Global Interior Project
An interactive installation of virtual worlds by Masaki Fujihata, shown at DEAF96.
Global Interior Project; photo: Jan Sprij
They have been installed on three different locations in the exhibition: the three 3D workstations that give access to the virtual worlds of Masaki Fujihata. Through the window of each of this cube-shaped workstations measuring two by two by two meters this virtual world can be seen and entered. It consists of 64 cube-shaped spaces, each one containing a symbolic computer generated 3D object.
Each space is characterized by an object such as an apple, a book or a hat. The workstations have a "real" window that is identical to the virtual windows in the virtual spaces, each of which has a square virtual window in three sides of the cube. Visitors move about by manipulating a trackball and can navigate from one space to an adjoining one. Upon leaving one space and entering another, a "warp sound" is heard. The 64 virtual worlds can be "entered" through the windows of any of the three workstations and several people can be in these virtual worlds simultaneously. When they meet they see the real time video image of each other and conversation is possible. The virtual people meet and the physical people talk with each other and react to the other"s presence in a VR space.
In the exhibition space there is a cabinet consisting of 64 small cubes. Each cube has a little door: the 64 cubes represent the virtual spaces. The objects that characterize the spaces are also displayed in the cabinet. As soon as someone enters the represented space in the virtual world, the little door opens, and it closes itself again as soon as the visitor leaves that space.
Where in networks only the system administrator can see who is present, here we have an open system much more resembling a public space. Sometimes visitors are just passing through on their way to another location, but it is also possible to meet someone at a pre-arranged time and pre-determined location in the 3D network environment. Visitors can be "present" in several places at once and can see and experience this in meeting others.
Software design and implementation by Takeshi Kawashima.
http://www.zkm.de/~fujihata/gip.html
