Controlling Cafe From Remote

In the cafe “Kauko” in Helsinki, the coffee is served free, but customers pay with antics. The activity combines the real world with digital, and enables online users to control various elements in the cafe. Visitors are invited to enter the site and change the height of the table – while people are eating on it, dim the lights or change the music.

 
Since these elements can also be controlled by smartphones application, even passersby can abuse seated costumers. Once surfers connect to the site, they have one minute to play with the elements on the site.


This digital-physical installation is designed to mark the mark of Helsinki as the global design capital, and wants to make people relate to design around them. In addition, the site enables to upload pictures of different elements that surfers choose to give them renewed attention and to discuss their design aspect. The site state that “We are surrounded by objects and services that we do not always notice them. Beautiful doorknob becomes automatic when dozens of people touching it every day (…) usually we so no interest for design, unless the object is not serving the purpose for which it is intended. We also provide design attitude when something is missing in it”. The Notebook page invites users to upload images and insights about the design.

As part of the activity, many videos are uploaded to YouTube showing how design changes affect men in the cafe, and the result is quite a few hilarious movies. The cafe will continue to operate in Helsinki a few days, and then skip around Finland.