Site Selection: Pacific City in Huntington Beach, CA
Idea 1: An interactive TV installation to educate about ocean acidification
Huntington Beach is best known as Surf City, and the Pacific Ocean anchors the town firmly as its westward boundary. We propose to raise awareness about the ocean, specifically the phenomenon of acidification, which changes the delicate pH of the water and is a by-product of carbon dioxide and other human emissions.
Our proposal: an interactive tv environment that invites Pacific City goers to touch and learn about the ocean and causes of ocean acidification. Some of our ideas are represented here on this mood board. Given the topic, we could combine digital pieces with physical displays that further enable interaction with the water and biology of the ocean. We would partner with Earth Eclipse.
Idea 2: Local fitness app engages locals in site-specific outdoor activities
Participants get sponsored to compete in a health challenge that raises funds for the local chapter of a health organization such as the American Heart Association.
The fitness challenge features local spots where participants can scan a QR code when they complete the health challenge at that place. Outdoor fitness stations will be installed temporarily at Pacific City to facilitate the series. For example, a spot where runners can stretch or do pushups and situps. A running loop could feature QR codes to scan for mile markers.
Idea 3: An Outdoor digital art installation that focuses on raising empathy and awareness about homelessness and poverty in Huntington Beach. Most everyone is aware of the rising issue of homelessness in Orange County, but it’s easy to read the news and think there’s no solution. In fact, communities have been caring for the indigent and poor since, well, Biblical time. This project is in support of American Family Housing and the City of Huntington Beach’s efforts to house the homeless.
The installation will feature stories about local organizations and individuals who support and aid the neediest residents – a day in the life of a pastor whose church houses a shelter, a city health worker who does needle exchange.
A fundraiser at Pacific City complements the installation – one part is an expensive ticketed sit-down event to drive larger donations, and the second part is an inexpensive raffle or another virtual event that is more affordable and aimed at raising awareness among younger people and/or families.
Hi Annie, it was good to connect with you tonight on Face Time with Sofanah. I’m posting my comments here as well for you in addition to our conversation.
Both Sofanah and I talked about how to make the art installation something that could engage others beyond visually, allowing visitors to take part in creating it. We talked about the park in Austin where people can paint the park however they want, as a constantly evolving art creation from anyone with a spray can or paint. As people paint over and create from what is already there, the park becomes a living piece by artists and non-artists.
For the art installations, the use of local artists is key in your design from my perspective. With you’re focus on supporting local activities and bringing the focus of local artists to help with that feels like a natural fit.
Something to consider with raising awareness that I have as a take-away from my project is the respectful way in which to communicate these issues. As you know, it can be a balancing act, to communicate need and increase awareness while not making people too uncomfortable. It’s good to see everyone focused on educating in a way that creates dignity for everyone involved, as well as provides value for the community through increased awareness and connection over a cause.
Saurabh brought up green space within the river front during one of your original presentations. I think there is a lot of value in reclaiming space that may be seen as unusable or unattractive and getting good out of it.
We also talked about how using the elements of the water tank and virtual aquarium experience was engaging and created entry. I like how that could be considered an experience that would also create extension in the memories created. While that may sound like a stretch, the first thing I thought of when I saw the touch screen walls and the virtual aquarium was a childhood experience I had that incorporated things like that. It was a good memory and it made me interested in this concept immediately. I think you are iterating away from this, but I also believe there are elements of the art wall installation that also connect me in a similar way.
Thank for letting me share my thoughts.
Hi Annie Tara, raising awareness about “Acidification of our oceans” is a great initiative. I did not even know that (in addition to creating all the other environmental problems) we humans are also making our oceans acidic.
Having a giant screen is a good idea. I’m also thinking if we could augment this visualization of ocean acidification with something that is more real time and scenario based. For example if there could be a way to show how a (giant) tank filled with water and containing life gets impacted when the water becomes more acidic. (We need not put real fish into the tank, that would be cruel. But we could use objects that are sensitive to acidity and change color when exposed to more or less acidic water.) This will help in showing the impact of acidification caused by our action.
We would also benefit if had a call to action with this installation. Like what can people do right there, right then when they are emotionally charged (aka under the spell of your installation). What say?
Team 10: 8:30 PM (Annie L. and Tara S.)
https://sites.uci.edu/in4matx282f18/project-3-part-1-annie-and-tara-team-10/
You could stretch outside your site. Two general advice: your project should start somewhere on your map (you can use the Huntington river front site as one of the many sites and keep it localized, but your pitch can suggest this is the network of many sites in OC, you are not only designing for this site on your map but can extend to a network of other sites. Urban intervention ideas: http://www.ccc.qc.ca/actions. Tools for actions: http://www.cca.qc.ca/actions. In addition to surfing, how do you bring a variety of experiences and multiple ocean issues that people can engage with?