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Digitized Cafe

teamLab, 2011-

Digitized Cafe

teamLab, 2011-

Digitized Cafe and Digitized Bar is a “Digital Land (digital theme park)” that Cosplay Maids of cafes in Akihabara have emerged from digital technology as video games or media arts.
Akihabara electric town in Tokyo is an iconic place for us children of the digitalized age. People who embrace the digitized age have built a new culture of, maid cafe and idols which have then been realized on radio, wireless electronics, PC or anime, video games and contents of internet culture. Akihabara is the land for a new age and the place that has been built by accumulation of extreme technology and a digitized society and culture. With this work we have tried to make a compressed digitized space of Akihabara for all the world, a world that is like a “Family computer”, with no difference between the real world and the video game.
Akihabara maids create their own mimetic words. When they jump the describe it with “Pyooon”, just like the sound you might hear in a game. The whole space becomes and feels like being inside a video game world.
In the digital age, we believe, space design must also include designing the digital domain. The space is an interactive interface and helps us communicate with each other.
  • Digitized Block Light

    This light is a floating ceiling light and interface at same time. It changes color and makes sounds like; "Boko!” (a mimetic word that describes the act of punching a block) when visitors jump and punch it. The blocks are also connected with other block lights and displays which are embedded inside the wall.

  • Digitized Display (digital signage inside the wall)

    The little maids change with sounds when a visitor punches a Block light. For example, little maids become invincible and run around when high tension music starts after somebody has punched a Block light, or they dance when live music starts.

  • Digitized Trampoline

    The cafe Maids can jump on the digitized trampoline. When they do the action is accompanied by the sound, "Poyooon!” (a mimetic word to describe the action of jumping) . The Little maids in the displays also jump together with the cafe Maids.

  • Digitized Stage

    A leaf shaped stage for live events that the maids sing and dance on. Little maids in the wall displays dance when a live event starts.

  • Digitized Wall

    The wall is a graphic made of over 300 thousand emoticons of the latest imitative words which Maids use in the cafe and everyday life.