The idea was an inspiration from the Fun theory, an initiative by Volkswagen (http://thefuntheory.com/) which inspires change in people by making it more fun to do. Eg, recycling glass bottles by creating a recycling bottle arcade game and piano stairs which encourage people to take the stairs.
Since it was an interactive project, our group wanted to do a musical interactive piece. Thus we decided to ‘import’ the idea of musical stairs for our project and do it in our very own ADM.
1st message: Use the stairs
Change = Interest + Activity
Urban people would be used to the convenience of life like using the elevator and escalators. Therefore, to change people’s habit, we need to capture their attention first. So, by engaging people in an activity that they are interested in, we are able to encourage change. Our core purpose would be to encourage people to use the stairs by making it a fun experience.
Why encourage people to use the stairs?
Climbing the stairs is a good form of exercise that people often overlook. By making it fun to do, people will be more motivated to use it. Action will then lead to habit and by inculcating them with this good habit; it will then lead to a healthier lifestyle. On top of that, there will be lesser traffic on elevators.
2nd message: Interaction between people
When people use the stairs, they produce musical notes that can be heard by all. The act of stepping on the stairs alone makes them the active performers in that very own space. Everyone who hears the music being played thus becomes the passive audiences. Playing these musical notes is his interaction to the people who hear these notes. As there is no language barrier in music, it will be recognised by all. Thus, this interactive piece transcends culture and language.
There are 4 possible ways of interaction between people that our group has observed. (There are possibly other ways as well)
1. Accidental – people merely stepped on the stairs without any intention of communicating
2. Coordination- friends may “team” up to play a music piece together
3. Complementation- People will walk up the stairs randomly while one person will try to harmonise with the random notes played
4. Solo performance- a music piece played by a solo artist
Implementation
-webcam
-keyboard
-speakers
-laptop
-a box
The webcam would feed live images to the laptop where the keyboardist is hiding in the box and playing the notes according to the stairs that were stepped on.
Video
Photos
