Flooded House
An interactive climate visualization that floods my apartment according to NASA's ocean level rise predictions.
Awards
United Nations #CreateCOP28 Award
Tidal Shift Award 2024
Tidal Shift Award 2024
Exhibitions
United Nations Headquarters New York
Portland Museum of Art
The New School Innovation Center
Grace Exhibition Space
Portland Museum of Art
The New School Innovation Center
Grace Exhibition Space
Documentation
Github (Code, Files, Instructions)
Year
2022 - 2024
Concept
Flooded House visualizes ocean level rise by flooding a miniature version of my apartment according to NASA prediction data. Users can choose their own flooding scenario by selecting a location, a year, and a climate prediction in the projects' interface. The apartment is then slowly flooded with water according to the NASA ocean level rise predictions of their selected scenario.
Multiple Iterations
Flooded House is an ongoing project since 2022. Over the years my electronics skills have improved, and user testings have helped me improve the interface. Check out the previously completed Version 1 and Version 2 of Flooded House.
Communicating Climate Urgency
Climate change unfolds in a highly complex manner. It is hard to relate to abstract and intangible information. Flooded House removes the numbing anonymity of data by visually imagining what real consequences can look and feel like to real humans like yourself.
Fostering Empathy
Through my project, I want to underscore the lack of climate accountability of high-income countries. Despite being major contributors to carbon emissions, more vulnerable communities and ecosystems are left to bear the consequences. That is not fair. In Flooded House, the scenario is inverted: It’s your own belongings, furniture, home and life that are flooded.
Compare the Before and After
The Data
Flooded House uses the NASA data of six cities from the NASAs sea level rise prediction tool. The interface lets users select their location, a year in which their scenario takes place, and one of five NASA climate prediction scenarios.
Tidal Shift Award
Version Three of Flooded House received First Place in the 2024 Tidal Shift Award. As part of the award, I was invited to exhibit the piece alongside other pieces in the Portland Museum of Art. Flooded House was fully functional during the three-month exhibition period, and visitors were able to interact with the piece.
the miniatures are modeled according to my own apartement
Making-Of
Art is for sharing! All building instructions, circuit diagrams, code, laser files, and 3D models can be found on my Github. Please reach out to me if you have any questions or suggestions on how to further improve the project.
... first prototype of 3D model and electronics
... testing my DIY water-height sensor
... making a little miniature bed-frame out of wood sticks
... the final electronic components of Flooded House
Special Thanks To
#CreateCOP28 for the generous support and opportunity to exhibit the OG at the UN Headquarters. Tench Cholnoky + other members of Pixelmouth for exhibiting V2 at Grace Exhibition Space. Maya Georgieva, for encouraging me to kickstart V3, and exhibiting it in the very first Innovation Center Hub. Jesse Harding, for the technical support and bug-fixing of V3, and not failing me for skipping classes to work on this project all semester. The Portland Museum of Art, especially Marisa Higgins and Alicia Coll for the generous support and exhibition. The USS Fund, especially Michael and Jose for putting up with my outrageous orders. Pepi Ng, for inspiring me to keep going, as always.