alchan-Looking Outwards 03

GLASS II from Mediated Matter Group on Vimeo.

GLASS II, by The Mediated Matter Group at MIT Media Labs, is a series of 3d-printed glass columns, each internally lit to produce “kaleidoscope-like patterns” of light and shadow. Each column was generated with a different shape, determined both by how the characteristics of the shape affected light passing through it and the limitations of the 3d-printing system itself. The internal lighting within each column also moved up and down, creating dynamic patterns of light projected onto the floors and walls of the exhibit.

I was initially drawn to the project because of its unusual production method: generative forms aside, figuring out how to 3d-print glass is a feat in itself. I also admire how the installation itself didn’t just rely on the 3d-printed material, but also incorporated light and how the material affected it.