In 2004/2005 Futurecity delivered two ground-breaking international new media art commissions using experimental technologies to create site-specific, interactive and immersive artworks in Brussels and Madrid.
Langlands & Bell launched Plunged in a Stream at the historical Coudenberg archaeological site in Brussels. The installation revealed the River Senne, bricked over and finally concealed by the 19th century. The Senne was essential to life in Brussels with tributaries running through the former palace. It supported an entire ecosystem of dye shops, mills, breweries and homes.
Plunged in a Stream covered the entirety of the archaeological site, creating a totally immersive aesthetic for the viewer. There were three major elements: the digital re-imaging of the river Senne at selected points of the site; the use of floating heads (avatars), texts and audio to narrate an alternative mapping of the river and an immersive game which allowed the viewer to navigate interactive environments where the visitor could rediscover the underground site from the inside in a digital walkthrough.
