An AI powered community building experience: ‘Let’s Pollinate’
‘Let’s Pollinate’ is all about using digital technology to encourage encounters in the physical world. The installation was first shown at this year’s edition of Us by Night festival and took place again at our studio in October.
The installation makes a case for the beauty of discovering new, wild spaces together. Embracing chance and spontaneity, the installation uses a combination of Chat/GPT and Dall-e to synthesize the characteristics of two plants and create a new, one-of-a-kind seedling.
The first space users encounter is an empty garden. Once they start pollinating, patches begin to grow in an ordered manner that reflects classical garden aesthetics, where individual spaces are distinctly separated.
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The early stages of the garden echo historical views of gardens as controlled environments that embody human mastery over nature – but also technology. As more plants are added, the garden evolves into an increasingly chaotic, communal space. This transformation prompts a reflection on the extent of control we exert through technology and the natural world. Is this control desirable?
‘Let’s Pollinate’ ran again last month in our studio in Amsterdam. The exclusive gathering allowed for the local supporters of the studio to explore the collaborative installation first-hand, and provided a peek into the making of ‘Let’s Pollinate’ thanks to the talks given by Zoë Breed, Stephen Buchanan, and Roel Wouters, some of the team members who brought this project to life.
Attendees also had the chance to create their own garden, cross-pollinate, and grow new seedlings together, while enjoying some drinks and seasonal snacks. For an invitation to future events and updates on our latest projects, please sign up to our newsletter.
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Let’s Pollinate is the latest project by our Living Lab, an arm of the studio led by artist/director Roel Wouters, where we explore how spaces can transform from a single purpose tool into a versatile device that engages our attention in different ways.
To share our insights and inspiration around the installation we’ve created a zine that explores the concept of ‘The Garden’ in further detail.
Download your copy of our Zine about the garden here.
- For:
- Random Studio Living Lab
- Role:
- Creative Concept, Spatial Design, Experience Design, Lighting Design, Prototyping, Production Management, Installation Engineering, Research
