College of Architecture, Arts, and Design (CAAD)
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Note that the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) is now located in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.
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Browsing College of Architecture, Arts, and Design (CAAD) by Content Type "Conference proceeding"
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- 3D Time-Based Aural Data Representation Using D⁴ Library’s Layer Based Amplitude Panning AlgorithmBukvic, Ivica Ico (Georgia Institute of Technology, 2016-07)The following paper introduces a new Layer Based Amplitude Panning algorithm and supporting D⁴ library of rapid prototyping tools for the 3D time-based data representation using sound. The algorithm is designed to scale and support a broad array of configurations, with particular focus on High Density Loudspeaker Arrays (HDLAs). The supporting rapid prototyping tools are designed to leverage oculocentric strategies to importing, editing, and rendering data, offering an array of innovative approaches to spatial data editing and representation through the use of sound in HDLA scenarios. The ensuing D⁴ ecosystem aims to address the shortcomings of existing approaches to spatial aural representation of data, offers unique opportunities for furthering research in the spatial data audification and sonification, as well as transportable and scalable spatial media creation and production.
- Aegis Audio Engine: Integrating a Real-Time Analog Signal Processing, Pattern Recognition, and a Procedural Soundtrack in a Live Twelve-Perfomer Spectacle With Crowd ParticipationBukvic, Ivica Ico; Matthews, Michael (Georgia Institute of Technology, 2015-07)In the following paper we present Aegis: a procedural networked soundtrack engine driven by real-time analog signal analysis and pattern recognition. Aegis was originally conceived as part of Drummer Game, a game-performancespectacle hybrid research project focusing on the depiction of a battle portrayed using terracotta soldiers. In it, each of the twelve cohorts—divided into two armies of six—are led by a drummer-performer who issues commands by accurately drumming precomposed rhythmic patterns on an original Chinese war drum. The ensuing spectacle is envisioned to also accommodate large audience participation whose input determines the morale of the two armies. An analog signal analyzer utilizes efficient pattern recognition to decipher the desired action and feed it both into the game and the soundtrack engine. The soundtrack engine then uses this action, as well as messages from the gaming simulation, to determine the most appropriate soundtrack parameters while ensuring minimal repetition and seamless transitions between various clips that account for tempo, meter, and key changes. The ensuing simulation offers a comprehensive system for pattern-driven input, holistic situation assessment, and a soundtrack engine that aims to generate a seamless musical experience without having to resort to cross-fades and other simplistic transitions that tend to disrupt a soundtrack’s continuity.
- Arthurdale Reviewed: Sustainable New Deal Housing in AppalachiaGalford, Gregory; Tucker, Lisa M. (2021-05-21)This work in progress is connected to Eleanor Roosevelt’s passion to provide residents of an Appalachian coal-mining town an opportunity to live in a community based on principles of sustainability and social justice. Arthurdale, West Virginia was designed as an ideal community with each family receiving a new home and a plot of land with sufficient acreage to produce their own needs for food. Each home had its own above-ground root cellar and was designed to make the family as independent as possible. Local artisan workshops provided wage-earning jobs and community functions were housed in a town center building. This work in progress revisits that town to learn from the residents how the models have transformed with time. Most houses are still in existence, but with alterations to suit changing needs. The goal of this study is to see what insights of sustainable design can be gleaned from the lived experience of its residents over time. A mixed methods approach will be used, with both surveys and interviews used as tools within both a quantitative and qualitative framework. Expected results will find that longitudinal differences in family lifestyle are reflected in home renovations, and the demographic changes in family makeup have had a strong influence on home adaptations. As new generations of homeowners seek innovations in housing models, the historical lessons of Arthurdale can provide relevance.
- Cinemacraft: Immersive Live Machinima as an Empathetic Musical Storytelling PlatformNarayanan, Siddhart; Bukvic, Ivica Ico (University of Michigan, 2016)In the following paper we present Cinemacraft, a technology-mediated immersive machinima platform for collaborative performance and musical human-computer interaction. To achieve this, Cinemacraft innovates upon a reverse-engineered version of Minecraft, offering a unique collection of live machinima production tools and a newly introduced Kinect HD module that allows for embodied interaction, including posture, arm movement, facial expressions, and a lip syncing based on captured voice input. The result is a malleable and accessible sensory fusion platform capable of delivering compelling live immersive and empathetic musical storytelling that through the use of low fidelity avatars also successfully sidesteps the uncanny valley.
- A Continuum of Library Publishing in Music: First-time Musical Score Publishing to Establishing a Music LabelWalz, Anita R.; Grey, Kindred; Shapiro, Derek; Caldwell, Jonathan; DeLaurenti, Kathleen (Virginia Tech, 2023-05-08)This panel discussion features two library publishing projects, one a Creative-Commons licensed and first-time musical-score supplement publishing project intended to “expand the canon” of études available for conducting courses. The other an in-copyright music label with distribution of original in-copyright works via major streaming platforms. Panelists from three universities representing these two projects will describe project goals, disciplinary, technical, and project design issues, decision points, and perceptions regarding their respective projects. The panel will conclude with a discussion of gaps and aspirations for future involvement in music publishing. This session will be of interest to beginning music publishers as well as library publishers already involved in music publishing. Featured projects Original Études for the Developing Conductor https://doi.org/10.21061/conducting Peabody Premieres https://peabodypremieres.bandcamp.com A recording of this presentation is available at: https://youtu.be/h0gUq8B7HZk
- Critical Inclusion: Valuing Student Perspectives, Queering Practice, and Hybridizing Pedagogy for 4D Media CritiqueWeaver, Rachel L. (Www.Macaart.Org, 2016-10-28)Over the past decade, time-based visual media has attained the same ubiquity that the still image has enjoyed for the past 150 years. In this deliriously-mediated present, guiding students to use 4D media’s evolving languages of critique requires teaching strategies that address the strengths and blind spots of digital natives. Most undergraduate, internet-savvy students are natural critics of 4D media, and thoughtful educators will facilitate critique by valuing and harnessing these existing interests and useful perspectives. Vernacular media forms become an important and playful entryway to close looking and parsing. Colloquial and familiar viewing habits are eventually transformed by adoption of new terminology and critical angles. Situating contemporary 4D media works within greater art and design history is an extremely important way to effectively broaden perspectives and generate new critical conversations. Reading, continuous discussion, and exposure to artists, media works, history, and theory in the context of the studio classroom is just as important as 4D studio practice itself. Unless we are lucky enough to teach at an institution with a media+art history course, the 4D media educator is often saddled with the hybrid role of both studio practitioner and pioneering contemporary art/media/technology historian. This challenge, however great, is also an opportunity unique to our discipline. The 4D media educator must remain chameleon-like in negotiation of critical viewpoints, looking across disciplines, and responding swiftly to the unending torrent of hybridized art forms, expanding design needs, and emerging media technologies.
- Dante, VA: Where There's A Vision, There's OpportunityGilboy, Elizabeth; Proctor, Nicholaus; Morici, Joe; Wallace, Lou (2019-03-19)From coal depot to a coffee cafe, the economic future of Dante, VA is bright. Dante's creative approach to utilizing grants opportuntities has brought new life into this former coal camp, deep in the hills of southwest Virginia. Once known for its rich coal deposits, Dante (population approx. 400) now sits at the heart of the Clinch River watershed, a region teeming with biodiversity and eco-tourism potential. The Dante Community Association began in January 2017 by rapidly assembling a network of community, county, state, and collegiate partners to accelerate planning initiatives. Their efforts ultimately targeted two key brownfields, the Dante Depot/ downtown park and former Arty Lee School. Both had unfortunately become unsightly after years of neglect. Extensive efforts established a vision for the two properties that leveraged economic development trends prevalent in the region such as local foods, lodging, retail, entertainment, and continuing education/co-working. In a short two-year period the community has obtained eight grants worth $200,000 and has been recognized by the VA Department of Housing and Community Development as a member of its Main Street Affiliate program. A sample of their grants include conceptual design assistance from undergraduate students at the Community Design Assistance Center at Virginia Tech, a brownfields site assessment and redevelopment plan through the EPA, a new playground through KaBOOM!, and a grant through VA Dept. of Transportation to restore a portion of the Dante Depot.
- Devising Commedia as an Antiracist Theatre Practice in The Artful TokenRosin, Jordan (2021-08-07)This presentation will recount some of Jordan Rosin's key insights from producing and directing an ensemble-devised Contemporary Commedia adaptation of Goldoni's The Artful Widow with undergraduate students at Virginia Tech, employing a process which combined The Ume Group's Devising Methodology, Liz Lerman's Critical Response Process, Theatrical Intimacy Education-inspired boundary practices, and Nicole Brewer's Antiracist Theatre principles. Major insights revolve around opportunities and limitations of Commedia as an antiracist/anti-oppressive practice, as well as the synergies between consent, harm prevention, Liz Lerman's CRP, Emergent Strategy, and the roles of actor-creator and director-as-facilitator.
- Empowering Actors Through ViewpointsRosin, Jordan (2019-08-10)Whereas many directors who happen to teach devising or movement may be misrepresenting and/or underestimating the full and cross-genre potential of systems like Anne Bogart & Tina Landau’s Viewpoints, thereby unconsciously passing on their own aesthetic preferences to their students and perpetuating a narrow view of the system as innately “avant-garde” or experimental, I will aim to articulate a philosophy of Viewpoints training and education which empowers, rather than manipulates actors, preparing them for devising and performance across a variety of styles, ranging from Clown and Commedia to Realism and the avant-garde. In this 20 minute lecture/demonstration, I aim to expand the audience’s conception of the Viewpoints as a method of actor training (across styles and genres) through a pointed critique of many of the misconceptions and misapplications of the methodology.
- Envisioning Resilience through The Ume Group’s Inaugural Online Playback Theatre EventRosin, Jordan (2020-07-24)Theatre across the globe faces difficult choices for how to best connect with their audience while staying safe. Some academic theatre programs produced Zoom performances and/or radio plays in the last few months, professional theatre released past productions on YouTube, artists turned to virtual reality, and still other theatre practitioners debuted new ways of doing live performance. This roundtable discussion / presentation will feature instances of your innovations of performance and practice in the COVID-19 era that have been successful.
- Exploring the Intersection of Clown & Melodrama Through Visions of A Crying GirlRosin, Jordan (2019-08-09)For my MFA thesis at Dell’Arte International, my partner, Cleo DeOrio, and I have set to explore the boundaries and intersections of two distinct stylistic territories: Clown and Melodrama. Through devising an original play entitled Visions of A Crying Girl, we are exploring such questions as “How do we maintain the indelible nature of the Theatrical Clown while telling a Melodramatic story?” Through a process further informed by Viewpoints & Composition, as well as our respective movement specialties in Modern and Butoh Dance, we - over a period of 8 weeks - are currently creating this original performative work, which will premiere at the Dell’Arte MFA thesis festival running May 16 - 26, 2019. As of May 3 - week 7 of our 8 week creative process - we have already discovered extensive overlap between the styles in question and are using the deeply three-dimensional characters and relationships of Melodrama to create circumstances for the clown to be unruly or push back against oppression. In a darker world and with more serious subject matter than your average clown play, we are also discovering a poetic dimension to the theatrical clown, which retains its innate buoyancy, delight, and fondness for the audience, without necessarily being funny. Further findings and deeper conclusions will of course be drawn after the public presentation of the work in May.
- Fostering Creativity in an Educational EnvironmentDee, Meaghan A. (2016-05-31)Many believe creativity is something you’re born with, rather than a skill you can learn. But, being a professor of graphic design, I believe teachers can and should foster creative thinking, regardless of the subject matter. Every child is naturally imaginative, but as they grow up they’re taught to conform. One way to encourage students to uncover their originality is to build an environment that is free of judgment. To be creative is to be abnormal, in that it requires thinking in unique ways. In order to be comfortable with artistic expression, students must feel free to make “mistakes” — they must even be encouraged to do so. We’ve all heard the mantra “fail faster.” There’s no way to know if an idea will be successful until you try it out, so the more you can explore, the better. But this might be easier said than done, as fear of failure can be paralyzing. Twyla Tharp, in The Creative Habit, combats her fears by writing them down and physically destroying them. For any creative person trying to get “unstuck,” this sort of ritual can be a first step in getting moving on a project. Under this line of thinking, helping creativity flourish should be integrated into every graphic design course. I focus on creativity in my curriculum by implementing mini exercises, discussions, and by approaching each project with a unique methodology – so students have a chance to learn and make in diverse ways.
- From the City to the Shopping Mall and Back Again: Design and Control in the Memphis Mid-America Pedestrian MallKeslacy, Elizabeth M. (2024-07-03)Victor Gruen viewed the shopping centre as a perfected form of the city, one which brought together commercial, civic, and social activities without the undesirable aspects of the downtown central business district. The privately owned shopping centre offered an alternative to congestion and scarce parking, its highly regulated spaces omitted panhandlers, protestors and unruly youth. In response to the loss of business effected by suburban shopping malls, cities across America transformed their downtowns by installing pedestrian malls that closed streets to vehicular traffic and instead provided landscaping, fountains, and benches to create a more pleasant shopping environment. While the urban designers of pedestrian malls often cite historic European cities as their dominant influence, this paper investigates the extent to which their design and regulation was in fact shaped by the suburban shopping mall itself. Examining the Memphis Mid-America Mall designed by Gassner, Nathan and Browne and constructed in the mid-1970s, I reveal how the city sought to impose the spatial order, aesthetic regulation, and behavioural restrictions first developed in the shopping mall on the urban pedestrian mall in an attempt to curtail the freedoms associated with public space in favour of the restrictions of what legal scholars describe as quasior pseudo-public space.
- Green: 12th Conference of the European Society for Literature, Science and the Arts (SLSAeu)Drum, Meredith (2018-06-14)
- "I WANT": Agency and Accessibility in the Age of AIBorunda Monsivais, Luis; Gipe-Lazarou, Andrew; Meng, Na (2024-06)"I WANT access to public buildings and technologies"; "I WANT all stairs to have railings"; "I WANT there to be a talking pedestrian sign"; "I WANT curbs to be more noticeable"; "I WANT technology that is dedicated to the blind". Young, vision-impaired learners from across the world, participating in our team’s human-centered research and participatory design initiatives, express an impassioned desire for agency and inclusive space making. Utilizing these statements as a foundational element of the participatory design process, our work continues to explore the intersection of AI and inclusive space-making, the methods employed through human-centered research and computational techniques such as machine learning and app development, and the potential contributions of these interventions to a more accessible future. This paper presents a two-part investigation into the role of advanced technological interventions and participatory design in shaping the future of architecture and design. Part 1 explores the outcomes of AI assistive device research centered on the voices of future professionals. This phase involved interviews and focus group discussions with blind and visually impaired individuals, designers, and computer scientists in an ongoing human subject research, leading to the creation of an AI-driven navigation app. Part 2 anticipates the deployment of working prototypes derived from these participatory design processes during [Affiliation Placeholder]'s annual Blind Design Workshop, in which more than a dozen young people with vision-impairment participate each spring. Its itinerary includes analog exercises in drawing and model-making (using material samples and wax sticks on Braille graph paper), guided tours of multi-sensory learning spaces across [Location Placeholder], accessible training in the production of 3D-prints and embossed drawings, and mentorship from practicing design professionals of the vision-impaired community, culminating in a final presentation and group critique of accessible design proposals. The workshop is a unique career exploration experience in architecture for individuals with vision impairment, designed to empower them with the understanding that they can have agency in the space-making process by giving them a voice and teaching them to architect their ambitions for the future. The synergy of AI and architecture presents profound opportunities to propel young, vision-impaired individuals from passive observers to active participants in crafting inclusive environments. Our paper discusses how innovative approaches to research and learning can seed future generations with the goal of harnessing AI for social impact in design and substantiating their role as the vanguards of a more accessible world. The outcomes of this study hold the potential to shape pedagogical strategies and industry standards, contributing to a profound reimagining of inclusive design education and practice.
- IAWA Symposium 2019 Program(Virginia Tech, 2019-03-21)The program for the 2019 Symposium of the International Archive of Women in Architecture (IAWA).
- Identifying Factors for Designing a Successful Interactive Telemedical Training System for Remote Pediatric Physical ExamsMorshedzadeh, Elham; Muelenaer, Andre; Morris, Michelle; Werlich, Dana; Nelson, Margaret (Cumulus Association, 2021)During the 2020 pandemic, telemedical consultation became a core tool for continuous access to healthcare. However, the skills required of medical teams to provide pediatric healthcare through telehealth are new and undeveloped. To address these issues, our pilot study focused on the interaction between the nurse, patient, and provider with telehealth technology. This study sought to provide evidence that training protocols for operation of a telemedicine system such as a telemedicine cart and its corresponding attachments are highly effective. Based on our results, users (nurse and provider) need to be familiar with the functions of the cart and its components. This suggests that an interactive training system consisting of hands-on learning and augmented reality can elevate a pediatric telemedicine visit, from a video call to a comprehensive physical exam. This research received a “Pilot Translational and Clinical Studies Program” grant from the US National Institutes of Health in October 2020.
- Interactive stories through robot musical theater for preschoolers’ STEAM educationChoi, Koeun; Yu, Shuqi; Kim, Jisun; Dong, Jia; Lee, Yeaji; Haines, Chelsea; Newbill, Phyllis; Upthegrove, Tanner; Wyatt, Ariana; Jeon, Myounghoon (2022)
- Intersections, International Symposium of Electronic Arts 2018, Durban, ZADrum, Meredith (2020-06-26)My paper, Mediated Natures - Speculative Futures and Justice Panel, was accepted, through a peer-review process, as part of the academic conference of Intersections, International Symposium of Electronic Arts 2018, Durban, South Africa.
- Introducing a K-12 Mechatronic NIME KitTsoukalas, Kyriakos D.; Bukvic, Ivica Ico (ACM, 2018-06)The following paper introduces a new mechatronic NIME kit that uses new additions to the Pd-L2Ork visual programing environment and its K-12 learning module. It is designed to facilitate the creation of simple mechatronics systems for physical sound production in K- 12 and production scenarios. The new set of objects builds on the existing support for the Raspberry Pi platform to also include the use of electric actuators via the microcomputer’s GPIO system. Moreover, we discuss implications of the newly introduced kit in the creative and K-12 education scenarios by sharing observations from a series of pilot workshops, with particular focus on using mechatronic NIMEs as a catalyst for the development of programing skills.