We began this project by deciding on the inflatable we want to develop further. Like the others, we had a total of eight options to choose from. The eight options included seven hand-drawn inflatables and one rhino-based inflatable. After reviewing the structure and process of the eight inflatables, we figured that landing on the rhino-based inflatable would help a lot with precision when trying to create an enormous inflatable that none of us had made before. Although the primary reason for choosing the rhino inflatable was for precision, the shape of the inflatable was very interesting.

The couch was made out of four ellipsoids connected to one another. Each ellipsoid consisted of four symmetric fragments. Furthermore, what had made the symmetric pattern stand out was the bold binary color patchwork. The color patchwork required a lot more work than just assigning random colors to segments. We had to fully understand the structure in order to figure out how the colors intersect with one another. 

Before cutting out the pattern, we had to decide the color scheme of the inflatable. The options were rather limiting with a simplistic palette of white,
Before cutting out the pattern, we had to decide the color scheme of the inflatable. The options were rather limited, with a simplistic palette of white, yellow, red, dyed green, and black. We tried out several mix match color choices; however, we landed on the black and white checkerboard match. It would give a special boldness to the inflatable.

We had initially planned to use the projector. However, considering the simple segment shapes of the pattern, we decided to do a precise drawing of the pattern by using our own skills of measuring and enlarging the original pattern. It took a while but was successful. 

After we sewed together the four main ellipsoids of our inflatable, we sparked with a new idea of morphing Jules’ couch into a different form that could also After we sewed together the four main ellipsoids of our inflatable, we sparked with a new idea of morphing Jules’ couch into a different form that could also implement Heejin’s cherry motif in her previous assignment. The four-component of the couch could be easily rearranged to resemble a cherry. From that point, we planned out how to successfully make the change. We created two tubes that would connect the two large ellipsoids(the cherry) and the two small ellipsoids(the leaf).

When we first inflated our final piece, we were surprised by the scale and the effect it had in transforming the feeling of the entire space where it was installed. At the same time, we were surprised by how difficult it was to install the inflatable the way we wanted. We had to hand the leaf part to the ceiling. However, due to its large size and limiting options to hand onto, it was very difficult to install the inflatable in just the right place, facing just the right angle. Eventually, we figured out the best spot and presented it to the class. 

The critique was helpful to reflect on our project and learn how things can improve in the future. We were very happy to see how people were interested in the form and color choice of our inflatable. Some people interacted with the inflatable by touching the floppy leaves. Furthermore, it was interesting to know how people interpret the cherry structure. Some understood it as an undefined structure, some had their own interpretations (music note), and some viewed it as a cherry. Although we were satisfied with the varied responses since we also enjoyed the mysteriousness of our structure while making it, we also learned that there have to be more defining qualities of a certain object if we intend to create the object. For instance, if we want the audience to view our structure as a cherry at first glance, we might use a different color scheme of red and green instead of black and white. 

Our object is a cow with decorations. It initially was a teddy bear shape as planned. However, we decided if we were trying to create a childhood-like vibe, we might want something that looks more childish. Then Yiyang drew an abstract and child-like picture which combines Jiyeon’s pear shape with animal shape. 

Much of our inflatable, from the sketch, to the cutting of the pieces, to the assembly, was improvised. We intentionally allowed our process to be very organic, responsive, and “un-planned” as we wanted the inflatable to feel as if it were a child’s drawing come to life. Our piece evokes feelings of childlike joy, wonderment, silliness, but also perhaps a bittersweet nostalgia over the way things once were. We wanted to juxtapose this childlike structure in the context of a college library, where students are often stressfully working toward their futures and crossing the threshold between childhood and adulthood.

We free-drew pieces for this object with a rhino file as reference. This step added some unexpected and child-like carelessness into the object. We did not encounter too much difficulty when combining pieces together since we kept it simple. However, when decorating the whole object, we realized that it was nearly impossible to sew decoration pieces onto its surface after we close it. We asked Olivia for help and then glued pieces onto the surface. We then trimmed some outlines to mimic the feeling that they grew from the cow.

If we were to do something different, maybe we would try to sew some pieces before we actually close the shape. And we would also try to figure out how to have the cow standing by itself instead of leaning on sandbags. Because initially we wanted to hang the object and did not think too much about organizing its feet to have it standing. 

One good lesson we learned from this project is that having basic or primary form ready earlier. We finished most parts of our object during the spring break and thus we had much more time to develop it further. It was helpful to rehearsal it again and again and build more onto it. 

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Video of the piece being deflated:

Process:

Our final piece consists of a flower, flower stem, flower pot, table, roots, and connection between roots to the fan. The flower & flower pot pieces are inspired by Sophia’s first Push/Pull assignment and the roots are inspired by Douglas’ first Push/Pull assignment. We split up the design and construction of these pieces based on whose original piece we were referring to and its location. We then both designed the pieces that are needed to build the different inflatable parts and checked in with each other to get each other’s opinions. We then constructed the pieces separately. Sophia mainly worked on the flower, flower stem, and flower pot. And Douglas mainly worked on the table, roots, and the connection between the roots and the fan. After we both completed our pieces, we met to connect them and inflated the final piece to test it out.

More specifically, for the flower piece, we chose yellow and white because we want to embody the innocence, beauty, simplicity, and joy of flowers found in the wild like daisies. We also wanted to make the daisy symmetrical and delicate. It was sewn 2/3 by hand and 1/3 by machine. Unlike the daisy, we want the roots to grow out more freely and each with unique shapes and sizes. The form of the roots is a mix of organic and free-hand drawings to create the long winding roots. The other parts: table, flower pot, and stem were constructed based on specific measurements so that it makes connecting each piece easier. After putting together the pieces, we added two places for airflow and attached them like roots.

Discoveries:

We realized that measurements are difficult because even if they are perfect, imperfect stitching can add tension that affects the true size when inflated. We had really specific measurements that we wanted to use to make the pieces. Because we know our piece would fit between the window area, we took the measurements of the window. We also noted how tall and how large we want the final inflatable to be. We used these measurements to make our pieces. Imperfect sewing and tension of the thread in high-density areas caused the final outcome to not be the originally intended size.

We also realized the importance of working in small pieces until we need to connect them to make bigger pieces. One of the guest speakers mentioned this and we used this strategy. It made the construction process easier. For example, for the flower piece. Sophia first made all the petals then connected them to each other. and then when she completed the flower, stem, and all the pot pieces, she put everything together. This was much easier than adding to one piece as it could get too big and hard to work with. Lastly, sometimes it might be easier to just hand sew instead of putting in too many pins, especially when working with material that is sticky on one side.

Successes:

We think the piece was effective in eliciting a meaning of seeing the power and beauty of life not without the rough and expansive foundation upon which it grows. We also find it a success that with such a large piece, that had such tiny sewn connections, we managed to build a piece that retained air very well and inflated with the help of two fans. We also thought the overall placement of the inflatable really added to the project. It gave us natural sunlight which worked well for the flower. The glass window allowed us to see outside and the real plants outside added to the root design.

Challenges:

We had several challenges. One of them was being able to imagine the 3d piece being 2d and really thinking about what are the smaller pieces required to build it. Doing the measurements for the pot was also difficult because only two of the 6 sides are the same measurements, all the other pieces are different so each piece has a specific place it belongs. It was also difficult to install the pieces to each other. Because of the changes in weight, the connection of different pieces changes the overall design of the inflatable. Going forward we will try to practice understanding better where the support comes from during installation and how to design the inflatable in order to be durable and have a longer inflated life. 

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We began this project by ideating different elements of our designs of our push/pull part 1 objects and how we could combine them. For this design, we combined the arms of Lori’s fruits with a modified version of the twists from one of Asad’s objects. We knew we wanted to make a piece that was interactive in some way, and we decided that an archway with hanging, movable components was the best way to provide an interactive experience while still within scope. Once we decided to make an archway, we were looking for locations to put our object where people could walk through it but it wouldn’t interrupt traffic flow. We found the doorway in Studio A and figured that it was the perfect spot to put our inflatable.

Our project was completed entirely asynchronously due to both of our crazy schedules before, during, and after spring break due to other commitments. As we designed our inflatable, we were mindful of designing an object that could easily be split into components that each of us could work on.

To create the archway, we first took the beach ball sphere pattern and enlarged it by extending the length of the pattern. After cutting out over 40 beach ball patterns, we then sewed the tops of one beach ball to the bottom of another beach ball with enough overlap so that there would be enough room in between each sphere to allow for airflow. After sewing vertical strips of connected spheres, we then sewed each vertical strip to create the bubbled effect of the elongated spheres when they finally came together.

To create the tendrils, we took inspiration from the arms of Lori’s fruits and created small cylinders of fleece. In the interest of using recycled or scrap materials, we cut rectangles from three different colors of fleece fabric – blue, yellow, and red, which were a bold contrast to the blue/green acid-dyed nylon. One of each of these rectangles were sewn together and flipped inside-out to form the long tendrils structures, and then stuffed with polyfil.

Because we were working asynchronously, the tendrils were added to the structure after the majority of the archway had been sewn. We learned that the tendrils were too heavy for the inflated arch to support alone, and so when we installed our piece in the final space, we used a rod and string to help carry some of the weight.

We found that people really enjoyed moving through the archway, and that the physical weight and softness of the fleece tendrils was particularly engaging for some. We are ultimately very happy with the interactivity and physicality of our final structure, and are proud of what we were able to accomplish working asynchronously.

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We originally weren’t sure what we were going to add beyond the rectangle, and we thought it would not be in the bookshelves. We decided something colorful would be a good use of the light and decided to add the panels, and then decided the front should have windows so you could see the colors. We were worried you wouldn’t be able to see the colors otherwise. Also, we thought that we would keep it in the window frame using tape, but then realized we wouldn’t be able to use tape, but it actually worked out perfectly that we ended up with the space on the second floor in the bookshelves and made the inflatable way bigger than the window frame, because the bookshelves ended up being the constraints. Here are some photos through the window:

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We really liked how the windows gave a view into the structure and ended up creating a very cool effect of showing a different color reflection on the floor than the color you could see through the window. We also were happy with how big the space inside appeared even though from the outside it doesn’t look like much. We added the criss-crossing yarn last and were also pleasantly surprised at how it divided the space inside, and was kind of reminiscent of kites.

p.s. I also brought it to my art show this weekend and put in it a different space and let people go inside it and it was a lot of fun and very peaceful to be in there even though the colors weren’t catching the sunlight like they were supposed to. Here are some of my friends inside it. -Skylar

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At first, we weren’t able to meet up and work on our giant jellyfish inflatable together, so we split up the work: Georgia focused on the main body while Heeyun made the tentacles. We had decided to make the main body be a dome with a “donut” ring going around it, all of which would be around 6 ft by 6 ft. The tentacles would be of varying lengths, but ideally all of them would be suspended above the ground/table to make it look like it was floating in air. 

For the main body I decided to use a beach ball pattern. I had to do some math to figureout how long the pattern should be, especially since we were cutting the pattern in half to make dome shape rather than a ball. I indeed up making 8 giant dome pieces to sew together. They ended up being about 56 inches long which was a feat to put all the long pieces together. I was constantly concerned that the bobbin would run out of thread in the middle of sewing these pieces because how large they were. After I had gotten all the pieces sewn together I left one part open and didn’t completely close the shape together. I did this in order to add the donut, I thought it would be easier to leave this open when adding it. For the donut I cut out 8 rectangular shapes that were 16 inches long and sewed them on to the dome pieces, but I only left 8 inches to the bottom of the dome so that when it inflated it would inflate outward in a circular shape. Next I ended up cutting out circles in the original beach ball pattern for the air flow to get into the rectangles that would be the donuts. After this I sewed up the rest of the beach ball pattern. And asked Heeyun to cut out the last part of the top which would be the 6 by 6 foot circle.

For the tentacles, it was hard to make them at first because we wanted to include the ruffled texture from the fabric tentacles that Georgia had made for one of her push/pull 1 objects. The first few tentacles were improvised curvy tapered shapes, sewn together like pillows. Using some scrap triangular pieces of fabric, I decided to ruffle up the longest side of the triangle and then sew that end together to the next long side. Serendipitously, the ruffled edge spiraled around the overall conical shape of the structure, which is what we had wanted to make initially but were unsure how. 

I ended up making the ruffled pieces of fabric like my last project, this was quite easy. I ended up putting them on while our piece was inflated so I could see where they needd to go. For Heeyun and I we got together to attach the tentacles(inflatable ones) to the circular base I had asked her to make. We ended up measuring her tentacles and cutting out circles for them to fit into in the circle. Sewing these on was a lot of fabric going everywhere. We had about 11 tentacles to sew on so after cutting the pieces out of the big main circle it looked like we had just cut out pokadots. After getting the tentacles attached, we added the big circle to the beach ball pattern, and then moved on to inflate.

When we finally assembled the jellyfish together, we both didn’t anticipate that the main body would be so much larger and rounder than the rest of the structure. If we were to make future iterations of this project, we would definitely consider the proportions of all the pieces more carefully. Moreover, a challenge we faced was getting the jellyfish to stay upright but also make it seem like it was floating in air. The center tube where it was connected to the fan was definitely not enough to keep the jellyfish from toppling over to the sides; the weight was not balanced enough, nor was it light enough to stay up with only the “support” from the constant inflow of air. As such, we improvised a “stand” made of sticks wrapped in attached together with electrical tape. After carefully balancing the jellyfish on this stand and against the wall, we managed to keep the jellyfish upright. This was a bit of a fix since we could not hang the piece as we originally intended. 

(click the link above to view a video of the inside – I cannot directly embed a video)

We began work on this project by discussing how we could combine our inflatables. We ended up deciding on a combination of Jennifer’s cloud vase, Charlotte’s bacteria thing, and Sandy’s decorative elements. We wanted to create a physical manifestation of “head in the clouds”. We modeled the cloud in Rhino, which proved to have many difficulties – the doubly-curved surfaces wouldn’t squish properly, and when they did squish they broke into many small pieces that were difficult to assemble. Despite these issues, splitting the project up into smaller chunks was helpful because we could each individually work asynchronously on our own pieces. We wanted viewers to be able to put their head in the cloud, so we just cut a slit at the bottom of the cloud. We were worried that too much air would leak through it and the cloud would deflate, but we were happily surprised to find that there was enough airflow to keep the cloud inflated with a head-sized slit. We were also worried that the decorations inside would swing around too much and become tangled, but they mostly just gently moved. The feedback from the class was good to hear and very helpful. We especially liked the commentary on how there are two experiences a viewer can have with the cloud. Being inside the cloud is transformative, bright, and calming; being outside the cloud is funny to see someone put only their head in an object. If we were to expand on this project, we would make it bigger and add more slits so the inside experience could be a social one.

Our second idea took the cone/spike shapes we both used in part 1 and expanded the idea to be like stalagmites protruding from the ceiling. We would somehow hang our inflatable from the ceiling using hooks or loops and we were thinking of having strings that could pull these cones out to make the inflatable interactive with passersby.

Our third idea again uses our interest in interactivity, surprise, and large round shapes. We were thinking of making a freestanding egg-shaped inflatable in one of the open areas by the couches on the first floor. The inflatable would be hollow on the inside, with a zipper attached so that when opened up, a person could go inside.

Sophia and I met briefly this morning and intend to reconvene soon to further develop our ideas on how to incorporate our amalgamations of work to the physical space. As of now, both of our ideas are full of life in the natural sense with a bird/dragon type creature and a flower. This leads us to believe that our inflatable should be showcased in an area with a significant amount of natural light as this is the natural habitat of our creations. Our inflatable will help call in the spring season here at CMU.

Our first idea is to expand upon the sofa couch that Jules made for Part 1 and make a large-scale version for Part 2. Location is still TBD, but we’re thinking of placing it somewhere near bookcases so that it would resemble an area where a reader would go to sit with a book. Additionally, if time allows, it would be great to make two of them placed next to each other so that it appears like a welcoming place for two friends to sit and read.

Our next idea is interlocking trees that resemble a large forest. We’re thinking of also placing this idea somewhere between two bookshelves, filling the space in between them.

Lastly, we wanted to incorporate an inflatable into one of the staircases of the library. We’re thinking of creating a snaking shape around a railing that resembles two arms that hug around it going upward. We also imagine that the arms would be adorned with some type of patterns that resemble tattoos or hair.

We decided to go in the direction of the sofa idea. We are using the colors of black and white.

Timeline of Benchmarks:

• Wednesday, March 2nd – Get file pattern set up for projecting
• Thursday, March 3rd – Start cutting out patterns
• Friday, March 11th – Finish cutting out patterns
• Saturday, March 12th – Have a portion of inflatable sewn
• Monday, March 14th – Majority of inflatable sewn together
• Tuesday, March 15th – Final modifications/testing
• Wednesday, March 16th – Inflatable Due