CLIMATE CONVERTER
Permanently Installed Immersive Installation (2019 – Current)
DOTDOT conceptualised, designed and built an immersive installation about climate change for the new long-term Te Taiao Nature zone at Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (Te Papa). Climate Converter gives visitors a safe space to explore the issues facing New Zealand and understand the factors that we can take, both collectively and individually, to mitigate change.
It just looks delightful, they nailed all the aspects to it – the animation, the illustration and character design style, the restraint when it comes to the interaction and the thoughtfulness of it. We’ve seen lots of attempts at something like this, it’s rare that they nail all the elements to make it as profound as this looks.
Interactive Design Judges, Core77 Design Awards
The Climate Converter is an immersive space, with four walls and floor all projection-mapped in a mesmerizing ‘New Zealand-esque’ environment in the delicate style of paper – from city skyline to forest floor all cycling through extreme weather events made increasingly familiar by the growing impact of climate change. The whole space is responsive to movement and the elements move, fold and unfold like origami. As visitors walk into the space, native ferns on the floor part and make way for them. If they pause and stand still, a curious origami kiwi comes to peck around their ankles.
There are two key ways for users to create impact within the space:
1. Visitors can interact with features on the walls by raising a hand and touching an object to trigger eco-friendly actions at a broad, societal level. For example, touching petrol cars to turn them into electric vehicles. If visitors collectively make enough positive change they see a ‘Success!’ message appear – they’ve achieved a carbon neutral New Zealand. If not, they’ll begin to see representations of how weather patterns will affect the environment, such as storms or drought.
2. Visitors can interact with plinth-based touch screens to make a personal pledge – one simple real-world action to fight climate change. Visitors watch as their pledge transforms into an origami kererū that flies into the environment, joining the other visitor pledges. Visitors can also choose to receive an email to support them to fulfill their specific pledge as a post-experience follow up.
Launched in 2019, Climate Converter has continued to be a popular exhibit within the Te Taiao Nature exhibition. It received a content update in 2023 and a 4K upgrade in 2024. Designed for long-term impact, it has already welcomed over 2 million visitors.
More importantly, it’s making a difference. Audience impact data shows that most visitors leave having learned something new, and 16% are motivated to take action to protect the environment – a strong result for a museum experience. The installation has also helped spark public conversation around agriculture and sustainability, a topic central to New Zealand’s economy and future.
