PETROLOCO - Walden stage

Concept & Vision
The project transformed a familiar, often sterile public space—the gas station—into an immersive, post-apocalyptic playground. Set in a speculative future where a socio-economic crisis has ended the era of petroleum, the installation celebrated the reclamation of industrial ruins for communal joy. By removing the negative connotations of these spaces and replacing them with "artifacts" of a lost era—petrol-scented perfumes and AI-generated satirical advertisements—the "Walden" crew created a cozy yet unsettling sanctuary. The vision focused on shifting value: a traditional price tower was repurposed to display the music's BPM and the festival lineup, signaling a transition from fuel-based capital to cultural experience.

Process & Leadership
As a core coordinator, I was heavily involved in concept development and spearheaded the design of the stage lighting and interactive installations. Managing a multidisciplinary team of 14 volunteers—including carpenters, audio engineers, and planners—required balancing technical fulfillment with crew morale. I utilized the project’s narrative as an internal design tool, using the "petrol apocalypse" storyline to streamline ideation and resolve creative compromises. A key priority was designing robust, "foolproof" systems; I developed a MIDI-based lighting interface with clear labeling, allowing non-professional crew members to intuitively operate the stage and share in the creative process.

The Interactive Installation
Centered around a "little wooden car" that provided comfortable seating, this installation surprised users with an intuitive arcade-style interface. Without formal instructions, participants could use a joystick and buttons to:

• Influence the Environment: Control the movement of nearby moving-head lights and ambient site lighting.
• Navigate Media: Skip through curated clips of car culture (NASCAR, Pimp My Ride) and retro racing games.
• Access Perspective: Switch to a live video feed of the DJ booth. The goal was to offer a sense of "power" and spatial agency, turning the audience from passive observers into active participants in the environment’s atmosphere.

Outcome & Reflection
The installation succeeded as a catalyst for exploration and spatial awareness. While the deep narrative served primarily as a guiding tool for the builders, the public experienced it as a welcoming, high-energy focal point. The project proved that speculative storytelling can anchor complex technical systems in a way that feels organic to the user. My key takeaway for future public innovation projects is the importance of "staying power"—incorporating even more integrated seating near installations to encourage longer periods of relaxation, observation, and social entanglement.