Designing hybrid places: merging interaction design, ubiquitous technologies and geographies of the museum space

Abstract

In this paper we discuss how geographical notions of space and place can aid designers in creating meaningful interactions between end users and technologically augmented physical spaces—specifically museums. We review the literature that discusses the use of spatial concepts and metaphors within the interaction design field and discuss several examples of interactive museum installations. We then describe how we have incorporated our understanding of place and human experience into the design and development of a hybrid museum space: an interactive exhibition entitled ‘Re-Tracing the Past’ at the Hunt Museum in Limerick, Ireland.

Keywords:

• Interaction design
• Museum exhibitions
• Place
• Hybrid artefacts
• Ubiquitous technologies

Acknowledgements

We wish to acknowledge the support of Science Foundation Ireland through the Shared Worlds project, which made the latter part of this research possible. Thanks to the partners in the SHAPE consortium, to the Hunt Museum Docents and staff, and to the members of the Interaction Design Centre—particularly Kieran Ferris, Paul Gallagher and Tony Hall—for their contribution to ‘Re-Tracing the Past’.

Notes

¹Another early paper highlighting the analogies between the design of interfaces and some principles of architectural design is (Hooper, 1986).

²Patterns are structures that associate architectural features to actions and episodes of behaviour (Alexander, 1977).

³It is interesting to note of the issues of the museum as a setting for displacement, and of place-sensitive (site-specific) art installations has influenced also the work of artists such as Robert Smithson (Kunitz 2005).

⁴See for example: http://www.archimuse.com/

⁵See for example the DigiCULT initiative: http://www.cordis.lu/ist/directorate_e/digicult/index.htm

⁶The National Portrait Gallery (London) has adopted a similar system.

⁷ http://www.corkcitygaol.com/

⁸An interesting on-line article on this topic, ‘How do visitors use computer exhibits? Findings from 5 gruelling years of watching visitors getting it wrong’ by Ben Gammon, is available on the British Interactive Group website: http://www.big.uk.com/knowledgebase/exhibits/

⁹For more information on the project see: http://www.shape-dc.org.