Category: LookingOutwards-03

This artpieces just blew my mind when I first saw it. They are sculptures that are created by Anthony Howe. I was really surprised that these sculptures are moving by kinetic wind, and the movement is so lively that I could not believe that these are made by stainless steel. They weigh up to 1,600lbs, and because they are too heavy and huge, he had to test them if they actually work by computer program.(CAD) He tried to express the vivid movement as lively as possible, and for some of his works, he wanted to express natural movements without any electronic features.

Howe tested his sculptures by driving down the freeway. He wanted his sculptures to be strong enough to tolerate wind.

He did not explain how each pieces of sculpture is designed and built, however each pieces have their own curved shape in order to show vivid movement when it is attached all together.

This is a video that shows an actual movement of a sculpture.

The Silk Pavilion (2013 – CNC Deposited Silk Fiber & Silkworm Construction; MIT Media Lab) is a fascinating project inspired by the natural constructive habits of actual silk worms. The basic premise of this project was to study the silk worm’s ability to create relatively large scale fiber structures starting with a single multi-property silk thread in an attempt to create a structure in which the surface varies in density based on outside stimuli such as sunlight. The algorithms used to create this structure were derived from documenting actual silk worms placed in a controlled environment where they were allowed to do what they do best. I thought the final product of this structure was especially fascinating when you considered how the algorithms accounted for what  silk worms might have wanted to accomplish by leaving gaps or creating more dense patches of silk based on exposure to sunlight and heat. The ultimate goal of this project may have been to explore “the formation of non-woven fiber structures generated by the silkworms as a computational schema for determining shape and material optimization of fiber-based surface structures” but resulting structures look like works of art in their own right.

Silk Pavilion

SILK PAVILION from Mediated Matter Group on Vimeo.

(Above are examples of the Raven Kwok’s work.)

Taken from his tumblr bio: ” Raven Kwok is a visual artist / animator / programmer. His artistic and research interest mainly focuses on exploring generative visual aesthetic brought by customized algorithms and processes created through computer programming.”

One project of his that I admired was a music video called Skyline that he created. The music video was created with a coding software known as Processing. Kwok talks about how he uses a geometric model known as “Voronoi Tessellation”, used in René Descartes theory of planetary motion. What I admire about the work, personally, is how trippy yet fluid the movements of the works are. In the Skyline music video, the audio of the song influences the movements, which creates an original outcome for the work.

ZArchitects challenged the idea of traditional masonry by combining digital fabrication and automated construction system, creating Smart Masonry. Traditionally, large heavy weighted stones are used for masonry with lack of natural light entering through the structure. But ZArchitects decided to use geometric mesh patterns to replace walls and columns which opened up a lot of space and save more money for the building. Using the mesh pattern I think was a great idea here because not only did it replace the  main parts of the building and created a cohesive environment, it also naturally created a portal for natural light to enter through the space and with the geometric and precise patterns due to robotic construction techniques, they were able to achieve a unique aesthetic. Another element which surprised me was that 3D printing was used to build this architecture by using prefabricated materials. Starting off with 3D printing, robotic art construction station was able to replicate and create a precise sized materials which reduced the cost of labor by fractions and the time it would’ve took by using only 3D printing method or by using human labor. This Smart Masonry technique, state off in Berlin, can be a start of a new way of building living and public space. Reduced price for labor and lighter material which contrast the traditional heavy weighted materials will decrease the price of buildings and houses if practiced further. 

http://www.archdaily.com/609108/digitized-bricks-zaarchitects-develop-smart-masonry

http://www.zaarchitects.com/en/public/125-smart-masonry.html

The Fahz

Pretty much everyone has seen the famous optical illusion of the Rubin vase, where two face shape matches the contour of a vase. But the “Fahz” brought this intriguing visual effect into the 3D world.

First, the Brooklyn-based computational designer Nick Desbiens generated vector geometry from the profile pictures of the loved ones. Second, he visualized the negative space between the two face outlines that make up the contour. The result was then moved to a 3D working space, where it was morphed into a 3D model with the artist’s algorithm. The stunning final result was created by a 3D printer.

I am very impressed by the simplicity of this idea and how it gives a peek into how 3D modeling and printing have brought endless opportunities, not just to large scale productions, but also to simple acts of love.

Check out their website here

Become a backer of their business on kickstarter here

Artist: Madeline Gannon, MADLAB.CC

Title: Reverberating across the divide

Year: 2016

‘Reverberating across the divide’ follows a 3 step process – 3D scanning, 3D modeling and 3D printing – to generate complex artifacts. 3D scanning captures and reproduces a real life model in the virtual space. 3D modeling then shapes the artifact around the model, all in virtual space. 3D printing generates the physical artifact. I was impressed by the logical sequence that yields a made-to-measure artifact in such an organic way akin to how nature works.

The algorithms are not shown. Nevertheless I imagine the modeling unit (an octopus was used in the attached video) as a mouse location whose movement is directed by the designers hand but also constrained by the virtual model’s proportions.

The organic flowing movement that is captured – frozen in time – in the printed artifact reflects MADLAB’s successful and seemless interaction between the physical and virtual worlds (MADLAB.CC, 2016).

 

References:

MADLAB.CC. (2016). Reverberating across the divide. Retrieved 9 13, 2016, from MADLAB.CC: http://www.madlab.cc/reverberating-across-the-divide/

 

Andrew Thomson’s  Geodesic Pendant Lamp

Andrew Thomson’s  Geodesic Pendant Lamp really resonates with me because it reminds me of a similar design project I was involved in. We were told to make paper lamps, and the planning behind making what seems so simple is actually quite difficult because of the considerations of use of material, particular context, and I think what makes this particular piece so impressive is the use of simple shaped wood cut outs to create a complex system of shapes.      Although it was machine made, I appreciate the process and planning that went into it.  This lamps was made by a technique called CNC Machining which is short for Computer Numerical Control which basically means a machine was used to cut the wood.  Machine made objects certainly help us humans perfect craft within an product, but I think the process of planning will always be part of designing products such as these.

http://www.core77.com/posts/23340/andrew-thomsons-geodesic-pendant-lamp-20-and-more-23340