Process

Balloons:

Our inspiration, Newton's Cradle, used multiple colored objects to create a rainbow of balls. As a result, we initially wanted to use multiple colored balloons. However, we ended up deciding that we wanted to highlight the lights inside the balloons rather than the colors themselves. Additionally, white balloons created the appearance of clouds, so we went with white. 

Balloon Groupings:

We were initially going to have single balloons hanging down from the ceiling. While it created an interesting environment, we thought that having only singletons limited the possibilities of the lights in the balloons. Placing balloons in quads allowed for balloons to interact with each other more directly. Additionally, it served the cloud imagery even better. We limited the balloon groupings to quads for logistical reasons- tying 6 balloons together was possible, but it appeared lopsided and less appealing. 

Balloon Arrangements:

We wanted the balloons to be spaced out as evenly as possible so that the participants could still walk within the balloons easily but would never not be immediately surrounded by white lights. We felt that this balance was important to get right because of the iterative nature of our installation. As a result, we first experimented with a loose arrangement of balloons, then continuously filled in gaps until we were satisfied with the spacing.