Summary

A multimedia installation for general public access and permanent exhibition. This presentation tells the story of how the URA approaches development, balancing new buildings public space, heritage projects, pedestrian traffic, and community and cultural needs. The exhibit is presented on a drafting table sized touch screen, making it an engaging and memorable experience.

Media

This exhibit presents a range of media within a state of the art 3D environment. The media provided to GMG included

• 360 degree x 180 degree panoramic photos
• time lapse photography
• video walkthroughs
• historical and contemporary photography
• 3d models of the Marina Bay area including all buildings
• text descriptions of redevelopment of historical sites

The media was collected under the direction of GMG, the producer, or the client as required.

Technology

The presentation was built using the latest 3D development tools more commonly used in the development of computer games. GMG saw the opportunity to extend this technology into the presentation domain, giving the client something that hadn’t been seen before. The ability to create a photo real presentation environment that the visitors could interact with simply made for an awe inspiring experience that was well beyond the expectations of everyone involved.

Design

The exhibit contained four main elements (development precincts that the URA wanted to focus on) each containing four aspects of town planning that needed to be explored (impact on the visual design of a precinct, what it was like to be in the space, how heritage values had been respected, and the life of a precinct). This made for a total of 16 presentations within the exhibit.

GMG presented the exhibit using a drafting table metaphor to reinforce the planning aspect. This was echoed in the cabinetry, which mimicked rolls of paper. Each of the four areas was represented by a box which the visitor could open to see the contents. GMG used 3D icons for the presentations within a precinct. The t-square on the drafting table animates up and down, providing a wipe effect to transition between the different presentations.

Major activities in the presentations are: a stack and spread interactive (build a 3D city area and spin it around to see the effect your decisions have on the skyline), what-if photo activities (allowing the visitor to superimpose different buildings and environments on iconic areas of Singapore), site visits (video segments driven from maps), panoramic photos (driven from an interactive 3D map of Singapore that is synchronized with the view within a panorama), before and after photography of restoration projects, time lapse photography of people using public spaces (showing the dynamics of place), and traditional photo essay plus text of historical buildings.