Sulcus Loci
Sulcus Loci (Latin: Brain Room) is an interdisciplinary installation that melds architecture, multimedia, and neuroscience to create an interactive environment exploring the intricacies of the brain. Developed collaboratively by students and staff from the School of Architecture and the Multimedia and Interaction Design Program, the project incorporates data visualizations and responsive soundscapes crafted from research outputs by the Queensland Brain Institute’s (QBI) Microscopy Unit. Initiated by QBI as part of their Art in Neuroscience program, this installation aims to bridge scientific research with public engagement, inviting viewers to reflect on the evolving complexity of neural structures and functions.
At its core, Sulcus Loci considers neuroplasticity, cellular interactions, and emerging research technologies, such as optogenetics, as foundations for immersive exploration. The installation’s architectural and interactive components, designed by Master of Architecture students and the Interaction Design (IXD) research unit, blur the lines between observer and observed, fostering a space where the boundaries between self, structure, and scientific data are intentionally fluid.
Sound Artist Eve Klein from UQ’s School of Music composed a dynamic soundscape that evolves in response to viewer interaction, enhancing the sensory immersion of the space. Additionally, UQ artist-in-residence Svenja Kratz collaborated with the team to integrate a sculptural element that invites tactile engagement, grounding the installation in a tangible, embodied experience. Together, these elements culminate in a unique environment that both visualises and reimagines neural architecture, positioning Sulcus Loci as a space of continuous discovery and critical reflection.
CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
The Sulcus Loci project began in July 2015 with the establishment of the Artist in Residency Program, funded by the UQ Art Museum. As artist in residence, Svenja Kratz was tasked to develop the project’s initial conceptual framework and a project brief that would serve as the foundation for a collaborative, interdisciplinary exploration. Working closely with architecture students under the guidance of architect Kim Barber, Kratz created a central sculptural work and helped facilitate the design and construction of the large-scale pavilion. This architectural structure, featuring an adaptable inner fabric skin, was designed to support evolving interactive elements, providing a flexible environment for merging art, architecture, and neuroscience.
Prototyping including design iteration and fabric testing.
The pavilion’s inner fabric skin functioned as both a projection surface and an interactive touch screen. Following the pavilion’s construction, IXD students and team members collaborated to explore how the fabric skin and architectural structure would respond to the presence and actions of individuals inside the space, as well as to the central sculptural component. This interactive design encouraged direct engagement with the fabric surface: when viewers pressed against it, a visual node featuring imagery from QBI appeared and expanded in response to continued contact. As nodes grew, they affected the lighting within the integrated sculpture, revealing light responsive materials embedded in the structure. Over time, nodes created by different viewers connected, forming a network that visually represented collective interaction within the space.
Additionally, sensors embedded in the pavilion detected viewer movement and sent signals to servos that subtly reshaped the physical structure, adding an organic, responsive quality to the environment. The project’s prototype phase was completed in November 2015, with a ‘soft-opening’ that showcased the pavilion’s key features, including the fabric structure, interactive design, and integrated sculptural elements.
Soft launch of architectural structure and interactive elements.
A revised prototype of Sulcus Loci was presented at the State Library of Queensland Gallery, Level 2, from Tuesday, 1 March to 15 May 2016 as part of the Asia Pacific Architecture Forum which coincided with the World Science Festival Brisbane.
For more information see: Architecture AU
TEAM MEMBERS:
Kim Baber and John de Manincor [Architecture], John Stafford and Sam Butler [UQ Architecture Workshop], Jesse du Plessis, Shuwei Zhang, Oliver Shearer, Ivy Tan, Daniel Thompson, Duong Thai, Jessica Kane, Kaoly Ko, Jordan Hunter, Bernardo Fernández De Lara, Rebekah Hawke, Jane Ruiyi Xu, Corina Costin, Fiona McAlpine [Masters of Architecture Students], Stephen Viller and Ben Mattews [Information Technology & Electrical Engineering - ITEE], En Bo, Racheal Smith, Jacob Greenaway, Bianca Pretorius, David Chaseling [ITEE Students], Luke Hammond [Queensland Brain Institute], Eve Klein [Music], Allison Holland [UQ Art Museum] and Svenja Kratz [Artist in Residence UQ Art Museum].
Many thanks to the UQ ART MUSEUM for supporting the project with the UQ Artist in Residence Program. Photography of Sulcus Loci by Judit Losh.