Bird on a Wire is a projected interactive display created for a pair of storefront windows at the corner Mercer St. and Washington Pl. in Manhattan. By calling a number a passerby can set birds perched on telephone wires into motion while listening to their flocking sounds on a cellphone.
Each bird is individually mapped to the space's physical set design and the animation is triggered when the birds receive a call to the designated number. The installation transforms a traditional storefront into a literal call to action - engaging pedestrians into a playful two way interaction.
We created this piece for Gabe Barcia-Colombo's Pop-Up Windows class. We wanted to make something beautiful and eyecatching, with a simple call to action and a brief, but surprising interaction. The installation is comprised of a computer, two projectors, a Processing sketch, vellum to cover the windows and a telephone pole prop. The sketch is entirely customizable, so we can install it anywhere.
Collaborators: Ben Light, Inessah Selditz, and Matt Richardson, Master's students at NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP)