News

Interactive kiosk highlights reknowned Arkansas architect's design artistry

April 15, 2019

An interactive kiosk is playing a critical role in an interdisciplinary project led by University of Arkansas professors, highlighting the residential design expertise of architect Fay Jones.

Jones, an Arkansas native, University of Arkansas alumnus and long-time Fayetteville resident, was a world-renowned architect and recipient of the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal, according to a press release.

The kiosk will go live on Saturday, April 20 at the Fayetteville Town Center Plaza and will be available to the public from 9 a.m to noon.

It is part of the "A House of the Ozarks" project, which also include an online presence and is being led by Professors Greg Herman and David Frederick. The project is aimed at bringing Jones' work to a bigger public audience, according to a press release.

The kiosk experience offers a virtual interaction with the Fayetteville home that Jones designed for his family, as well as a speculative house designed for the property next door. Via the kiosk software, people can visit a historic home not generally open to the public, as well as a home that was never built, and explore exteriors and interiors.

"We allow the user to view the houses from a bird's eye view, giving them a different perspective — one that allows for the viewing of the entire form of the house, which would not be accessible in real life," Fredrick said in the release.

In a trial prototype run last fall the public interacted with the kiosk for more than five minutes, which Frederick noted is a substantial time for an outdoor kiosk interaction.

The professors hope to have the kiosk appear in high-traffic locations around Northwest Arkansas. The broad reach provides more chances for the public to learn about Jones and his architectural contemporaries.