post-

Phase Change 

Ithaca, New York

On view November 8–17, 2024

Phase Change is an interactive installation that uses motion activation and diurnal cycles to invoke a more holistic view of Scottsdale’s extractive resource practices in relation to water use and invites the viewer to reflect on their role in this journey. The form of the piece is inspired by the nearby Four Peaks, referencing the mountain snowpack that the Salt River’s water supply depends on each year. Displaced to the canal, these faceted “peaks” have been split open, allowing viewers to enter. 

During the day, two-way acrylic mirror faces create infinite reflections of visitors. At night, lighting and colored interior mirrors turn the sculpture into a geode-like beacon, offering glimpses of endless landscapes within, referencing Arizona’s rich geological resources. When approached, the lights animate on and off, reverting the surface to a solid mirror and leaving the viewer to contemplate their reflection on the outside once more. 

Phase Change ultimately implies that our response to complex problems, like climate change and water scarcity, cannot be found in piecemeal, out-of-sight, out-of-mind solutions, but instead must begin from advancing our modes of thinking about our environment to encompass the temporal and entangled nature of local ecologies. 

Biography 

post- is a multidisciplinary design firm oriented toward “whatever comes next.” By expanding the boundaries of the architectural profession to include technology, media, art, and human interaction, post- seeks to reinvent the process of spatial production to facilitate conscious participation, co-creation, and equitable built environments. post- is Ryan Whitby and Emma Silverblatt.   

Ryan Whitby is a designer working between the fields of architecture, engineering, and interactive art. With a focus on generative tools, his work blurs the boundaries between digital design and the built environment. As the senior designer at SOFTlab, Whitby led the design, development, and construction of installation-scale projects all over the world. He is also currently a design teaching fellow at Cornell College of Architecture, Art, and Planning. 

Emma Silverblatt is an architectural designer with a focus on design activism, public spaces, and community engagement. In her eight years in practice, Silverblatt has contributed to a number of internationally-recognized projects, including serving as the project manager for the Martin Luther King, Jr. branch of the Cleveland Public Library (SO – IL) and a designer on the World Trade Center Performing Arts Center (REX). She is currently a visiting critic at Cornell College of Architecture, Art, and Planning.