Installation Proposal October 4 th , 2011

1. Installation ProposalOctober 4th, 2011 JD shippel , nick tiringer , robin nicholls

2. Current setting • The subway is a convenient, cost-effective way of getting around the city. With stations lining several of the major streets, it offers an easy travel solution. The way in which people get there, however, isn’t always pleasant. Most of the subway cars are old and worn, packed full of people during rush hour and aren’t the cleanest places in the world. The windows help to reduce the claustrophobia, but the darkened view of the subway walls doesn’t inspire happier thoughts. Our intended installation will help to brighten the days of the subway riders, offering a distraction from the realities of their underground environment.

3. objective • One of the main differences between a GO train ride and one on the subway is the view. Even in the middle of the city, the sky is visible on a GO train, there is natural light filtering into the cabin, and the general air is a brighter, more comfortable one. We aim to emulate this feeling and apply it to trains that are normally surrounded by darkness. Instead of looking at a dark wall and their own reflections, riders will see grassy meadows, flowing streams and lush forests. White sunlight will shine in from the clear blue sky, brightening the train and people’s dispositions. A monotone, claustrophobic enclosure will become seemingly airy and vibrant.

4. Taking action • To create the effect of being outside, we will need to place a display over each window of the selected subway train. Each screen will have to cover the entirety of the window, in order to create the illusion of being the true view outside of the subway car. The screens will need to be linked to a single computer or device to ensure that they are displaying the correct segment of the environment. For example, a window at the head of the train should offer a view that is clearly ahead of the person in the back of the train. As the train moves, the virtual environment will have to move accordingly, utilizing accelerometers to monitor the speed. A power supply will need to be provided for the screens, either a corded approach using an available supply on the train, or relying on large batteries attached to the screens and the computer.

5. Hidden Projector Fitted under the tiles on the roof of each subway car.

6. Further thinking • The environment will need to be convincing in order to provide any meaningful effect on the subway riders. A video will work well for realism’s sake, though there is less flexibility when relying on a pre-recorded, fixed-perspective file. A simulation will be most appropriate for this installation, allowing for more creativity and reliability. The environment will be created in a large scale, to allow for the illusion of distance beyond the side of the tracks. 3D objects with high-quality textures and lighting will be essential in creating the illusion of a real, physical landscape.

7. Regular ttc vs. Redesigned ttc

8. finally • Visibility will be an issue, if people from the outside want to see how crowded a particular car is. For this reason, and that of general safety, the doors will remain unchanged, offering a small glimpse of the real world beyond the car. Screens will need to be securely attached to the train, to prevent them from being destroyed if they fell from the car and to protect against theft. The side of the train will bear a removable, decorative notice, labeling the cars with “Enviro-Vision”, creating intrigue and making that train the one being sought after. All of this rides on the ability to have access to a train before it enters daily operation.