For the past 2 and a half years, I worked at Local Projects, an award winning New York based design studio. Early on, I had many varied roles, but as LP grew, I settled into my two primary roles there:
3D Artist:Most of LP’s project designs require visualization, both for internal discussions and for client presentations. Using 3D Studio Max, I combined 2D/3D plans from partner architects with our design ideas to produce three dimensional virtual mockups of our intended media installations. Such flythroughs are being used to raise money for the upcoming carousel at Battery Park, and helped win our bid to be the media designers for the National September 11th Museum.
Hardware Designer: Of course, that which we design must also be built, so then it becomes my job to research the necessary components and build the physical implementation of our designs. One of my favorites is the infrared-based camera vision system we devised for the Black Convention of 1834 interactive.
The New York Visitors’ Center offers tourists and residents alike a place to find out what’s going on in the Big Apple, and helps them plan accordingly. Visitors can use multitouch tables to plan their travels, and have the option to print a custom guide or watch a flythrough of their planned journey on the back wall.These renderings are from the planning & proposal stage, but the NYVC has now been completed, and is open for business. Check it out!
Local Projects and Thinc Design are the exhibit designers for the National September 11th Memorial Museum. Local Projects’ primary role is the interactive media design, however during the proposal process, the flythrough I rendered helped us secure the bid. In the time since, I produced renderings of exhibit concepts for internal discussion and external presentations. (I did not, however, make the image above, as I am not at liberty to show anything I have worked on for this project)
I am no longer working with Local Projects, but they and Thinc continue to design the 9/11 Museum, which is expected to open sometime in 2011.
The second of three media pieces that Local Projects created for the Slavery in the Civil War exhibit at the New York Historical Society, this interactive voting theater situates visitors in the middle of heated debates on the future of the African-American community. (At that time, New York was a newly free state, but still relied heavily on the cotton trade) Continue reading Black Convention of 1834→
The Times Square Visitors’ Center has been in on and off development for a few years, and has seen two major design approaches.
What both designs share, however, is the ability to transform the space with media: Lots of screens and architectural features are replaced by a bevy of strategically placed projectors that allow the feel of the entire space to be changed at a moment’s notice. Continue reading Times Square Visitors Center→
A more pedestrian-friendly redesign of Astor Place has been planned for years, but now appears to finally be taking off. When WXY Architecture + Urban Design created their proposal for the Astor Place redesign, they called in Local Projects to come up with a media installation, and to create a flythrough of the proposed space. Continue reading Astor Square→
In order to tell the story of U.S. domestic airline carrier Jetblue in a forthcoming Web and television campaign, JWT (the company’s ad firm) decided to look to jetBlue passengers for content.
As the creator of StoryCorps, Local Projects was the logical choice to come up with an innovative automated interface to interview passengers and record their stories. The physical booth was created by Mesh Architectures. Continue reading JetBlue StoryBooth→
Local Projects is collaborating on the development of a new carousel for Battery Park. Its theme of sea life will link the carousel with the original New York Aquarium. The public will ride on sculpted, glowing sea creatures, surrounded by projected media of schools of fish, creating an immersive environmental ride. Continue reading SeaGlass Carousel→
I’m quitting my job to venture west and see what life has to offer me in California.
That being the so, Local Projects needs a new 3D Artist.
The job description can be found on LP’s site and is also pasted below.
3D Artist/ New Media Designer
Local Projects is growing, and we’re looking for a talented 3D Artist.
Local Projects is seeking a new team member with expert 3D modeling, lighting and render skills to join our award-winning design studio. Candidate should have advanced skills with 3D Studio Max and/or MAYA plus proficiency in Rhino, AutoCAD and Adobe CS3 standard design apps. We are also interested in candidates that can offer a smaller secondary media skill set in interactive design, graphic design, video/sound editing or programming/web development. Sense of design a must.
See the attached page for a more specific set of tasks.
Candidates must have a BFA or B.Arch degree, plus 1-3 years experience working with exhibit designers, architects, new media firms or similar.
Please send resume, cover letter and portfolio link to: jobs@localprojects.net. Please be sure to include renders of interior spaces in your body of work.
