We were asked by ETHZ, a university in Switzerland, to create an animation on the topic of chemistry of building materials. This project developed into a series of 20+ animations, covering the entire curriculum.
The project was incredibly interesting and very challenging. We often needed to visualise concepts that had not been visualised before.
Other times, we had a graph or a simple graphic element as a starting point which needed to be translated into an easy to understand and scientifically accurate illustration.
The most important part of the process was understanding the science behind each animation - everyone involved in the production had at least some basic knowledge on the topic.
We had a scientific consultant on board who helped with some of the process, but clear communication with the script writers was crucial to develop the animations in the right direction.
Additionally, interactive animations created entirely in Rive provided an invaluable opportunity for consolidating knowledge.
This allowed students to deepen their understanding by interacting with the animation, exploring concepts at their own pace, test their knowledge, and receive immediate feedback.
Click below to try it yourself!
One of the most important aspects of the work was to develop an easy way for the viewer to read equations, and to understand the relation between all the elements on screen.
We developed color schemes that link elements throughout the animation, no matter the shape that they take, be it text, graphs or illustrations.
Narration & Scripts • Prof. Robert Flatt (ETHZ)
Scripts • Prof. George W. Scherer (Princeton), Dr. Giulia Gelardi (ETHZ), Dr. Ylenia Praticò (ETHZ), Edwin Trout (The Concrete Society), Dr. Christophe Gosselin (Geotest SA), Prof. Karen Scrivener (EPFL), Dr. Franco Zunino (ETHZ)
Animation Director • Giulia Ponti
Visual Style • Giulia Ponti & Geoff Li
Scientific Consultant • Laura Olivares Boldù
Animation • Andrea Bartalini, Artur Gerandov, Geoff Li, Elisa Lucaccini, Andrea Ondetti, Emil Pelari