INTERACTIVE LIBRARY EXPERIENCE

SPECIAL COLLECTION REIMAGINED

CHALLENGE

Special Collections holds a wealth of knowledge, stories, and artifacts, but navigating an archive can feel overwhelming. For visitors unfamiliar with archival research, knowing where to begin, what to look for, or how different materials connect can be a barrier to exploration.

OPPORTUNITY

An opportunity to make archival knowledge more approachable, encourage curiosity beyond familiar subjects, and help visitors form meaningful connections with collections. To transform research from a task driven by finding answers into an experience driven by exploration, discovery, and personal interest.

THE EXPERIENCE

01

Sensing the archive

A handheld device equipped with colour sensors responds to projected light, translating themes within the archive into physical signals of light and vibration.

02

Connecting themes

As multiple colours are collected, they merge into new combinations, revealing relationships between themes and creating a dynamic visual map of interconnected ideas.

03

Revealing collections

Optically tracked movement connects visitors to physical archive structures. Embedded electronics respond to their presence, illuminating and unlocking curated collections.

[SPACE PLAN — POSNER HALL]

THE SPACE

The space was reimagined as a series of topographic islands, allowing books, activities, and people to coexist without interrupting one another.

Explore: Open areas for discovering themes and navigating the collection.

Research: Shared tables for classes, group reading, and collaborative engagement.

Reflect: Quiet corners for focused reading and individual discovery.

MAKING IT

A handheld device evolved through sketches and ergonomic testing into a mouse-like controller. An RGB sensor detects projected colours, while haptic feedback provides a tactile response to each successful capture. Arduino connects the device to Unity, enabling real-time interaction with the projection environment.

Physical archive stations were modelled in Rhino and fabricated using 3D printing and laser cutting. Embedded Wi-Fi receivers trigger LEDs when the corresponding colour is detected.

CONTACT

team@studio-outline.com

+91 98294 19091

+91 77920 99999

LOCATION

199 Narayanpuri, Jhotwara Industrial Area, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302012

SOCIAL

© 2026 Outline. All rights reserved.