Distant Realities uses research-based speculative design to address global and local crises related to ecology, politics, and technology. Their work encompasses various mediums, including video installations, theoretical research, and interactive platforms, and draws upon their background in urban theory, architecture, and speculative design.
Distant Realities understands design and architecture as a medium to unveil hidden realities and possible futures in an entangled world governed by intricate systems of rules and obligations. We do not consider our projects proposals, but scenarios, incorporating elements of the utopian as well as the dystopian. We merge the latest digital techniques with conceptual thoughts to create narratives in which unseen realities transform into visible ones.
We explore existing realities. We imagine future ones.
The project reflects on Rabbit Island’s ecosystem by creating an interactive map. It aims to visualize the relationship between the island's plants, animals, soil, temperature, humidity, and other ecological factors and to simulate changes in these relationships caused by climate change and other anthropogenic disturbances. Due to its small surface area and naturally isolated territory, Rabbit Island provides a unique opportunity to do so, enabling the collection of data on the ground, which will be combined with satellite images to provide a comprehensive view of the ecosystem. The anticipated outcome is an interactive “fuzzy” map of the island consisting of several visual layers and simulations of possible future developments. The map is based on a geographic grid system developed by a major tech company and critically reflects on its own technology to address the abstraction of landscapes in the past and today. Utilizing a varied approach that incorporates not only a map, but also diagrams, imagery, written explanations, and on-site video recordings, we strive to comprehend the intricate interconnections that comprise the ecosystem of Rabbit Island, as well as its broader historical and geographical significance both within and beyond its immediate surroundings.
