Electronic City
Prepared for: New Children’s Museum
Prepared by: Fabiola Hanna
January 22, 2009
T 619 565 4599 F 858 458 9557 fhanna@ucsd.edu fabiolahanna.com
Concept
This idea stems from the similarity of electronic circuits and cities. The traces of copper resemble roads and rivers, the
components resemble buildings and blocks of houses.
The concept of electricity is similar. Even the method of building a circuit can be compared to how a city is built.
Installation
In our increasing digital age, electronics and integrated circuits are everywhere. Some individuals are even injecting them
in their bodies.
I wanted to build on this idea by creating an installation where teenagers would interact with various electronic compo-
nents on a circuit board. I have two distinct ideas and would like to leave it open for discussion with the class.
1- I envision a 3D circuit board with movable/detachable components that could be pulled and placed in different loca-
tions on the circuit which would create different results.
2-This 3D circuit could also take the form of a bare tree, building on the metaphor of tree of life. The tree would be able
to hold the components magnetically and would be the root circuit (or trace) that would tie all the components together
and make the circuit work.
Electronic City
Workshops
As for the workshops, I would like the teens to make their own circuits to take home with them. These circuits would
come in the form of wearable electronics. I have included photos of possible projects. There will be a how-to with step-
by-step instructions for all the various projects. When the artist and collaborators will be available at the museum, more
creativity will be allowed and more personal projects could be created. All materials will be provided. Photos of final prod-
ucts will be taken and posted on the ncm blog.
Several benefits could come from these workshops:
- viewing electronics as a medium for art-making
- encourag