Category: The Overlay, a Shared Digital Layer
Looking at AR, VR, XR, any other‑R, or even digital holography, no matter the medium, and no matter the hype, there is an unshaken urge: to manifest what's not physically there (mostly digital imagery) like it's another layer over reality. It's as if we wanted magic to become manifest ("magic" is a widespread analogy in this industry), only human-made and computer generated. Now most experiences relating to this are solitary ones. But let's suspend economic feasibility, and speculate there comes a central platform where — whether through goggles, lenses, or whatever shines your moon — we end up viewing a shared digital layer. One where you can see digital cat ears on your friend's head. And others can too. Or where the "100% organic" label dances around the can of beans. Beauty filters, but no phone is needed. Captions, like everything is a museum. Fireballs you can throw at passers-by. Wayfinding systems. Notes you leave for friends, or foes etc. You could call this a 'world-canvas,' some call it augmented reality, or other names, and it used to be an important vision for cyberspace. But we just go with 'The Overlay.' And it leaves new questions open, like: what do people wear when the digital is also a material? Are there ads everywhere? Can you filter things and people out? How is digital, yet land-bound real-estate managed? How blurry can the limit between real and virtual get? Would it matter? And so on…
A P P A R E L v1.0 — Background and Technicalities
Background information on the speculative fashion project
A P P A R E L v1.0 — Fashioned Out of Digital Fabric
Apparel v1.0 is an experimental prototype of future AR fashion
A P P A R E L v1.0 — Documentary
Documentary fiction depicting a future, half-digital approach to fashion
Normal, Like Source Code Chic
Short story for the A P P A R E L project
N O R M A L T Y P E — Specimen Posters
Specimen posters showcasing a dynamic and variable typeface
N O R M A L T Y P E v1.5.4
New and revised version of our parametric typeface
A P P A R E L v0.9a
A dynamic piece of clothing that is half digital and half physical
P O L Y R O T O R v1.1
Experimental vector drawing application
N O R M A L T Y P E v1.0
A custom application of variable and parametric typography
Normal, Like a Glitch
Short fiction on AR and the value of digitally native objects
Augmented Futilities #2
AR as a place for objects of a sentimental or symbolic value
Augmented Futilities #1
Sample from visual research on an augmented landscape.