Description

The pulsing of the paper is a physical representation of the campus heartbeat. Under times of high stress, or high energy usage, the rate increases. The frantic movement is meant to be slightly distracting and anxiety-inducing for viewers, which encourages them to lower their energy usage and calm its movement, but it is not distracting to the extent that it causes a disruption in normal activities. If the energy usage is low, the pace slows; under the lowest energy conditions, the paper's motion is nearly imperceptible. The multidimensional motion of the paper is due to the particular folding pattern. When it is stretched laterally, the rectangles bow outwards. 

For the lighting, we shifted away from the standard energy palette of red and green, opting instead for a color palette of gold and purple, using the lights in combination with the motion to communicate energy data. The gold color chosen for low power usage has a warm, calming hue; in contrast, the purple chosen for high power usage is very intense and commands the viewers' attention. The light shifts between these colors as the energy usage fluctuates.