Silo is a dramatic series set in a vast underground bunker where a tightly controlled society lives under strict regulations they believe are meant to protect them. In Series 2, Bernard (Tim Robbins), head of IT, introduces his talented subordinate Lukas (Avi Nash) to advanced technology hidden from the rest of the population. Territory was tasked with devising and designing the Tablet UI, a range of bespoke cipher visualisations, and a sand-particle-based algorithm assistant. All contributing to the show's exploration of secrecy, surveillance, and the manipulation of information.
The Legacy is a hidden digital archive of books, records, and artefacts, restricted to nearly everyone in the Silo. It serves as a database, accessed through a voice controlled interface called the Algorithm. While the Legacy holds the information, the Algorithm provides the intelligence that drives interaction and visual presentation.
Classical cipher systems, such as Atbash, numeric, and generic substitution, were visualised as voice accessible entries within the Legacy’s interface. These were presented with clean layouts and subtle, stylised graphics to match the refined, futuristic tone of the UI.
The Algorithm’s visualisation was developed to convey its presence and responsiveness within the interface. Early explorations included sculptural facial recognition, where sand-like particles formed fragmented facial structures to represent the algorithm identifying a person. These visuals were designed to show awareness without direct interaction, using subtle cues to acknowledge recognised individuals.
When idle, the Algorithm appears as a particle system of calm, wave-like cymatic patterns that respond to sound and movement. This visual behaviour complements the interface’s minimal and advanced design.