Digit aids World Water Day with Eden Project installation

Digit has created an interactive installation for the charity WaterAid, to celebrate World Water Day, taking place today.

Called the Water Shed, it is being installed at Cornwall’s Eden Project and aims to educate visitors on the importance of water as a resource, both in the UK and in developing countries.

The installation employs the form of a traditional garden shed and comes complete with familiar objects, such as a watering can, hosepipe and bucket. A 2m by 1m screen displays a landscape that, over the course of an hour, changes to reflect an entire day. Visitors are invited to interact with the landscape by pointing the hose or watering can at elements such as a tree stump. Wireless technology is employed to give users the illusion that they are ‘watering’ these elements.

As they do so, vines start to wrap around the shed, trees grow and messages are revealed behind clouds. When the interaction stops and the watering ceases, the landscape shrivels back to its original sparse form.

Landscapes vary – including a traditional British garden and an African village – and information relevant to each location appears on the screen as appropriate.

Digit art director Henry Brook is creative lead on what is a pro bono project for the design group.

WaterAid is an international non-governmental organisation that works to provide safe domestic water as well as sanitation and hygiene education to some of the world’s poorest communities. The Water Shed will be installed at the Eden Project until the beginning of June.