The Arctic sea ice is melting and the facts are hard to ignore. In 2007 historic Arctic sea ice minima were observed: an area of approximately the combined size of Texas and California melted while the extent of the ice shelf deteriorated by 41%. NASA scientists determined that the shrinkage was the result of "...unusual atmospheric conditions." They concluded that "...a reduction of the Arctic winter ice cover would be a clear indicator of the warming effect of increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere."

How do we begin to comprehend such staggering processes that will impact every aspect of our planet? How can we effectively measure, model and analyze these dynamic transformations? For many in New York City, where the bustle and insular quality of urban life masks a broader ecological system in distress, the receding arctic ice shelf and its attendant consequences are incomprehensible. As designers, how can we translate, render and reconstruct this information into a catalyst for action?

During their fellowship term, Jason Kelly Johnson and Nataly Gattegno (Future Cities Lab) will design and fabricate a large-scale interactive installation entitled Aurora. The installation will superimpose the ephemeral qualities of the Arctic ice field with the dynamic behavior of visitors in the Institute's Manhattan gallery. Connected to real time data parsed from Arctic sensor buoys, the shifting dimensions of the ice shelf will be translated into immersive LED auroras and responsive skins. Feedback loops between remote and locally sensed data will intensify the interplay between these connected, yet physically separated conditions. Aurora will function both as index of an emerging global condition, and as indicator of our impact on conditions beyond our limited field of perception. It will suggest a new approach to design that is simultaneously globally informed and locally responsive.