The Cage Prototype Pt 1

When the method of inflation was decided, we started experimenting with the expansion of the balloon in restricted spaces. The first experiment was a simple one of placing cable ties over a flat balloon, and then inflating it. The balloons, trapped under pressure of the cable ties, started taking sculptural shapes, deforming to fit the contraptions they were placed in.

Following the initial experiments, we decided to create a box which would help us explore the qualities of an expanding balloon trapped in an enclosed space in a more controlled manner. The box is enclosed from the top, bottom and from the sides, while the front and back are covered with corrugated PVC sheets. Plywood sides provided a solid base for the mechanical components outlined on the previous page, while the corrugated sheets were chosen because they provided transparency, as well as an interesting surface for the balloon to respond to. The circular shape of the corrugation was intended to simulate the behaviour of a balloon wrapping around the Bute’s columns. The bolts on in the front of the box allows the PVC sheet to be attached and detached quickly, as well as easily replaced with different fronts, therefore creating a bus modular system.

Looking at the result and consulting it after the presentation, we realised that the box, although creating a striking visual effect of a balloon trying to escape from a small box, did not translate the idea of a balloon warping around an object. The corrugation was too delicate, and the balloon quickly filled the space limited by the box walls, therefore not simulating Bute’s columns.

CAGE PROTOTYPE PT 1