Science Museum Project Life and Works of

Srinivasa Ramanujan

Mood Boards

South Indian Cultural Heritage

Orthodox Brahmins at Kumbakonam

Kaveri Delta at Kumbakonam

A few questions….

Strategy Project Objective Visitor Needs

What is the purpose / goal of the Project? To create a exhibition which depicts the works and life of Ramanujan

What will the visitor want out of it? To know about the works of ramanujan and get inspired from his life

What do Science Museum want out of it? To create a travelling exhibition and to attract the young adult visitors, To revive interest in science museums

How will the project fit visitor’s goals? Understand the life of ramanujan in a entertaining way, unlike the usual bookish approach

What do you want the main “take-away” to be? Instill love for math in students and inspire them to follow their passion

Why should the visitor visit the Museum? To know what “the did not know” about ramanujan. Break the pre-conceived notions about Ramanujan

Scope

How do these fit together to fulfill the strategy of the Project?

Content Functions

What are the main information / parts of Ramanujan’s life that are to be depicted? Childhood Refer to Parts of the narrative slide

How does this main info affect the visitor? It shows them how Ramanujan made the best use of resources available to him and overcame challenges of life

What are the main content elements? Refer to parts of the content elements

Does it cause the visitor to take action? It makes the user to identify their passion and follow their dream

Structure

Information Architecture Interaction Design

How is the arrangement of content elements done? Two contrasting parts. Part 1: Ramanujan’s apparent life – simple, nothing extraordinary. Part 2: Inside Ramanujan’s brain – highly imaginative, intuitive, vibrant, fast, colorful, adventurous

How does the installation behave with the user? Part 1 welcomes the user, sets context, user experiences the early life of ramanujan – in multi-modal way. Part 2 – completely sweeps away the user and puts him in awe and makes him realize the genius of Ramanujan

How does it facilitate the understanding of the visitor? The story opens phase by phase, sets context, makes the visitor travel through his life

How the user interacts with the system? The visitor travels through the exhibit and at each exhibit he gets a glimpse of ramanujan’s life or work by interacting with the exhibit

Skeleton

Navigation Design Interface Design

How does the placement of information facilitate understanding and helps users navigate easily? Single Path exhibition makes sure all the visitors have the “same” experience (traffic management issue). Single path is quite easy to follow.

How are the Interface elements placed so that the user can interact with the functionality of the system? All elements / controls placed just below eye level. Simple ONE WORD instructions help them interact with the exhibits almost intuitively. No elaborate text and instructions.

Surface

• What do the users see, hear, sense?

• Color themes

• Visual elements – photos, videos, animation, illustration etc

• What is the sensory experience that is to be created for the user

Parts of the Narrative

• Childhood and School life

• College Life

• Adult Life

• Work at London

• Illness and Death

Main Content Elements

• Books that influenced Ramanujan • People who helped / influenced him / what they said about

him • Math in India before and after Ramanujan • Awards and Recognitions • Magic Squares (Fiducial Table) and Prime numbers and

Partitions(demo p(4), p(5)…) • Ramanujan’s Notebooks • Interesting Anectodes • Letters of Ramanujan • Interviews • Movies on Ramanujan

Themes

• South Indian – visual elements

• England life – contrast between indian and western life, cold weather

• Old Notebook bg, handwritten font

Materials

• Aluminum Cast Rods • Acrylic Glass – moldable • Acrylic sheet • Metal • Veneer • Fiberglass • POP, wood etc • Optical fibers • Foam • Fiber Reinforced Plastic

Soundscape

• “Thup thup…” sound of people washing clothes

Color Palette

Space Design

*Approximate Dimensions

Space Design

Center Exhibit Egg

Kumbakonam Mother Topper Disease People 1

Caterpillar High School

Loney’s Trigonometry Anecdotes People 2

Pupa

Carr’s Synopsis Absconding

Cauvery Delta Failure

Work in Port Trust People 3

Moth London Visit

Hardy and LW Work in london

Return and Death People 4

Overall Space Design

Overall Space Design

EGG

Caterpillar

Pupa Moth

Egg Stage – The Entrance

School and Success

Left Wall

Right Wall

Caterpillar Stage – Left Wall

Caterpillar Stage – Wall Spiral

Pupa Stage – Exterior

Moth Stage – Exterior

Overall Space Design

EGG

Caterpillar

Pupa Moth

Caterpillar: Magic Boat – Math Game

Coracle Boat

Up to 4 players Collaborative Game

Curved Immersive Screen

Caterpillar: Magic Boat – Math Game INTERACTION: Tilt the boat Front to move forward Back to slow down Right to turn right Left to turn left

Caterpillar: Magic Boat – Math Game GAME PLAY 1. Move the boat along the river 2. Tilt the boat to control the movement 3. Avoid hitting to the rocks AIM Solve Math Questions 1. Question appears 2. The player had to hit the correct option 3. Pick up treasures / Gold Fishes

Floor 3 - Space

Floor 3 – Left Wall (egg)

Height of the hall: 10 ft Panel Height: 8 ft Panel Width: 4 ft

Floor 3 – Left Wall (Caterpillar)

Focus Lights – Can be placed anywhere CFL light panels

This is a Non AC Hall, only fans

Floor 3 – Space for Pupa

Floor 3 – Space for Moth

Science Museum - Exterior

Floor Plan