construction ‘Catch and Release’ , Minus Architecture Studio 2007, Southern Illinois This structure is digiitally fabricated with angles specific to location and time of day which are used to capture the sun. Solar capture louvers transmit energy to LED impregnated louvers which distribute the energy as light 12 hours later, resulting in a pulsing set of surfaces that catalogue the day’s solar gain.
I decided to look at some precedent projcets and structures to inspire the redigitisation of my lantern in order to generate a form I will be able to fabricate. The ideas I have taken and applied from this precedent is the open, intersecting ribbed form which although created from flat panels, conveys a curved and fluid form. Furthermore, the concept of light capture is interesting and has influenced the digitally precisioned angles in the fabricated structure. In contrast, my lantern will emit as opposed to capture light. It will be open and very luminous.
The Flux Exhibition at the California College of Arts focused showcased the emerging field of advanced digital design. The FLUX installation also explored the possibilities of parametric modeling using Grasshopper, Rhino and digital fabrication. Through the use of parametric modeling and a series of custom designed scripts, the installation design can be quickly updated to address new design criteria. From the thickness of the ribs to the overall twisting geometry and perforated skins, the spatial form of the armature is controlled through a complex set of relationships defined by its formal, performative, and fabrication constraints.
FLUX Exhibition, California College of Arts (2009)
Influence and interpretation of an open, intersecting ribbed structure on my own design and fabrication. This precedent is directly relevant to my own lantern design through the ribbed ‘snaking’ form, luminous lighting and also as a really inspiring example of the opportunities of parametric modelling and digital fabrication. I plan to utilise the lighting effect exhibited in this project and scatter the LED lights at different points along the ribs. This will offer concentrated points of glowing light creating an interesting contrast to other more shadowed patches of my lantern.