MESO – Köln Bonn Airport: Gesture-controlled exhibits for brand communication

MESO is designing communicative spaces for over 20 years now. In 2001, we developed together with Frankfurt based design studio Kearney Projects several interactive exhibits for the Cologne Bonn Airport. The work consisted of an artistic kaleidoscope installation, three different size image viewers and an internet terminal. All installations were using state-of-the-art technology and could be controlled with simple gestures.

A view into infinity
Ephemeral digital archive
MAKING-OF

A view into infinity

Creating infinite complex forms with simple hand gestures

The “CGN Caleidoscope” is an electronic game that allows visitors to create geometric shapes by simply moving their hands. The visitor controls a ribbon that is doubled several times on the screen by a feedback process, like in a kaleidoscope.

A mirror construction multiplies the image of the monitor into infinity. © MESO Digital Interiors

When approaching one sensor, the ribbon moves to the left, when approaching the other sensor, it moves to the right. When the ribbon hits the edge, it is reflected and the direction of rotation changes.

The kaleidoscopic ribbon can be manipulated via the sensors. © MESO

The program is based on an iterative process with a hidden image memory at its core: First, a screenshot is taken of the screen, then a square area of the screen is copied into this hidden image memory. The ribbon is then drawn on the screen. Thirds, the hidden image memory is then copied back to the screen, where it is rotated and resized during this operation.

Ephemeral digital archive

A digital flyer archive of the Bundeskunsthalle Bonn

The image viewer can be controlled by hand gestures. © MESO

We digitalized historical exhibition flyers from the Bundeskunsthalle to create an digital picture archive for the visitor to look through. The observed images could be “swiped” to the right or left by simple hand gestures; long before “swiping” was a thing.