MADE Group, in the context of the implementation of the S+T+Arts Program (Science, Technology, Arts), funded by the Horizon2020 scheme of the European Commission, supported the establishment of the Regional STARTS Centres across Greece.

This strategy aimed to include in the Regional STARTS Centres map, some of the most remote areas of EU.

And so, we arrived at the blue island of Castellorizo, at the very South-Eastern part of Greece, where we found a local talent of global class and fame: the world-known expert of Puzzles, Mathematician, and professor at the University of Western Australia, Dr Pantazis Houlis.

Prof. Houlis has developed hundreds of educational puzzles, used in numerous classrooms in the world. Currently based in Castellorizo, professor focuses on the development of the Puzzle Museum (through EN.I.G.MA club), where the Castellorizo’s history and tradition of Puzzles is exposed and go back to the 19th century. Professor also coordinates the MAA (Megistian Aenigma Agon), an international puzzle competition.

For the Regional STARTS Centre, the Puzzle Museum will be the STARTS reference point of the Region, as an open space for the locals and the visitors, with equipment and installations that present the tangible outcomes of the transdisciplinary interaction of science, technology and arts. 

For the STARTS residency, MADE curated the collaboration for the development of a co-creation result, based on the initial concept of the Puzzle of Professor Houlis, with a team of creators and developers from the National Technical University of Athens and the Athens Tech College. The final creation will be presented at the Athens Tech College as an educational paradigm.

KEYWORDS #Mathematics #Geometry #Puzzle#Computational Design # Perception of Space #Educational Game #Computer Science

Concept/Idea (November 2020)

The concept of the puzzle relates directly to the game and the fun of mathematics through learning. The idea of this computational puzzle is about the interconnection between our sensory perception and perceptual thinking. A digital game that aims to create a reciprocal path between the senses and the spatial perception. Ιt is a three-dimensional construction with solid shapes that generates shadows of two-dimensional, three-dimensional, but also four-dimensional shapes, connecting the perceived to the distant object of imagination. This interaction bridges aspects of both the physical world and spaces of higher dimensions by producing different cast shadows in the digital environment. These shadows are projections – views of hyper cubes. In this game the perceptual process is related to the generalization of imagination, via the observer’s contact with this digital construction.

PROJECT CONTRIBUTORS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Dr Pantazis Houlis, Mathematician & Puzzle Inventor

Dr Nikos Kourniatis, Architect Engineer NTUA - Assistant Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering of UNIWA

Dr Ioannis Nikolakopoulos, Academic Director, Athens Tech College

Architects & Visualizers, Architectural design collective (Lefteris Virivakis & Joakim Piniros) / Creating Visual Value for Human Space / AI Design Methods

STARTS (Science, Technology & the Arts) is an initiative of the European Commission, launched under the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. It was launched in 2015, following up the findings of previous activities funded by the European Commission, namely ICT&Art 2012, FET-ART, ICT ART CONNECT 2013 and ICT ART CONNECT study.
Its purpose is to support collaborations between artists, scientists, engineers and researchers to develop more creative, inclusive, and sustainable technologies.

In Greece, STARTS is implemented by the non-profit platform for social innovation projects MADE Group and it is funded by the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, European Commission .

Photo Credits: Architects & Visualizers

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