Dietmar Offenhuber
«Wegzeit»

«Wegzeit» explores how non-isotropic space—that is space that is structured by relative units—can be used in VR and architecture. It offers a dynamic view of Los Angeles’ structure that is radically different from conventional architectural representations.
We usually consider space as being structured by absolute units. A meter is considered to have a constant length regardless of its position in space. However, in our daily life we often use units that are relative in nature: we measure space in minutes, costs or memories.
«Wegzeit» is also a project about Los Angeles and how it is transformed when brought to relative space. Asking someone in L.A. about the distance between two locations usually prompts a response in minutes. It seems paradoxical that in a city with such a regular, Cartesian layout, people rely on subjective parameters for their spatial decisions. But especially here, perhaps, where the influence of real space is leveled by this regularity, the impact of relative spaces becomes more strongly visible.
The project consists of six dynamic virtual environments that propose models of how to visualize three-dimensional relative spaces. They deal with certain properties and effects caused by the nature of relative space such as the asymmetry of temporal distances.
Dietmar Offenhuber