ITP is pleased to offer the following ITP graduate courses, open to everyone. NYU students can register themselves via NYU Albert. Visiting students can Apply for the summer term.
Dates: May 18 – June 30
Synthetic Architectures ITPG-GT 2177 – 001 (Turner ) 4 credits
Tue/Thur 2-4:55 pm
For better or worse humanity is heading down the virtual rabbit hole. We’re trading an increasingly hostile natural environment for a socially networked and commercially driven artificial one. Whether it’s the bedrooms of YouTube streaming stars, the augmented Pokestops of Pokemon Go, the breakout rooms of a Zoom meeting, or even the “airspace” of Airbnb; we are witnessing a dramatic transformation of what occupying space means. The socially distanced measures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic have only accelerated this societal embrace of the virtual.
So where are these dramatic spatial paradigm shifts occurring? Who owns and occupies these spaces? Who are the architects and what historical and ethical foundations are they working from? What world do they want to build for humanity and where does the creative individual fit into it? Will it be a walled garden, a role-playing adventure or a tool for creating more worlds?
The course will ask students to embrace the role of virtual architect, not in the traditional brick-and-mortar sense of constructing shelter, but in terms of the engagement with the raw concept of space. However this virtual space must be considered and evaluated as a “site,” that is activated and occupied by real people and all the limitations of physical space that they bring with them from the real world. This is the foundation of synthetic architecture; simulated space met with biological perception.
This conceptual architecture is free from the confines of physics but host to a whole new set of questions: How do we embrace the human factors of a dimensionless environment? How do we make or encourage meaningful interactions within the limits of current technology? New models of interaction must inform and shape the architecture of virtual space – what does that look like? How can architecture and aesthetics inform the creation of virtual environments and immersive narratives? How do we acutely consider the psychological and social impacts of the worlds we design and what is the metaphorical ground plane to make sense of this virtual world, unbound by physics? About Jonathan Turner: http://www.jonathanwilliamturner.com/about/
Topics in ITP: Interactive Environments with Touchdesigner (Matthew Ross) ITPG-GT.2378 4 credits
Tue/Thur 6-8:55 pm
From immersive museums and fine art galleries, to kinetic sculptures and the main stage at Coachella, Touchdesigner has become a go-to tool for artists and developers looking to create large scale interactive installations. This course will provide students with a strong technical foundation for building interactive systems in Touchdesigner, emphasizing research-based practice, modularity, and generative systems as our core principles. There will be a strong focus on experience design, where we will challenge students to use Touchdesigner as a platform to unlock new possibilities in aesthetics, narrative and form. We will explore the larger landscape around Interactive Installations, surveying artists, developers and studios doing interesting work within the field. Students will learn the techniques needed to set up their own installations including building control interfaces, DMX lighting, projection mapping, networking, computer configuration, audio routing, multi screen layouts, and interfacing with microcontrollers. We will explore how to use generative design principles to create endlessly shifting visual environments, lighting effects that dramatically alter the mood of a room, and audio that has the ability to move and react to users in 3D Space. Not only will we spend time thinking about how we can craft a compelling narrative, but also how we make sure your software doesn’t crash. The goal of this class is to help students develop their skills as Creative Technologists, balancing artistic expression with technical execution and knowledge. There is no prerequisite class required for this, but an introductory knowledge of coding is strongly suggested.