INSTALLATIO

N PROPO

SAL

OCTOBER

4TH , 2011

J D S

H I PP E L ,

N I CK T

I RI N

G E R , R O B I N

NI C

H O L L S

CURRENT SETTING The subway is a convenient, cost-effective way of

getting around the city. With stations lining several of the major streets, it offers an easy travel solution. The way in which people get

there, however, isn’t always pleasant. Most of the subway cars are old and worn, packed full of people during rush hour and aren’t the cleanest places in the world. The windows help to reduce

the claustrophobia, but the darkened view of the subway walls doesn’t inspire happier

thoughts. Our intended installation will help to brighten the days of the subway riders, offering

a distraction from the realities of their underground environment.

OBJECTIVEOne of the main differences between a GO train ride and

one on the subway is the view. Even in the middle of the city, the sky is visible on a GO train, there is natural

light filtering into the cabin, and the general air is a brighter, more comfortable one. We aim to emulate this

feeling and apply it to trains that are normally surrounded by darkness. Instead of looking at a dark wall and their own reflections, riders will see grassy meadows, flowing streams and lush forests. White

sunlight will shine in from the clear blue sky, brightening the train and people’s dispositions. A monotone, claustrophobic enclosure will become

seemingly airy and vibrant.

TAKING ACTIONTo create the effect of being outside, we will need

to place a display over each window of the selected subway train. Each screen will have to

cover the entirety of the window, in order to create the illusion of being the true view

outside of the subway car. The screens will need to be linked to a single computer or device to

ensure that they are displaying the correct segment of the environment. For example, a

window at the head of the train should offer a view that is clearly ahead of the person in the

back of the train. As the train moves, the virtual environment will have to move accordingly,

utilizing accelerometers to monitor the speed. A power supply will need to be provided for the screens, either a corded approach using an

available supply on the train, or relying on large batteries attached to the screens and the

computer.

HIDDEN PROJEC

TOR

Fitted

under the t

iles o

n the r

oof o

f eac

h subway

car.

FURTHER THINKINGThe environment will need to be convincing in order

to provide any meaningful effect on the subway riders. A video will work well for realism’s sake, though there is less flexibility when relying on a pre-recorded, fixed-perspective file. A simulation

will be most appropriate for this installation, allowing for more creativity and reliability. The environment will be created in a large scale, to

allow for the illusion of distance beyond the side of the tracks. 3D objects with high-quality textures

and lighting will be essential in creating the illusion of a real, physical landscape.

REGULAR TTC VS. REDESIGNED TTC

FINALLYVisibility will be an issue, if people from the outside want

to see how crowded a particular car is. For this reason, and that of general safety, the doors will remain

unchanged, offering a small glimpse of the real world beyond the car. Screens will need to be securely

attached to the train, to prevent them from being destroyed if they fell from the car and to protect

against theft. The side of the train will bear a removable, decorative notice, labeling the cars with

“Enviro-Vision”, creating intrigue and making that train the one being sought after. All of this rides on the

ability to have access to a train before it enters daily operation.