1st Edition

Making with Data Physical Design and Craft in a Data-Driven World

Edited By Samuel Huron, Till Nagel, Lora Oehlberg, Wesley Willett Copyright 2023
392 Pages 363 Color & 30 B/W Illustrations
by A K Peters/CRC Press

392 Pages 363 Color & 30 B/W Illustrations
by A K Peters/CRC Press

392 Pages 363 Color & 30 B/W Illustrations
by A K Peters/CRC Press

How can we give data physical form? And how might those creations change the ways we experience data and the stories it can tell? Making with Data: Physical Design and Craft in a Data-Driven World provides a snapshot of the diverse practices contemporary creators are using to produce objects, spaces, and experiences imbued with data. Across 25+ beautifully-illustrated chapters,... Read more

1. Handcraft - Introduction

by Sheelagh Carpendale and Lora Oehlberg.

1.1 Snow Water Equivalent

by Adrien Segal.

1.2 Life in Clay

by Alice Thudt.

1.3 V-Pleat Data Origami

by Sarah Hayes.

1.4 Anthropocene Footprints

by Mieka West.

1.5 Endings

by Loren Madsen.

2. Participation - Introduction

by Georgia Panagiotidou and Andrew Vande Moere.

2.1 Cairn

by Pauline Gourlet and Thierry Dassé.

2.2 SeeBoat

by Laura Perovich.

2.3 Let's Play with Data

by Jose Duarte and EasyDataViz.

2.4 100% [City]

by Rimini Protokoll (Helgard Haug, Stefan Kaegi, and Daniel Wetzel).

2.5 Data Strings

by Daniel Pearson, Pau Garcia, and Alexandra de Requesens.

3. Digital Production - Introduction

by Yvonne Jansen.

3.1 Chemo Singing Bowl

by Stephen Barrass.

3.2 Wage Islands

by Ekene Ijeoma.

3.2 Data That Feels Gravity

by Volker Schweisfurth.

3.4 Orbacles

by MINN_LAB Design Collective (Daniel F. Keefe, Ross Altheimer, Andrea J. Johnson, Mahdieh Mahmoudi, Patrick Moe, Maura Rockcastle, Marc Swackhamer, and Aaron Wittkamper).

3.5 Dataseeds

by Nick Dulake and Ian Gwilt.

4. Actuation - Introduction

by Pierre Dragicevic.

4.1 Tenison Road Charts

by David Sweeney, Alex Taylor, and Siân Lindley.

4.2 LOOP

by Kim Sauvé and Steven Houben.

4.3 AirFIELD

by Nik Hafermaas, Dan Goods, and Jamie Barlow.

4.4 EMERGE

by Jason Alexander, Faisal Taher, John Hardy, and John Vidler.

4.5 Zooids

by Mathieu Le Goc, Charles Perin, Sean Follmer, Jean-Daniel Fekete, and Pierre Dragicevic.

5. Environment - Introduction

by Dietmar Offenhuber.

5.1 Perpetual Plastic

by Liina Klauss, Moritz Stefaner, and Skye Morét.

5.2 Dataponics: Human-Vegetal Play

by Robert Cercós.

5.3 Solar Totems

by Charles Sowers.

5.4 Staubmarke (Dustmark)

by Dietmar Offenhuber.

Biography

Samuel Huron, Till Nagel, Lora Oehlberg, Wesley Willett

"A mind-blowing collection! With the rich visual process descriptions, the creators invite us into their workshops and let us look over their shoulders. You will discover both an exhibition of wonderful data-inspired works as well as the backstories of each of these pieces. Whether hand-made, machine-controlled, or through natural processes, all the chapters show fascinating and bespoke creations of data objects. A much needed collection highlighting what is happening at the frontiers of art and sciences in this new field of data design."

-- Giorgia Lupi, partner at Pentagram and author of Dear Data

"What a much-needed book! Till, Sam, Lora, and Wes show us that data communication can be so much more than just visualization. There is a whole exciting world of data physicalization waiting to be explored, and the authors open the door for us and lead us through it with intelligent commentary. The book takes us to visit different artists, who explain their approaches and tools – from copper pipes to paper, from wood to electronics. It's a hugely inspiring tour. Reading this book will make you want to experiment with data in the realm of the physical."

-- Lisa Charlotte Muth, data vis designer and writer at Datawrapper

 "This book has fresh inspirations from innovative artist-inventors who open up new possibilities for anyone who has data that tells a story. The screen is no longer the goal or the limit; freeing designers to explore more dimensions and shape deeper experiences to reach people with important messages about their health, communities, and climate. Data physicalizations break free into new dimensions where playful imaginations can use water, plastic, wood, or stone to fabricate data stories for public installations and private reflections. This book makes me want to turn on the laser cutter and restart the 3D printer to fabricate something startling, informative, and eye opening."

-- Ben Shneiderman, Professor, Computer science, University of Maryland, USA

"A collection of recent and diverse data-driven physical artifacts and sensorial experiences. Projects are beautifully illustrated and described in jargon-free language packed with practical information elucidating the design process, from the tools used to the context of their conception. Making with Data is an invaluable resource for educators and practitioners alike. It broadens our perspective of representing data by engaging all our senses."

-- Isabel Meirelles, Professor, Faculty of Design, OCAD University, Toronto, Canada

"“Designing with Data” is one of today’s key mantras. What next? Perhaps “Making with Data”, as argued by professors Huron, Nagel, Oehlberg and Willett. This timely book explores new ways data is penetrating our living environment and is crossing the boundary between the physical and the digital. Innovative fabrication methods lend materiality to data, as designers experiment with the use of laser cutters and 3D printers to transform maps and charts into tactile models and artworks. A compelling read for any data enthusiast!"

-- Carlo Ratti, Director, MIT Senseable City Lab, USA