Barcelona
The exposed project is part of a larger project, aimed at the citizens of Barcelona and its surroundings. The issues addressed are divided into 3 areas: social issues, urban issues and environmental issues.
In this case, we place ourselves in the social sector, treating gentrification as a pilot test and always seeking an objective approach that helps the viewer to understand their environment and define their position on the issues raised.
The project consists of 3 parts: the interactive installation, a video podcast and a virtual reality experience.
Virtual Reality
Through an observational and passive experience, we show a square that, at first glance, does not seem gentrified, but whose establishments reveal a certain degree of urban transformation, which adapts to tourist needs and hinders their day-to-day experience. This square, Plaça Sant Jaume, has been chosen for its importance to both the native population and tourists.
This approach allows viewers to experience, outside of their everyday context, the subtle differences that gentrification can generate in public space, inviting them to reflect from a new perspective.
Interactive installation
This invites the visitors to participate actively in the building and evolution of a city. Through a web built specifically for the project, the visitors answer a form giving their opinion about several social issues. In this web, using coding, sends the answers directly to Resolume Arena, which works according to the results obtained.In the space, which is formed by 3 fabric walls, a city is projected, and it changes dynamically depending on the answers of the form. The most voted answer will determine how the environment changes, showing off the importance of both the individual and collective choices and acts.
The whole installation is guided by a voice that will read the questions, followed by the choosing of the participants’ majority, and giving a brief explanation of the consequences of the decisions, both the positives and the negatives ones.
Podcast
The project is complemented by a podcast that addresses, in this case, the theme of gentrification, expanding the experience of the immersive installation. This format, more informative and easy to share, works as a parallel space where citizens and experts reflect and debate on this phenomenon that transforms the city. The podcast not only complements the installation, but also enriches the conversation by taking it to a more accessible and participatory environment.