THE WOUND
Grotesque Within
THE TORTURED
INTRODUCTION
I am just a little flower I never asked to be special, never asked to be plucked from the earth But one day, they came for me They said I was beautiful They said I would make someone happy. And so, my life of quiet suffering began.
Now I am the tortured victim, aestheticized my suffering and served to fulfill human wishes, wash human guilt, decorate their gods, and soothe their souls This is what "torture" looks like?
The Prelude to “The Wound”
Cutscene Argument Video
Chiang Mai Design
SEVEN CRITICAL
STAGES
Desire for Externalization
In the world, there exist ephemeral, intangible, and elusive emotions such as love, loss, longing, desire, hope, closure, happiness, and sadness feelings that humans wish to touch, see, hear, and perceive tangibly.
Vessel of Expression
To prove the reality of these untouchable and invisible emotions, humans seek a medium capable of translating their feelings into forms, symbols, language, and signs that can be easily seen and understood
Human-Imposed Meaning
Flowers serve as empty vessels onto which humans impose subjective meanings, making them behave in a way that aligns with human desires, even though no inherent meaning has been given to them
However, this has led to problematic oversimplifications, such as “Roses mean romance ” and “Daisies mean happiness ” These subjective associations risk misinterpretation, reduce complex emotions to clichés, and limit genuine personal expression.
Hollowness
Human emotions are profoundly complex For example, when moving to a new school, one might say, “I’m excited ” However, the word “excited” alone cannot fully capture the entirety of the feeling, as one may also be scared, hesitant, or nostalgic to some degree When attempting to represent such invisible and intricate emotions through a single image of a flower, humans experience a sense of emptiness
Control and Transformation
This hollowness arises from unfulfilled desire, compelling humans to bridge the gap between what they wish to express and what can actually be expressed In pursuit of this ideal expression, flowers undergo constant shaping and alteration
The Language of Torture
As a result, the initial intention to express emotions becomes distorted Because abstract, complex emotions cannot be easily encapsulated in a single artificial form, the flower through human intervention becomes a symbol of forced meaning, turning it into a Language of Torture
Purposeful Commodification
Despite this incomplete translation, the beauty of these "tortured" flowers is commodified for various purposes economic, ritualistic, aesthetic, or functional ultimately serving human fulfillment
Chiang Mai Flower Festival 2024
MY ARGUMENT
“What we perceive beauty of flowers as purity, innocence or positive associations is in fact, its distorted beauty as the language of torture ” Khant Zay Paing
WHAT DOES TORTURE MEAN?
“Torture” in English dictionary refers to the act of causing severe physical or mental pain to someone Beyond harming, the word “torture” is to represent an object that is distorted from its original appearance
Nowadays, humans treat flowers not as natural beings but as tortured beings We no longer see the real flower but its distorted beauty (object appearing as flower but indeed, a torture) Wedding, celebration, festival, funerals, rituals and social procedure (for example, flower representing apologies) are the the language of torture
To call this as “flower”, this must has the characteristic of untouched, raw, authentic, natural and attached to the ground Flower
Torture
This object isn’t “flower” even though it looks alike It doesn’t have the quality untouched to be called “flower ” This object is “torture” because it was subjected to human desire to serve a specific purpose and completely transformed into the unalike form from its natural essence
Iris Florist, Chiang Mai
HOW DO PEOPLE TORTURE FLOWER?
Manipulating
Reshaping
Controlling
Re-engineering
Exerting-Power
Transformation
WHY?
The manipulation end when the human satisfaction reaches.
Final look/ form
Resulted
Tortured Distorted
Modified Altered
Human Desire to materialize/ externalize the intangible
1 Giving the meaning to the intangible eg roses means “ romance ” giving flower to show “love” or “ care ”
2 Giving the form to the intangible eg bonsai, the yearly controlled being to show “patience” ikebana, the intentional gap to show “ power ”
Nature - The degree of Torture = The Dark Side of Human
A MAP OF HUSHED SUFFERINGS
1: 500
Each pin of the zone represents a 100-meter diameter distance.
The more built-up the areas are, the greater the human interaction with flowers
Faculty of Architecture, Chiang Mai University
Wat Umong Temple
Galae Restaurant
Umong Hostel
The Baristro Asian Style
Vibrant Zone
Zone
Vibrant Zone
Zone
Vibrant Zone
DIFFERENT ZONES: THE OUTSIDE
When finding the cornerstone of this topic Torture, the Archcmu-Umong Axis is used as the sample to wholly reflect the brutal intersection of human power, control, and vulnerability, showcasing how these forces are exerted and explored towards nature The zones are marked based on flowers’ external characteristics, features, and looks, reflecting how society views flowers based on their outward beauty, the zones (Vibrant, Decaying, and Destruction) represent what is visible on the outside, without understanding the internal damage or manipulation After multiple site visits, each part of the site model is assigned to different zones based on the empirical observation gathering data through repeated observation, and inferring patterns based on the frequency or common occurrence of phenomena of how the external look of the flower appears
Vibrant Zone: How humans perceive the flower as vibrant, colorful, and fresh form
Decaying Zone: Intermediate state of slowly wilting flower where human intervention increases but human exposure decreases
Destruction Zone: The complete transformation where the dying flower is no longer admired by human
NOTE:
Not all Vibrant Zones are necessarily healthy, nor are all the Destruction Zones inherently toxic These zones merely reflect external appearances, highlighting how society tends to judge based solely on what is visible, ignoring the deeper or unseen effects
THE LEVEL OF TORTURE: THE INSIDE
The map invites the reader to consider the contrast between zones, even if they appear similar on the surface For example, two different Vibrant Zones may both seem colorful outwardly, but the one with less human interaction (from the urbanization on the site model) will have a lower level of torture compared to the other, where more human influence has towards the flowers Similarly, in the Destruction Zones, one with less human interaction may appear more natural, as the flowers could have died due to their natural life cycle (Birth>Growth>Death) In contrast, the other Destruction Zone with more human presence likely shows flowers that have been destroyed through direct human interference, indicating a higher level of torture This comparison emphasizes how external appearances can be misleading and the true effects of human interaction are often hidden beneath the surface.
Level 1: Subtle interventions or mild manipulation
Level 2: Pronounced human intervention to fit human expectations
Level 3: Significant disruption, pushing away from its original state
Level 4: Complete distortion and the breakdown of the flower
This map proves the tortured flower is caused by human intervention that alters and disrupts the natural life cycle (birth>growth>death), through both intentional actions that emerge and replace the natural progression during the growth phase
Manipulated Life Cycle
Birth>Growth (Tortured)>Death
THE TORTURED DICTIONARY
A: GARDENING TOOLS
Bulb Planter
To create a uniformed and controlled hole
Torture Degree: Level 1
Zone: Vibrant
Long Handled Planter
To separate the soil and the plant
Torture Degree: Level 1
Zone: Vibrant
Patio Weeder
To inflict through prolonged exposure
Torture Degree: Level 1
Zone: Vibrant
Draw Hoe
To trill soil and break up clumps of earth
Torture Degree: Level 1
Zone: Vibrant
Hand Fork
To aerate soil in confined space
Torture Degree: Level 1
Zone: Vibrant
Daisy Grabber
Designed to selectively pick flowers to control
Torture Degree: Level 1
Zone: Vibrant
Trowel
To garden plant and manipulate soil
Torture Degree: Level 1
Zone: Vibrant
Dethatching Rake
Used to disrupt the unwanted growth
Torture Degree: Level 1
Zone: Decaying
Grandpa Weeder
Used for removing weed with deep roots
Torture Degree: Level 1
Zone: Vibrant
Lawn Rake
To sweep away the unwanted things
Torture Degree: Level 1
Zone: Vibrant Decaying
Dandelion Weeder
Designed for altering the dandelion
Torture Degree: Level 1
Zone: Decaying
Soil Rake
To tear through soils and remove debris
Torture Degree: Level 1
Zone: Vibrant, Decaying Destruction
Dutch Hoe
To slice through weeds just below the soil surface
Torture Degree: Level 2
Zone: Vibrant
Hand
Cultivator
Onion Hoe
To maintain the deliberate order in row
Torture Degree: Level 2
Zone: Vibrant
To disturb and loosen soil, making more pliable for planting
Torture Degree: Level 2
Zone: Vibrant
Ring Hoe
Designed for narrow furrows
Torture Degree: Level 2
Zone: Vibrant
Lawn Aerator
To achieve temporary soil health
Torture Degree: Level 2 Zone: Decaying
Edging Iron
Used for sharp, controlled boundaries often imposing an unnatural division in the landscape
Torture Degree: Level 3
Zone: Vibrant, Decaying
Dibber
Used for organization by creating consistent planting depths and patterns
Torture Degree: Level 2
Zone: Destruction
Border Spader
To create rigid boundaries between plant beds and other areas
Torture Degree: Level 3
Zone: Vibrant,
Used to limit the natural spread of plants
Torture Degree: Level 3
Zone: Vibrant
Pitch Fork
Used to uproot and rearrange the contents
Torture Degree: Level 3
Zone: Destruction
Pole Pruner
Used for extraction to control plant’s height and form
Torture Degree: Level 3
Zone: Vibrant, Destruction
Swoe
B: PESTICIDES OF HUMANIZED TOXINS
Insecticides
Used to eradicate and eliminate pests, by disrupting the eco ogical balance
Torture Degree: Level 2
Zone: Vibrant
Hebicides
Used to wipe out unwanted vegetation
Torture Degree: Leve 3
Zone: Vibrant
Used to suppress pests, altering the natural harmony
Torture Degree: Level 3
Zone: Vibrant
Designed for instantaneous death, ruining the natural cycle
Torture Degree: Leve 4
Zone: Vibrant
Neem
Pyrethin
C: OVERPROTECTIVE TOOLS
TIes
Designed to restraint plant direction
Plastic Bags
Torture Degree: Level 3
Zone: Vibrant
Metal Watering Can
Designed for forced sustenance
Torture Degree: Level 2
Zone: Decaying
Used to overprotect by suffocating the plant
Torture Degree: Level 3
Zone: Vibrant
Container
To confine the plant
Torture Degree: Level 3
Zone: Vibrant
Watering Can
To nourish artificially
Torture Degree: Level 3
Zone: Vibrant Decaying
Gloves
To shield humans for their own safety
Torture Degree: Leve 3
Zone: Destruction
Bud Net
To achieve restriction
Torture Degree: Leve 3
Zone: Vibrant, Decaying
Transporting/ Boxing
To achieving commodification
Torture Degree: Level 4
Zone: Vibrant
D: SCISSORS AND KNIVES
Bypass Pruners
Designed for precision
Torture Degree: Level 2
Zone: Vibrant
Snips
Designed for cutting thin branches
Torture Degree: Level 2
Zone: Decaying
Grass Shear
Used for cutting grass or trimming lawns
Torture Degree: Level 2
Zone: Vibrant
Floral Scissors
Used in flower arrangement
Torture Degree: Level 2
Zone: Vibrant Decaying
Bonsai Scissor
Designed for bonsai careful craft
Hedge Shear
Used to cut and shape hedges or shrubs
Torture Degree: Level 3
Zone: Vibrant
Topiary Shears
Electric Prunner
Designed for intricate cut
Torture Degree: Level 3
Zone: Vibrant
To inflict amputations
Torture Degree: Level 3
Zone: Vibrant
Anvil Pruners
Designed for motorized precision
Torture Degree: Level 3
Zone: Vibrant
Knife
To refine edges with control
Torture Degree: Level 3
Zone: Vibrant
To efficiently cut woody branches
Torture Degree: Level 3
Zone: Vibrant, Decaying
To dominate over the existence Torture Degree: Level 3
Zone: Destruction
Prunner
To cut in a more specific and intentional action
Torture Degree: Level 3
Zone: Vibrant, Decaying
Bow Saw
To inflict significant deep cuts
Torture Degree: Level 4
Zone: Vibrant
Sickle
Prunning
Billhook
E: AESTHETIZING ITEMS
Ribbon
Used to mask the rawness of nature with artificial embe ishment
Torture Degree: Level 1
Zone: Decaying
Spray Shine
Used to polish the imperfection
Torture Degree: Level 1
Zone: Decaying
Wrapping
Used to achieve encapsulation
Torture Degree: Level 1
Zone: Decaying
Floral Pins
Floral Tape
Designed for binding, artificially securing
Torture Degree: Level 1
Zone: Decaying
Used for stability, forcibly anchoring plant elements into predetermined positions
Torture Degree: Level 2
Zone: Decaying
Crowded Vase
Designed for compression overwhelming the natural form by cramming flowers together
Torture Degree: Level 2
Zone: Destruction
Glue Gun
Designed for adhesion
Torture Degree: Level 2
Zone: Decaying
Used for immobilization
Torture Degree: Level 2
Zone: Decaying Destruction
Flower Crown
Designed for display
Used for enclosing plants in an artificial environment
Torture Degree: Level 4
Zone: Decaying
Torture Degree: Level 4
Zone: Decaying
Used to preserve, halt natural decay and freeze life in a suspended state
Torture Degree: Level 4
Zone: Decaying
Floral Foam
Terrarium
Freezer
F: LANGUAGE
Urns
To hold remnants or symbols of life in a permanent enclosure
Torture Degree: Level 2
Zone: Destruction
Mother’s Day
To achieve gratitude, affection to honor maternal love
Torture Degree: Level 4
Garland
To symbolize celebration, ritual, or adorning
Torture Degree: Level 2
Zone: Destruction
Valentine Day
To achieve romance
Torture Degree: Level 4
Christmas Wreath
Used to achieve welcoming, unity and celebration
Torture Degree: Level 4
Wedding
To represent purity and the beginning of new life
Torture Degree: Level 4
Coffin
To achieve mourning, respect, and remembrance
Torture Degree: Level 4
To exchange flower as currency for wishes
Torture Degree: Level 4
To use the flowers as offerings to invite spiritual protection and blessings
Tort
FLOWERS ARE MEANT TO RHYME WITH TORTURE
The bold keywords from The Tortured Dictionary guide the reader through the pr revealing each tool’s impact that alters the natural state of flowers These tools a representation of brutal power humans exert over nature, forming a syst interference that distorts, controls, and forces nature into prescriptive states Ultim these keywords create a network of connections, exposing how human a manipulate and torture nature, disrupting its life cycle
Behind the flowers we see every day, we often overlook the countless tools u mold them to our expectations In the end, we no longer recognize the flower i only the final form it has been forced into, whether in a wedding arrangement or a
Conceptual Drawing
Discarded
To signify impermanence ending, and the transience of beauty
Sacred
Spirit House
THE GAME OF FLORAL TAROT
INSTRUCTION
1 Select your desired items from categories A to E
2 Note the torture degree (1-4) and zone (Vibrant, Decaying, Destruction) for each item
3 Identify the common zone: the most frequent zone (inc ude all if there s a tie)
4 Calculate your torturing score: add up the levels of the 5 items
5 Find your message based on your common zone and torturing results
EXAMPLE:
Category A: Hand Fork (Vibrant, Level 1)
Category B: Insecticides (Vibrant, Level 2)
Category C: Bud Net (Vibrant and Decaying, Level 2)
Category D: Destruction (Destruction, Level 3)
Category E: Crowded Vase (Destruction, Level 2)
Category F: Wedding (Level 4)
Common Zones: Vibrant | Sum of Torturing Scores: 1+2+2+3+2+4 = 14
Your message: “Your flower fully captures the reduction to remnants, the erasure of identity "
Your Final Scores of Total Torture
Your Final Zones
Vibrant
"Your f ower fully captures "
Decaying
"Your f ower is s owly holing on "
Destruction
"In its ruin your flower disintegrates "
Vibrant, Decaying Destruction
"Caught between vitality and decay, your f ower reveals "
Vibrant, Decaying
"Your once-vibrant flower form now displays ”
Vibrant, Destruction
"Brilliant yet fractured, your flower endures "
Decaying, Destruction
"In its final stages, your flower holds "
Score 10: " the complete undoing of its form "
Score 11: " the progressive loss of its original form "
Score 12: " the transformation into something broken and fractured "
Score 13: " the diminishing of its essence, barely recognizable "
Score 14: " the reduction to remnants, the erasure of identity "
Score 15: " the utter loss of form, a shadow of its former self "
Score 16: " the fragmentation of its being, the destruction of its core "
Score 17: " the shaping of its surface preserving some purity "
Score 18: " the subtle disruption of its structure, yet stil intact "
Score 19: " the irreparab e harm, the fight to stay whole "
Score 20: " the complete obliteration of its essence "
Score 21: " the mild alteration, the delicate shift of form "
Score 22: " the torture to the point of comp ete loss of identity "
Score 23: " the forced adaptation, the loss of essential qualities "
Score 24: " the utter annihilation of what once was "
Wat Umong Temple
THE TORTURED FLORA
DEPARTMENT
This series dissects the ways in which flowers are manipulated, reshaped, and repurposed no longer living beings, but vessels of human intent This department unveils the silent suffering beneath their beauty, questioning whether what we admire is nature itself or the mark of its distortion
This department declassifies insights into the societal, economic, cultural, aesthetic, religious, symbolic and functional purposes that drive floral exploitation
Traces of Humans Intervention onto Flowers
Galae Restaurant
Flowers become an enhanced items for human photogenicity This turned into a mere show to attract costumers and as decorations
The scent of flowers are lost due to being put all together in one place
Chiang Mai Flower Festival 2024
Galae Restaurent
Flowers showing how hard it is to achieve human brutal satisfaction
Flowers being preserved or sustained to stay fresh to play humans wishes much longer
Dyed roses suggesting artificiality, control, or the desire to preserve beauty in a specific form to erase imperfecion
Eternal roses are preserved flowers that maintain their beauty and freshness for months or years without water or care, unlike fresh roses that only last a few days.
Iris Florist, Chiang Mai
Flowers as religious propaganda that injects the extreme belief by turning nature into a tool for devotion, obedience, and moral narratives
Their assigned meanings in rituals reinforce faith, divine authority, and spiritual hierarchies
One Market, One Nimman, Chiang Mai
Flowers in an economic context reflect massproduction to meet market demands. Stripped of their natural cycles, they become disposable commodities, their worth dictated by trends, seasons, and commercial expectations rather than their intrinsic existence
Hang Dong
EXTERNAL CASE STUDIES
Ikebana
While Ikebana honors simplicity and harmony, it also exposes how flowers are forced into these ideals, revealing a "language of torture " The controlled placement of each stem reflects human dominance over organic growth
Bonsai
Aging in Bonsai is manipulated by human control, creating trees that appear old but are severed from natural cycles, making aging a symbol of domination. What seems like patience and care is, in reality, a slow, deliberate form of confinement
Fake Flowers
Driven by a desire for permanence, fake flowers reject decay, offering aesthetics over authenticity. They embody human efforts to reshape reality, distorting nature’s imperfections and cycles In the pursuit of everlasting beauty, they erase the very essence of life itself
Photos Credits to the Respected Owners
The Language of Flowers
Originally meant to convey emotions, floral language reduces flowers to fixed meanings, stripping them of their natural identity Roses become love, lilies symbolize purity, yet these rigid associations erase the complexity of both nature and human emotion Instead of allowing flowers to exist as they are, they are forced into human-imposed narratives, making them instruments of expression rather than living beings
Photo Credit to the Respected Owner
PLANTS CAN SCREAM
WHEN STRESSED
New research by Professor Yossi Yovel at Tel Aviv University reveals that plants emit ultrasonic sounds when stressed by water shortage or physical injury These highpitched sounds are undetectable by human ears A stressed plant released between 30 and 50 popping or clicking sounds an hour at random intervals, but unstressed plants made many fewer sounds about one an hour
In order to address “Torture” in my project, one must suffer. This above discovery by Professor Yossi Yovel at Tel Aviv University strengthens that flowers are tortured but we can’t hear the cry of them.
Listen to the Clicking Sounds: https://youtu be/hOWaXi0I2YE
Prof Lilach Hadany Credits: Tel Aviv University
Cactus plant with Microphones Credits: Tel Aviv University
Sounds below 20 Hz are considered infrasonic, while sounds above 20 kHz are ultrasonic, which are inaudible to the human ear
Drawing
Illustrative
Picture of Argument Writing
Counter-argument
Some may hold the belief that flowers are simply cared for and should take pride in their treatment. True appreciation would mean letting them exist as they are, not as we want them to be The idea that human care elevates flowers assumes that beauty and worth are only validated through human recognition yet flowers existed long before us, thriving without our intervention. Perhaps it is not flowers that should feel honored, but humans who should question their need to conquer nature to find meaning
If flowers are truly proud of human care, we must question why, when giving flowers, humans never choose the decayed ones over the aesthetically perfect, decorated ones Both are flowers, yet one is deemed unworthy due to its natural decay This preference highlights that what we value is not the essence of the flower, but how it fits into our controlled narrative of beauty, perfection, and symbolism. The true nature of flowers, untouched by human hands, challenges the very foundation of our desire to impose meaning on them
Design Abstract Sketches
THE UN-BOUQUET
Humanity's relationship with nature is tragically destructive We kill living things and then decorate our homes with their dead bodies, a practice normalized for centuries We even give these lifeless things to the dead bodies, a meaningless gesture, benefiting no one This “killing nature” celebration stems from the arrogant belief that the Earth is ours to dominate
True appreciation means leaving nature undisturbed If a flower is blooming, let it bloom and spread its fragrance. Imbue yourself with its beauty in its natural context. Why kill it? Instead, carry the memory of that encounter home with you
Killing nature is killing ourselves.
This project aims to transform our perception of flowers, from beautiful ornaments to living beings that are worthwhile in themselves We need to challenge cultural assumptions that commodify nature and distort it under the guise of care This negates the impulse to control, manipulate, and possess what must be free Instead of eschewing rot, we can start to view the entire life cycle of the flowers By diverging from traditional conventions, and being more present, we can re-evaluate and cultivate a more respectful, more real rapport with nature through our realization of how bad we already have done to nature.
Design Thinking
Thematic Approach (method that connects multiple areas of the curriculum around a central theme) is practiced in this project’s design thinking stage Instead of selecting one issue in the floral topic, this project explores the experience and the mechanism, the process of materializing the intangible The design allows people to engage in a participatory act, reshaping and altering its form. The final shape they create reflects the behavior they have applied to it, serving as a trace of humanity's darker impulses and inner desires toward nature. Additionally, the design offers a flowercentered perspective, providing an intimate view from within
To allow people to easily shape and alter the design by hand through actions like twisting, breaking, bending, and compressing mirroring the behavior of tools used on flowers Aluminum Flat Wire is suitable as it is malleable, allowing fragments to form flexible, reshaped structures.
Since I want to offer a sensory experience, the aluminum mesh enhances the trace As the wire is shaped, the mesh will respond by swelling and rising, much like yeast reacting This allows people to visibly see their translation of behavior in a more tangible form
Malleab e Form by Aluminum Flat Wire
Watch Malleable Form Watch Testing
Aluminum Mesh and Wire Testing
DESIGN
DEVELOPMENTS
First Model
This allows me to see how the tension of mesh happens with the help of fishing rope and wooden structure
Second Model
This confirms if the alternative material in the place of mesh swells the traces of manipulation greater or lesser
Elevation View
Third Model
This one, a sculpture-like piece, potentially explores the small fragments, suggesting many of these small pieces will be attached in the real design space
MORE TESTINGS
Designing a regular shape and allowing it to deform would offer only a one-time experience In contrast, an irregular pattern ensures continuous interaction without requiring users to know its original form. Whatever state they perceive becomes the "original" in their cognitive experience, making the act of reshaping an ongoing exploration rather than a single moment of transformation
Initial Idea: Series of Stacked Malleable Forms to Create Space
STAGES OF MAKING
RANDOM BUT ORDER IRREGULAR 3D FORM
The longest one has 4 holes
The middle one has 3 holes
The shortest one has 2 holes
Connecting these different wires randomly creates the order
Irregular Pattern Inspiration
1 Cutting The Wire in Three Different Length
2 Drilling Different Number of Holes depending on Different Length
5kg Metal in Total
Aether Organ
Aether Organ is the connected different length of wires that forms orderly irregular malleable form, capable of being altered, adjusted and deformed by humans
the punctured and drilled wires by rivets
Alchemic Bone
To make the Aether Organ flexible and deformable, it needs a strong framework something rigid enough to support twisting and bending the entire form This structure will anchor the organ while allowing fluid manipu ation
Beyond function, I want the design to have its own body organs and skin as if alive heightening the user's sense of torturing the living
The Mock-up 1:10 Scale Model
STAGES OF MAKING
THE STRUCTURE
For the framework, the aluminum steels are cut into 108 pieces that have different lengths and slants The 108 pieces are categorized into 10 different groups
GROUPS:
A: 0 6 Meters Long, 15 Degrees Slant (one side) x 9 pieces
B: 0 45 Meters Long 45 Degrees Slant (one side) x 9 pieces
C: 0 3 Meters Long, 75 Degrees Slant (one side) x 9 pieces
D: 0 6 Meters Long, 75 Degrees Slant (one side) x 9 pieces
E: 0 45 Meters Long, 15 Degrees S ant (one side) x 9 pieces
F: 0 3 Meters Long, 45 Degrees Slant (one side) x 9 pieces
G: 0 6 Meters Long, 45 Degrees Slant (one side) x 9 pieces
H: 0 45 Meters Long, 75 Degrees Slant (one side) x 9 pieces
I: 0 3 Meters Long 15 Degrees Slant (one side) x 9 pieces
J: 0 5 Meters Long, 60 Degrees S ant (both sides) x 27 pieces
Group J has slants in both sides
The Group J was welded and turned into 9 triangles for the base of the structure
Examples of how Group A-I look like
Alchemic Bone
Alchemic Bone
The Pattern of Welding Each Piece of Steel with Another:
The structure technique is borrowed from the ikebana flower arrangement, basing three flowers in triangle point The arranged three flowers lengths and tilts are different as well Shin the tallest, represents heaven; Soe, the middle symbolizes humanity; and Hikae, the shortest, signifies earth together forming balance and harmony The cut slants automatica y position the desired angles I want I want to achieve the sense of hierarchy and extreme force how the steels are forcibly welded into specific angles that seems imperfect but aesthetica y beautiful
Watch Making Alchemic Bone
Group A piece to Group E piece
Group B piece to Group F piece
Group C piece to Group D piece
Group D piece to Group C piece
Group E piece to Group A piece
Group F piece to Group B piece
Group G piece to Group F piece
Group H piece to Group D piece
Group I piece to Group E piece
FINAL TOUCH
Alchemic Bone+Aether Organ
Attaching the Aether Organ to the Alchemic Bone
Arcane Skin
Attaching the aluminum mesh called “Arcane Skin” to the Aether Organ
Alchemic Bone + Aether Organ + Arcane Skin = Full Alive Body
MATERIALS
Aluminum Flat Wire Aluminum Wire Mesh
Easily bent by hand, and adapts to various forms
Contracts with interaction, enhancing visual depth
Stainless Steel
Provide strong framework for Wire and Mesh
Only aluminum is used, but in three different forms, reflecting how flowers are transformed into various states As an industrial, man-made material, aluminum invites interaction and deformation, allowing people to manipulate and alter their own material
Glow Paint
Thermochrom c Paint
Absent Blood
Thermochromic red paint coats the mesh, vanishing with heat to expose hidden wounds By day, it stays vibrant, concealing damage; by night, it turns bloody, revealing unseen pain This shift mirrors our blind neglect of nature’s suffering, only visible in darkness its pain only emerging when the world sleeps
Day and Night Difference
Thermochormic Testing
LOCATION
The project is strategically placed in a high-traffic walking path, ensuring that people must interact with it as they move through. This participatory interaction forces engagement, making the structure an unavoidable part of the journey
The site, partially shaded by large trees, receives shifting sunlight throughout the day, casting dynamic shadows on the mesh This everchanging light activates the thermochromic paint, causing colors to appear and disappear in fleeting moments, making the surface feel alive and responsive to both human presence and natural conditions
SCALE DRAWINGS
Plan View: 1 : 10
Interaction: As people walk through, their movements pushing bending, or touching alter the aluminum mesh leaving marks and shaping the wall as a memory of their interaction
13 Meters
Side View Elevation: 1 : 10
Entrance Exit
People’s interaction through participatory act in the space
Side View Section
1 7 Meters
Front Elevation View Section
Front Elevation (Entrance)
Back Elevation View Section
Back Elevation (Exit)
2 13 Meters
2 13 Meters
Exit, Back View
Entrance, Front View
PHYSICAL
FEATURES
Watch How People Alter the Space As They Pass Through
Abesent B ood
Bruises
MULTI-SENSORY
EXPEREINCES
From the Viewpoint of Walker
The Alchemic Bone, the distorted structure forces the walker to navigate through specific positions, mirroring how we manipulate flowers into fixed forms As they move, the sound of steel and wire grinding against each other intensifies the confinement and discomfort of the space. This creates a heightened awareness of each step and the force exerted, ultimately guiding the walker to adopt a flower-centered viewpoint, where they are confronted with the impact of their own movements on the form
Forced Positions of Walker
Watch How People Walk
THE WOUND
Grotesque Within
Beware of Nature: We, humans, look at flowers and see beauty as purity and innocence because that’s only because we ’ ve been trained to In reality, what we perceive as “natural beauty” is a lie, one that has been carefully constructed, manipulated, and reshaped to fit our desires Not only flowers are exploited by our brutal actions, but also, this project underlines what we have also done to the whole nature, such as cutting trees for furniture, or consuming excessively the natural resources This space called “The Wound” is not meant to be healed but meant to be seen, which invites the human to see the light through the wall of mesh, recording the memory of our cynical intervention with nature
Feel the space press against you as you press against it. There is no easy passage, only the path your body carves. Twist, bend, and let the structure resist you Let the guilt consume you As you leave The Wound, you will remember The Scar
"Thank
you for leaving your mark The wound remembers "
By Khant Zay Paing
