VMA
-Viktigt meddelande till allmänheten-
VMA targets Global Goals:
11.6 Supporting cities positive impact on the environment, paying special attention to air quality.
13.3 Raising awareness of climate change and helping communities understand and manage the challenges.
VMA – “Viktigt meddelande till allmänheten” – makes our connection to the carbon cycle visible. This exploration focuses on revealing the invisible. By combining a light grid with a CO₂ sensor, I was able to communicate how carbon dioxide levels change when you exhale on the sensor. Carbon dioxide is invisible to us, but its impact on the climate is immense. When you exhale onto the sensor, it triggers an immediate response: the pulsing light shifts in color and intensity. Suddenly, the carbon dioxide becomes visible.
Research
The starting point was a sight specific investigation of The Nacka Transmitters. I got intrigued to do a project about invisible signals. The sight itself emits an alluring feeling and traces of human interferes are clearly noticeable.
I found that in 2022 Nacka municipality joined the Viable Cities program. Founded by Energimynigheten, Vinnova and Formas it focus on innovation for climate neutral and sustainable cities. The aim is to speed up the climate transition by 2030, whit digitalization and citizen engagement as enablers.
Today it’s possible to visit www.climatevisualizer.com/nacka and read up on Nackas carbon dioxid budget and outlets. But the engagement still lacks clear communication from the municipality to reach the citizens and this is where I situated my project.
Photo from the site showing the concrete fundament and one of the two transmitters.
Whit in the guidelines of Viable Cities, I decided to situate my project as a citizen engagement.
How to formulate a citizen engagement:
Determine goal
- Inform the public about the Carbon Dioxid budge and Viable Cities program.
Identify stakeholders
- The residents of Nacka municipality.
Determine methodology
- Interactive learning, making the invisible visible.
Determine ways to reach out
- Public installation.
Implement
Analys feedback and adjust if needed
Evaluate
Process
I sketched on various ideas of combining a carbon dioxid sensor with light to show how the levels of carbon dioxid changes. Whit inspiration from the Nacka Transmitters I imagined the sensor to have an industrial feel and as a contrast the LED grid was given a softer organic expression with a pulsing light that represents the gas flow. I choose to use the color range seen in the sky. The grid is programed to intensify in color and power when you exhale on the sensor and the carbon dioxid levels rises.
Prototyping and sketching.
Result
VMA is meant to be placed in a public space, where people from different part of the society passes. With the goal to create curiosity and through interactive learning teach and inform about carbon dioxid emissions and the common goals ahead.
VMA was exhibited at Konstfack in the fall of 2022. The response was overwhelming positive. One important comment mentioned this project as a caring way to get involved in the climate crises without pointing fingers.
