<T>
What happens to the world when transportation is limitless?
Teleport City
Museu Nacional da República - Brasilia | Itaú Cultural - São Paulo | SESC Pinheiros - São Paulo | Museu dos Futuros Possíveis, Inst. Tomie Ohtake - Vitória | Brazil
Teleport City investigates extreme futures of mass transportation and its effects on cities and society. It is composed of multiple interactive installations, which were exhibited in public museums across Brazil with free public access.
By supposing the advent of teleportation as the main means of mass transportation, Teleport City reflects on time and space. In the <T> world, not only does information circulate instantaneously on a global scale, but so do people and matter. What happens with streets when cars are no longer needed? What happens with the notion of time when people are moving instantly across time zones?
Radical modernity takes material form in Teleport City; it is translated into unprecedented cartography, new products to facilitate significant displacements, unconventional ways of dwelling, social movements, obsolescence of vehicle infrastructure, emergence of new syndromes, redefinition of speed, elimination of transitional space, and ultimately, a revolution in the urban landscape. A world without borders promises the most fantastic of experiences, but these uprooting possibilities wouldn't occur without consequences. <T> modifies every single human relationship, increasing contrasts while simultaneously erasing cultural differences on our tiny planet Earth.
The possibility of traveling among different time zones has dissolved traditional perceptions of time passing. Earth's rotation and its 24-hour cycle are no longer mandatory. The extension of the day has become an individual choice.
Sleeping corner stations are easily recognizable. Don't lose track of time; make a quick stop to nap whenever necessary. Stay healthy; avoid staying awake for more than 24 hours.
The Gap anxiety. The idea of being disintegrated in a spot to be reintegrated in another is seen by some as the extinction of the “being”. Do we lose ourselves a little bit every time we teleport?
The Venice Effect: When streets are no longer necessary for transportation, they serve other purposes. In many places, former roads make way for artificial watercourses and forests.
The spread of teleportation signifies the obsolescence of the entire road system. In some parts of the world, streets are overtaken by buildings, giving rise to the urban typology of beehives, an extrusion of the urban fabric.
The time zone glasses must be programmed according to your home clock, allowing for natural light adjustments to simulate the passing of the day in 24-hour cycles, making them jet lag-proof.
Historic Centre Guerrillas strive to keep downtown sites out of reach of telepod access. These groups advocate for the preservation of history, which they believe is threatened by the intense interactions promoted by teleportation. Some guerrillas survive due to the exotic features they are still able to maintain.
WW Passport: Keep it in order; it is your guarantee to safely roam around the world.
Cultural hoarders: The fear of losing one's identity due to constant cultural interactions leads a few people to compulsively collect characteristic objects, languages, and even mannerisms from different corners of the world.
<T> started as my graduation project at the school of Architecture and Urban Design in the University of Brasilia.
Soon to be a game.
Exhibited at Museu Nacional da República, Espaço Itaú Cultural, SESC Pinheiros, and Museu dos Futuros Possiveis (Tomie Ohtake)
Director and thesis author: Gabriela Bìlá
Academic advisor: Elane Ribeiro Peixoto
Technical director: Felipe Brito
Executive producer: Henrique Rocha (Hiper Espaço)
Soundtrack: Confronto Soundsystem
Motion design: Lucas Seixas
Art assistants: Ana Luiza Rein, Pedro Ribs
Electronics: Itamar Pontes
Programming: Luiz Moraes Neto
Fabrication: Guilherme Ieri, Leonardo Moura
Photography: Naiara Pontes
Teleport City was funded by the Brazilian Ministry of Culture's program for the promotion of art and technology.