4 minute read
The Butterfly Bench
from Portfolio & CV
by F . S
The aim of ‘The Butterfly Effect’ is to serve as not only a social seating area for students and passers by but also as a home to the ever growing population of butterflies in Brighton. Situated in a well used corner near the future main pedestrian bridge, the design is in the perfect location for commuters to stop for a coffee or for students to sit and study while feeling at one with nature. The Honeysuckle canopy creates the perfect habitat for butterflies to thrive and act as a home for the duration of their life. The simple to assemble self-supported temporary structure requires no glue or screws and instead relies on a slot together structure where each layer is stacked onto a pole system allowing the design to be quickly assembled or taken down. The shape of the design allows for multiple uses with the main use being aimed at a group of 2-4 people being able to sit on the interior part of the structure and have a more private interaction while also allowing for people to sit on the outer benches and corresponding stools (Made from the centre offcuts from the CNC cutting) providing more space and functionality for bigger groups or individual people to make the most out of the space.
Wild Flowers Specific wildflowers such as kidney vetch, knapweed and marjoram
Honey Suckle Plant
Treated Plywood
Treated Plywood is a cheap and easy to source material, Its also perfect to be used alongside a CNC cutter allowing for precise large shapes to be cut out of the sheets creating a more precise overall finish. Having the plywood treated ensures it will hold up to the weather for as long as the temporary structure is erected. Plywood is also not too heavy making it easier to be transported to site and meaning it will take less people to assemble.
CNC Cutting
The main structure is constructed of CNC cut plywood and then layered together being supported by a series of 60mm poles around the structure. CNC cutting is a cheap and quick source of fabrication for wooden parts and will allow use of large sheets of ply to cut out shapes, with offcuts being used as stools to accompany the main structure. The main benefit of using CNC cut ply means every layer will be perfectly cut allowing the structure to fit together without any alterations made. CNC cutting is also very quick meaning the fabrication time for the entire structure would be estimated at around 20 hours.
