Artwork · Arcade · Generative · Heritage

DERB.EXE

Generative arcade terminal — Moroccan urban heritage

Thread is the ancestor of the pixel.

Synopsis

"Derb" is the alleyway of the medina — a space of movement, encounter, and informal transmission between generations. ".EXE" is the executable file, what makes a machine run. DERB.EXE runs heritage.

The starting point: the Berber rug and the pixel screen follow the same principle — a grid, coloured units, rules of repetition and variation. Thread is the ancestor of the pixel.

At the terminal, the visitor generates a unique Amazigh pattern: each session yields a downloadable memory-rug. You don't win — you weave. 100% offline, no data collected, accessible from age 6. Each session is a different tessera, each pattern carries something of the moment.

Technical Setup

  • Physical arcade terminal built in wood
  • HTML5 browser interface (Canvas, WebAudio, vanilla JS), zero external dependency
  • Unique seed per session — downloadable PNG pattern
  • 100% offline — no network, no data collected
  • Power: 1 standard 220V outlet

Audience

All audiences from age 6 · Teenagers · Families · School groups · Media libraries, youth spaces, festivals, cultural institutions

Credits

Artist: Kamel Ghabte · Production: Studio Kamel Ghabte · SIRET 489 325 308 00026

Associated publication: DERB.EXE — creation journal, Digital Memories of Morocco series, book 2, KDP

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