The DU LCB Team

DU LCB Team makes DU Today

2010-05-14T11:14:00.000-07:00

Well, TEDx has come and gone and we made it! Not only did we make it but we were thrilled with the response our kiosks inspired. We chose to showcase 3 of our kiosks (Water, Transportation, and Energy Efficiency) for the event and had professors as well as students available to talk to visitors about the work we've been doing, why we're doing it, and what we're hoping to see come from it.

Check back for pictures and video from TEDx. We even made DUToday.

Energy Renewal is the name of the game

2010-04-30T10:34:00.000-07:00

The Energy Renewal Kiosk looks like a lot of fun. Participants play a unique simulation game, designing the layout of renewable energy devices on a Living City Block rooftop.

Participants lay out devices such as:

Rooftop gardens
Solar panels
Greenhouses
Wind Turbines

Orienting them in relation to wind and sun direction for ideal use.

When finished participants can see how productive their rooftop is and view previous participants’ creations. All of the creations in the simulation will be true to the actual future of the Living City Block buildings, allowing participants to learn about the project in a stimulating interactive way.

The group seems well on their way to completion. As always feel free to send us any suggestion you have to make the LCB kiosks even better!

It's all about Energy Efficiency!

2010-04-23T10:15:00.000-07:00

The next kiosk has been designed and it is drastically different than the first.

The Energy Efficiency Kiosk allows participants play the role of a future citizen of the Living City Block in a sort of choose your own adventure style game. Throughout the day, choices are made regarding energy efficiency in daily life, effecting the flow and outcome of their experience.

Next up is the Renewable Energy interaction and the team is going crazy to get it done on time.

The Water Kiosk

2010-04-16T10:13:00.000-07:00

The group has finalized their first interaction, the water efficiency kiosk.

The kiosk allows users to navigate in and out of a virtual living city block, stuffed with information about the future of water efficiency in the living city block.

As they move in deeper, users will be able to play a cutting edge game using sophisticated water particle physics.

Stay tuned for the next kiosk and feel free to send us any suggestions you have.

Decisions, Decisions...

2010-04-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

So the group to a final decision on the layout of the installation!

It will be composed of five interactive kiosks around a center circular projection. Each kiosk is devoted to a different theme associated with the Living City Block project.

The five categorizes that have been decided upon are:

Water Efficiency
Energy Efficiency
Renewable Energy
Transportation
Community

During the process, the students have explored the nature of games in learning, how to provide multiple levels of depth in information, and how to invite people from different backgrounds to become excited and consider sustainability in their lives.

Next the group needs to decide the unique interfaces for each kiosk,, making sure to balance a large packet of information with an exiting innovative experience.

DULCBteam: Introduction

2010-04-01T13:21:00.000-07:00

This summer, the city of Denver will host the Biennial of the Americas, a month long cultural celebration of innovation, imagination and the artistic achievement of the Western Hemisphere.

As part of the celebration, the Rocky Mountain Institute will unveil its Living City Block program, a multi-year project in lower downtown Denver.

The Living City Block project will work with building owners, businesses, residents and city leaders to upgrade two urban blocks which will:

create more energy than they consume,
foster a strong sense of local community,
and support a thriving business center.

By 2050, eighty percent of all people will live in cities.

As America works to build a new, sustainable foundation for the 21st century, we are looking for new models of what our urban spaces can become.

Living City Block, located between 15 &; 16 and Wazee & Wynkoop, will be an example for the rest of the nation to follow.

In order to get the word out and spark excitement about the LCB project students from the Electronic Media Arts & Design and Digital Media Studies departments at the University of Denver are designing an interactive installation to be housed on-site at the Biennial.

We’ll be following this exciting project as it progresses posting the latest updates here, so make sure to check back often to see how its going. If you have and suggestions as we move along feel free to send a message our way to help make this one of the most exciting and innovative experiences at the summer Biennial.

Welcome to the DU LCB Team Blog!

2010-04-01T10:05:00.000-07:00

We're a group of students from the University of Denver who are contributing to the Denver Biennial with 5 interactive kiosks on the Living City Block.

Check back to see what we've been up to.