Surtsey is a volcanic island off the southern coast of Iceland. It formed by a volcanic eruption in 1963 and reached its maximum size only four years later. Since then, wind and wave erosion diminish the island permanently, leaving only its hard inner core around 2130.
Surtsey has become an important research object for both geologists and biologists. Here they can explore the effects of erosion and the development of ecosystems.

The Culture House in Reykjavik shows all these insights in the exhibition “Surtsey – Genesis”. ART+COM was commisioned to communicate the story and development of the island in an interactive installation. Thus, we developed the Surtsey Time Machine.

The Time Machine
With its two folded projection planes, the installation welcomes the visitors like an open book. Using the machine revives past events in the history of the island and gives an outlook on the future evolution. The installation enables the visitors to learn about Surtsey´s geological development and its flora and fauna.

On the upper projection the visitors get informed by images, texts and dynamic diagrams. On the bottom screen they can observe a rotating 3D model, showing the size and topology of the island.

Physical Interface
The visitor navigates the time machine by a physical sliding interface. It runs on a rail which carries an engraved time scale. Moving the slider to the right shows future events, moving the slider to the left shows past events. A looking glas helps the visitors to select a specific date. Once a date appears enlarged, the corresponding information will be shown on the projection. The slider also provides a turning knob to select one out of three different topics. The arrow on the knob points to an icon, indicating which topic is currently selected.
After all, the interface looks like a strange scientific examination tool.

Navigation through time
Time is the main parameter we used to structure the experience. The development of the island is documented in 17 specific dates. 14 dates show past events, three dates show the estimated development of Surtsey in the next 120 years.

Navigation through topics
Furthermore, the content is divided into three different topics. ‘Geology’ deals with the creation and development of the island itself. ‘Flora’ informs about the settlement and distribution of plant life. And ‘Fauna’ elaborates about the animals that conquered Surtsey, mostly birds and insects.

Each topic has its unique screen design. Different kinds of dynamic diagrams show the size of the island, the cumulative number of birds or invertebrates, and the number of plants. Switching these modes, also changes the appearance of the 3D model. Selecting ‘Geology’ covers the model with a geological map. Changing to ‘Flora’ displays small icons on the model, symbolising the first findings of different plant species.

Credits
Creative Director: Prof. Joachim Sauter
Art Director: Patrick Kochlik, Petra Trefzger
Design: Sebastian Schmieg, Peter Tolstrup Christensen
Programming: Patrick Kochlik, Sebastian Schmieg
Project Management: Regina Tetens, Gert Monath
Client: Culture House Reykjavik