Digital Occupation of the US Pavilion

In response to the US Pavilion call for participants for large-scale redevelopment strategies for Detroit, Michigan, the activist and architectural communities of the city worked through a number of interventions to have their voice and perspective heard at the Venice Biennale. I worked with Detroit Resists to develop an Augmented Reality ‘Digital Occupation’ of the Pavilion, as a way to have the local community included in conversation about the future of the city.

The installation consists of 3D a number of protest interventions in Detroit, which were 3D scanned, modeled, and then situated in relationship to the US Pavilion on Google Earth through Layar, an AR app. While at the US Pavilion, visitors can see the digital occupation on top of the show, in situ, as well as get links for more information about the work happening in Detroit to combat blight and evictions. The project received international media attention.