Evolutionary Corridor
May 2024
The Evolutionary Corridor is a proposed project tailored for the Design and Education Department of the American Museum of Natural History. It is a large-scale installation that integrates interactive technology with creative storytelling to create an immersive experience for visitors to explore the process of human evolution.
Collaborated with Max Sun and Cathy Li.
My Role
Led the design and production of the project.
Developed the interactive program that captured user position as input signals and transformed them into real-time projection outputs.
Led the design and production of the project.
Developed the interactive program that captured user position as input signals and transformed them into real-time projection outputs.
Architecture modeling and rendering
Key Technologies
Kinect
Kinect
Touchdesigner
MadMapper
Real-time projection mapping
MadMapper
Real-time projection mapping
Exhibition (prototype with projectors)︎︎︎
Context & Design︎︎︎
The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) is an iconic institution known for its extensive collections, exhibitions, and educational programs. However, the transition from the old to the new venue has led to noticeable disparities in the experiences of visitors. This discrepancy arises from various factors, including the evolution of exhibit design and technological advancement.
New Venue (R) V.S Old Venue（L)
Drawing inspiration from the diorama at the entrance of the Hall of Human Origins, where two ancestors walk side by side (as shown in the image below). We aim to recreate the journey of human origins through technology.
We plan to install the experience in the empty corridor next to the Giant-Screen Theater, creating a seamless transition between different halls. This placement also reinforces our theme of depicting the journey of human evolution.
Integrating real-time feedback, we wanted to enable visitors to immerse themselves in the journey and actively witness the evolution of humanity.
We plan to install the experience in the empty corridor next to the Giant-Screen Theater, creating a seamless transition between different halls. This placement also reinforces our theme of depicting the journey of human evolution.
Integrating real-time feedback, we wanted to enable visitors to immerse themselves in the journey and actively witness the evolution of humanity.
American Museum of Natural History Office Website
The corridor next to the Giant-Screen Theater
Proposal︎︎︎
Process︎︎︎
For the prototype, we replaced all the LED panels with two projectors—one projecting onto the wall and the other onto the ground (see the diagram below). We laser-cut the footprints and positioned them at intervals matching the average stride length of an adult.
We also enhanced the visuals to create an even more immersive experience while emphasizing the installation’s educational aspect with a gradually unfolding map. As viewers step onto the footprints, the map highlighting the ancestor's location will seamlessly diffuse beneath their feet.
CASSIDY (YITONG)
CHEN
