traceNorth is a data visualisation project displayed on the King's Gate building at Newcastle University. The project has been commissioned by Northern Stage as part in collaboration with Culture Lab and in partnership with Newcastle University.

It is a public artwork which reinterprets traffic flow around the city of Newcastle into a visual representation of constantly transforming organic shapes.  This representation re-imagines the city as a living organism of movement and human presence rather than simply showing the traffic cycles. Traffic congestion drives the shape and size of the individual arms of each organic shape that are linked to a particular location of the city, represented by the map structure of each object.  The data represents one single day of traffic information.

Data collected by the school of Civil Engineering and Geosciences' Transport Operations Research Group at Newcastle University, in collaboration with Newcastle City Council.

Brigitta Zics and Tom Schofield are artists and Culture Lab residents whose current research explores the aesthetic values of visualisation and hoiw such qualities make data more accessible or immersive.

Dr. Brigitta Zics is an award winning artist, media philosopher and interaction designer with particular interest in emerging technologies and their impact on creative practices. She recently finished her interdisciplinary PhD at the University of Wales, UK. Her main research interest concerns how philosophy of consciousness and cognitive sciences provide a new potential for applications in technology-based art and design.

Tom Schofield is an artist who works with technology and lives in Newcastle, UK. He has lived and worked in Japan, France and Nepal. He is currently writing his Ph.D in Culture Lab - part of Newcastle University.

When is it happening?

15 Dec 2010 - 8 Jan 2011 (between 4pm and 10pm)

Starts on Wednesday 15th December, 2010 at 17:12

Ends on Saturday 8th January, 2011 at 22:01

Where is it happening?

Kings Gate Building, Newcastle University

What makes this project Northern?

Data interpretation of traffic flow in a Northern city.

Ticketing Information

FREE