Defined as an urban media space, Urballoon is simply a huge balloon with a projector and wireless internet that is designed to allow people down below, or on the other side of the globe to submit content and broadcast it over head. Through a basic interface, similar to commenting on a blog, users enter their name amd some basic information as well as the image or text they want projected. After sending the content, submissions are queued and shown in the order they were received. The web site also has a google map mashup that displays the balloons current location, so submissions from abroad can be location specific. All previous submissions have been archive and can also be viewed on their site.

According to their mission statement:

Our conventional understanding of the urban condition and the distinction between private and public space has been blurred by the evolution of technology. Generation and distribution of mass media are also models undergoing a radical transformation. Urballoon is a probe being introduced into the flows of our current urbanity. This experimental architecture seeks to juxtapose emerging notions of mobility, P2P networking, syndication and blogging with traditional uses of social space, broadcasting and outdoor advertising.

A political underpinning of the project is established by the commitment to exercise free uncensored speech, empowering citizens to seize it as an urban broadcasting channel.

Uballoon