Transformer is a free project a large scale generative visual combining dynamic displacement and realtime particle simulation. Parameters are blended in a defined value space randomly and create unique transformations. A gpu particle system allows the realtime animation of nearly half a million triangles attached to a dynamic grid. The strength of the different forces of the animation can be manipulated to shape different visuals.

Commissioned by art+com I developed the computation design and final application for a media installation the german salt museum in Lüneburg.

„Salt Worldwide.“ vividly tells the story of the salt around the world by simulating a virtual world made out of salt. There are 34 touch sensitive salt crystals spreading over the map highlighting salt concentrated areas in the world. According to the amount of salt located in these regions, millions of salt particles emit continuously over the world map, slide down along the mountain ridges, then diffuse and flow along the currents in the seas.

When touched the crystals start to glow. From underneath the crystal grains of salt pour over the table and merge into an information window, which dis- plays details of the chosen salt mine through text, images and movies.

In a 10 minute long guided mode, the tour guide explains the salt production, consumption, usage, and other relevant topics. Each topic is explained by a dynamically generated animation; e.g. he salt particles that formed the tower Taipei 101 to symbolize daily amount of salt production worldwide transforms into a path between Brazil and Japan to represent salt trade routes between countries across continents.

Credits
Creative Director: Hermann Klöckner
Concept: Hermann Klöckner, Christian Riekoff, Jing He
Design: Arne Michel, Christian Riekoff, Jing He
Programming Computational Design: Christian Riekoff, Jing He
Project Management: Gert Monath
Client: Deutsches Salzmuseum Lüneburg

images courtesy art+com

On behalf of ART+COM I have developed six interactive media stations and one generative projection as part of a statistics strip for the exhibition “Work. Meaning and Worry”. The media stations with projections are integrated into the strip, where visitors can change different parameters by turning knobs and thus retrieve various data.

Credits
Creative Director: Joachim Sauter
Concept: Eva Offenberg, Christian Riekoff
Design: Eva Offenberg
Programming and Computational Design: Christian Riekoff
Project Management: Gert Monath
Client: Deutsches Hygiene Museum Dresden

images courtesy art+com

In the level green exhibition part of the Volkswagen Autstadt , visitors can learn about the consequences of climate change, the importance of sustainability for the economy and society, mobility concepts for the future and Volkswagen’s specific approaches towards sustainability. Covering about 1000 square metres, the exhibition space is divided into six themed areas.

I took part in the development of 4 of 25 media exhibits, offering various various starting points to actively engage with the topic and discover practices that each individual can adopt for sustainable development. The 4 interactive media walls I worked on unravel comprehensive themes and enable playful access to data via touching. After getting an overview, visitors can decide how deep they want to delve into the topic.

Ecological Backpack

The ecological backpack explains the ecological impact of different products. I developed the computational design for an existing concept and the final application. For the application I created a physical simulation to animate the different sphere representing the ecological weights of the products. To achieve a depth look I created several shaders for lighting, fog and shadows.

Utopia Test

The utopiastream shows different possible developments in future mobility and lets the user decide how useful it might be. The different utopias build a stream containing the images of each utopia. For this media wall I codeveloped the concept and created the computational design and the final application. For the animation I created a custum GPU particle system allowing a simulation of nearly half a million particles.

Powertrain and Fuel Strategy

This media wall informs the users about the different existing engine and fuel strategies and reveals the dependencies between them. For this installation I was responsible for the complete development from concept to the final application.

Effects of climate Change

Explains the climate change change by various maps shown on a freely na- vigatable globe. Eleven high resolution maps explain the climate change by illustrating its causes and effects. Regional examples inform the user on the problems that the climate change will have on real life. For this mediawall I was responsible for application development and computational design.

Credits
Creative Director: Monika Hoinkis
Concept: Eva Offenberg, Jens Ove Panknin, Christian Riekoff
Design: Eva Offenberg, Jens Ove Panknin
Programming Computational Design: Christian Riekoff
Project Management: Regina Tetens, Helge Dieck
Client: VW Autostadt

images courtesy art+com

On behalf of art+com I developed four motifs for the mediatecture of the bmw museum. The motifs are based on photos and animated typography.

images courtesy art+com

For the 23rd ECTRIMS, the world’s largest medical convention on the research and treatment of multiple sclerosis, ART+COM developed the presentation for the medication Copaxone. In an interplay that included interactive media table, live moderator and off-speaker, the complex operation of Copaxone was explained to the convention participants in graphic detail.

On behalf of ART+COM I developed a generative sound system for realtime sonification of the interactions and visuals. Using the modular synthesis software reaktor by native instruments, I created a unique sound patch to sonify the different states of the application. Apart from the sound design I also developed the communication layer between the application and reaktor.

Credits
Concept: Dennis Paul
Design: Dennis Paul
Programming: Dennis Paul, Sebastian Schmieg, Christian Riekoff
Sound Design: Christian Riekoff
Client: Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

images courtesy art+com

All lights inside Project No. 8 are turned off after hours. Only a person passing by or stopping in front of the windows activates a hidden sensor. The sensor starts one of 7 different light pattern which all follow different rules but are completely generative and thereby different. ATEM light installation is not added on to the existing structure or architecture. It uses the existing fluorescent lights of the existing space.

The ATEM light installation is designed by the Berlin Architect and light artist Christoph M Wagner. I have developed and designed the light patterns and build the control hardware based on an arduino microcontroller. The lights are controlled by dmx which is translated to the standard DALI protocol and controls the dimmable ballasts of each T8-fluorescent light fixture. The dmx to dali conversion has been realized by konzeptlicht

Credits in alphabetical order
Concept: Christoph Wagner
Design: Christian Riekoff, Andreas Schmelas
Programming: Christian Riekoff
Project Management: Christoph Wagner
Technical Support: Gregor Sgonina, Konzeptlicht
Client: Project No 8 New York

Flightplans in pdf format of the 3 big airline networks have been parsed into a database and visualized by mapping the flights on a virtual globe based on there time and position. The result shows the main traffic areas, change of the flight densities according to the current time and reveals interesting patterns in the daily flight traffic.

tree accesses the source code of a web domain through it’s url and transforms the syntactic structure of the web site into a tree structure represented by an image. this image illustrates a tree with trunk, branches and ramifications. first each tree is initialized, than all html links are detected, chronologically saved and finally displayed. the first tree corresponds to the domain; according to the syntax of the web site each further tree that builds up represents a sub page including all existing elements. the color of these trees reflects the color values of the domain and its sub pages.

parallel to the graphic conversion, a permutation of the source code into midi data is generated analogous to the evolving trees, their branches and ramifications. any midi compatible hard- or software can be triggered by these midi data. the structure of any url can be visualized and transformed into sound. the aesthetic is not arbitrary or accidental, rather each url/domain determines the variation of trees in form and color.

tree is a translation program. the simulation of real space by software as a starting point and basic question characterizes the search for an algorithm (design specification) which illustrates a real tree. tree interprets each html page as a design specification; the html space determines the algorithm and generates the visual world of the translation beyond simulation. tree has been exhibited at the club transmediale berlin and the sonar matica in barcelona.

The VIVA Clipcreator is an online application that allows the viewers of the TV channel VIVA to create their own tv clips. Each clip is based on a photo that is uploaded by the viewer. The clips are then broadcasted as adbrake bumpers.

The Clipcreator provides the users with a fun interface that allows them to create individual clips. The combination of the user’s creativity and generative design elements like flocking behaviour or organic growth makes sure that every clip is unique! At the same time, every clip fits into the look and feel of the new channel design.

The Clipcreator is a great tool for involving the viewers in the apperance of the VIVA tv channel. The project has been an enormous success. In six months, over 30000 clips have been created by the community.

Credits in alphabetical order
Concept: Boris Müller, Christian Riekoff
Design: Boris Müller
Programming: Christian Riekoff
Project Management: Boris Müller
Client: VIVA Germany