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The Traces project that I found in the exhibition section of processing website is particularly interesting to me due to its parametric manipulation of the form of everyday materials. Based on the collaborative research of master students and faculties across several academic institutions,  Dana Zelig created the project that She explored the “spatial, structural and “geometrical” conditions  of letter size polystyrene sheets with both digital tools such as Processing and physical techniques. With light as an activator, the “folding”, or the transformation of the sheet is accomplished through the absortion of heat according to the black line patterns.

Studies and eventually manipulation on the characteristics of light-weight materials like polystyrene can become extremely useful and informative in their application in architectural and industrial design.

However, the fact that the folds are irreversible and the transitory feature of light have resulted in the limitation of this practice. If more researches were be devoted into this project, different activators such as sound, humidity should be tested out so as to broaden the possibilities of future applications various professions.

Traces, Physical Programming of Freeform Folding in Soft Matter. from dana zelig on Vimeo.