T + V: Tangible Crowd-generated Visualizations

Past + Present + Future 		Andy Bardagjy   Alex Olwal    Julia Ma

MIT Media Lab 2011

In this installation, we invited participants at a recent conference to collectively create a physical data visualization.

The installation asks each participant three questions and allows them to place a LEGO brick on the corresponding location on the map:

  • Where did you group up? (red brick)
  • Where are you currently based? (green brick)
  • Where do you dream to live someday? (blue brick)
This approach to crowd-sourced data collection and visualization were effective at engaging conference attendees and it generated many great conversations and discussions in front of the map.

Most of the attendees participated in creating this 3D physical visualization and there were plenty of excitement when the time lapse of its development was shown at the last day. Thanks to everyone for all the positive feedback!

Thanks to the Media Lab Lab and LEGO for material and support that made this installation possible.