Abstract. Using media façades as a subcategory of urban computing, this paper contributes to the understanding of spatial interaction, sense-making, and social mediation as part of identifying key characteristics of interaction with media façades. Our research addresses in particular the open-ended but framed nature of interaction, which in conjunction with varying interpretations enables individual sense-making. Moreover, we contribute to the understanding of flexible social interaction by addressing urban interaction in relation to distributed attention, shared focus, dialogue and collective action. Finally we address challenges for interaction designers encountered in a complex spatial setting calling for a need to take into account multiple viewing and action positions. Our researchthrough-design approach has included a real-life design intervention in terms of the design, implementation, and reflective evaluation of a 180 m 2 (1937 square feet) interactive media façade in operation 24/7 for more than 50 days.

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In this paper we discuss the conflict between a scientific and an artistic approach to interface design in an urban experience-oriented installation, we designed for the Hopenhagen LIVE activities in Copenhagen during the COP15 climate summit meeting in December 2009. The installation called "Atmosphere -the sound and sight of CO2" converted data from CO2 measurements to sound and visuals presented through headphones and on a 2-meter high, quadrant sculpture that functioned as a transparent, low resolution LED screen. Hereby a normally nonsensuous phenomenon became visible and audible giving the public sensuous access to the symbolic villain of climate change: Carbon dioxide. What the sound and visuals actually represented and how it was conceived is a rather complex question that is fundamental to the artistic concept and of epistemological concern for this paper.