EXPLORING DESIGN Bodies in Motion
Humanscale, the leader in ergonomic solutions that improve the health and comfort of work life, returned to the Milan Design Week 2019 with an immersive installation, ‘ Bodies in Motion’. In a bold expression of sustainability, it presented a minimally built, interactive experience that explores the essence of human movement.
‘ Bodies in Motion’ is a visual metaphor of Humanscale’s commitment to human factors and designing for movement. The installation highlights their pioneering use of natural ergonomics, which draws upon the laws of physics and motion to design products that automatically adapt to the user’s position.
The company invited long- time design collaborator, Todd Bracher to create a multi- sensory experience at Salone del Mobile. With interest in exploring new modes of expressing human movement, Bracher tapped Studio TheGreenEyl, a design and research practice with a focus on digital design. The installation reinterprets the original scientific method of motion perception developed by Swedish psychophysicist, Gunnar Johansson in 1973, which involved placing lights on key points of the human body to highlight movement.
“When considering the experience, we looked to strip away cosmetic distractions and reveal human movement in its purest form. We wanted to extend this essential understanding
of motion to fill the tunnel at Ventura Centrale in an experience that engages all visitors in the space,” said designer Todd Bracher. Using state- of- the- art depth cameras, 15 moving light sources, and custom- designed software, visitors’ movements are translated into a moving light sculpture projected across the space. A subtle tribute to the ‘ Vitruvian Man’ by Leonardo da Vinci on the 500- year anniversary of his death, the lights display an abstract human frame across a circular screen inviting visitors in upon entry. The installation showcases Humanscale’s understanding of designing for diverse body types by capturing the universality of human movement, while simultaneously expressing the varied shapes, size and proportions unique to each person.
“This year, we’ve shifted our perspective to showcase our core values and brand ethos,” said Leena Jain, CMO of Humanscale. “Bodies in Motion gives visitors an experiential understanding of Humanscale’s commitment to supporting free and spontaneous movement, while showcasing our innovative approach to design and engineering in a sustainable way.”
Visitors were encouraged to become a part of it by projecting their own motions across the space. Between the interactive states, the installation created abstract, generative light sculptures; three dimensional architectural forms that shift over time and continuously change.