The intention of this project was to use art to gather and present community ideas and feedback in an engaging and accessible way. This will help shape a genuine and impactful Public Art Master Plan, in addition to the City’s traditional consultation methods. Starting with artistic practice allows for moments of joy and surprise, which can attract people who usually don’t get involved in City processes and bring out feelings and responses that might otherwise be inaccessible. See the complete results below:

This interactive experience explored the devastating impact of ocean noise pollution on marine life. Through projected visuals accompanied by generative soundscape, participants witnessed the harmony of healthy marine ecosystems juxtaposed with the disruptive noise generated by human activities. As viewers maneuvered their hands in front of a sensor, their actions triggered and modified the simulated pollution, offering a visceral connection to the consequences of our actions.

This activation involved audience members using their phones as a camera for exploring the event site. In this case, the location was at Pier 8, Hamilton. As they viewed the event site in real time through their phone camera, digital objects (houses, animals and a vacuum) appeared at various locations along the pier. Each ‘waypoint’ had an interactive experience. For example, Developer Tycoon allowed the user to create the pier 8 future development uses by adding townhouses and stores. Each waypoint connected themes of urban development, the environment, and industry in the city. Each waypoint tracked usage and user feedback. 

The Machine of Awesome Bright Liquid Blueness at The Art Gallery of Hamilton. Installed for 5 weeks to explore guests thoughts on our connection to the Great Lakes through a live gaming experience that once completed, dispensed clean drinking water into your refillable water bottle.

Navitas, Latin for energy, was an interactive apparatus that draws the public into the subject of clean, safe and healthy drinking water production and consumption.  

The apparatus highlighted the treatment, testing, and distribution of drinking water throughout the City of Hamilton. Navitas was constructed from primarily reclaimed, repurposed materials consisting of aluminum, copper, and wood components.

There were two primary modes of physical interaction required to operate the sculpture: a teeter-totter hand pump and a belt driven hand crank.

Teeter-totter hand pump:

Working like a teeter-totter, the hand pump required two people to work co-operatively in order to pump the ‘water’ from Lake Ontario, through the treatment plant, then distribute it to all the homes connected within the 2000 km of pressurized water system. Represented by 2000 blue LED lights (1 for each km) mounted inside copper piping, ‘water’ needed to be pumped from the lake into the treatment plant and then out to the community. Participants were invited to try and pump drinking water to their homes or the homes of their neighbours and friends.

The Hand Crank Power Generator:

No hydro, no water – not delivered to our homes anyways. That is why the Navitas included a hand cranked 400-watt power generator. Participants needed to crank the generator in order to maintain power to the sculpture and keep things ‘flowing’.

The City of Hamilton’s Waste Department commissioned an update on an older physical scale model of the Glanbrook Landfill Site for their educational program that included specific ‘touch’ points within the model highlighting the contemporary processes used at the site.

Expansion areas were added along with a compost facility and gas collection system. The machinery used at the site was also presented in the piece. Details including garbage and green spaces, the curtain system, containment walls, are now all conversation points used by staff in engaging with the public and students visiting their facility.

This physical model of the landfill site is now a great future candidate for interactive augmented reality features to expand on opportunities for awareness and education about waste management.

A participatory sound performance that highlighted what it means to have a Home. The performance was meant to explore two primary themes through deep listening and consideration: What does home mean to you? What does not having a home mean to you? Collected sound/text contributions from Acorn Hamilton members were incorporated directly into the live sound performance through sampling and singing. The project was an attempt to create a unique space where audience participants could share elements of their housing situation in order that we might learn, cultivate deeper empathy, and show a greater level of care for our fellow humans. My neighbours, your neighbours.

“Outfalls” delved into the intricate pathways of wastewater within local water basins, navigating the convergence of stormwater and sewage systems. This project orchestrated an experimental electronic composition that echoed the interconnectedness of these vital infrastructures. Through original photography skillfully manipulated by AI, a visual narrative emerges, shedding light on the often-overlooked facets of our ecosystem. The live coding performance serves as a dynamic centrepiece, symbolizing the harmonious interplay between technology and nature. “Outfalls” endeavoured to initiate dialogues on the symbiotic relationship between urban infrastructure and natural water cycles, fostering contemplation on environmental interconnectedness.