Möbelbau | Moss Inc., Belfast/USA, Kruse System GmbH & Co. KG, Heimo, Festo AG & Co. KG |
| Medientechnologie, Licht | Lightpower GmbH, Karlen Labor für kinetisches Licht, Betalounge, Eisenherz |
| Photography | Emanuel Raab |
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