The intent of this project was to investigate the intersection between the aesthetic choices digital artists make when designing an ambient display and the information those aesthetics can deliver. It examined the line between aesthetics and utility in informative ambient displays; the process in which artists create informative art, and how those who observe these artistic mediums can perceive the working forces behind the abstract forms presented.

To assist the extensive research regarding aesthetics and utility, an ambient weather display was created that could transmit information in the background or the periphery of a person’s attention, whereby a person could check the state of a display by glancing at it and not be overwhelmed with information processing. This ambient display used both audio and visual communication channels to inform observers of the current weather conditions based on where the weather station was located. A mini weather station was designed and placed outside the Computer Science building in UL whereby its meteorological sensors acted as inputs to generate a dynamic soundscape and visualization in real time indoors. Through data analysis, normalising data and mapping techniques, the output of data was more than arbitrary. The colours, speed of movement, positioning of shapes, key, scale etc. create change to reflect updates in the data thus becoming a narrative. The metaphorical data output prompted a link with the human minds understanding of the world relating to weather via the aesthetic contextual undertones that may worry, annoy, relax, and excite a person.