Design Principles, Architecture, Fall 2011

Design Principles is the first of three six-credit core students required of the major. The course is comprised of both second year undergraduate and first year graduate students.

The objective of this project was to define a mass created by found material, which would be transformed into a substance. My mass (or structure) was created from ornamental plastic balls covered with bird feathers. We were asked to develop a structure that fit snug inside a 12 bottle wine box, but could be slid in and out. We were encouraged to exploit the properties of our found material and explore intelligent ways of creating joinery systems. No adhesives were allowed.

Phase 1, Material Operations: The final material used to create the autonomous structure was achieved by disecting the balls into eighths and using 1/16" wire as a secondary material as a connection. This joint holds the blocks in tension. The joint system used to allow the structure to move horizontally back in space is the same as the system used to form the rectangular modules. However, these joints have been placed between every other module and the joint has been rotated 90 degrees. Once again, it is the force of the bent plastic pushing on the sides of the module that allow each block to retain its form and structural integrity. The principle strengthening system of the mass is based on the tension generated by the interlocking of the plastic feathered slivers. Allowing a notched panel of plastic to expand creates this force, which is used to join two side panels that create an organic type of module. This module then has the ability to be stacked according to a grid system. In order to move vertically, as well as horizontally, while still ensuring strength, each rectangular module must be joined together to form a rigid autonomous mass.

Organic massing of deconstructed plastic balls covered with feathers, created to fit perfectly into a wine box.

Connected only with a continuous shaped 1/16" metal wire.

13" x 13"

Slivers of plastic balls with feathers glued on top connected with 1/32" wire used as a module.
6" x 4"

1/8"=1'-0 Transverse Section
Graphite
17" x 24"

1/8"=1'-0 Cross Section
Graphite
17" x 24"

Phase 2, Spatial Operations: The objective was to combine the architectonics of the previous massings of the plastic slivers and wire with another student project which used a wire mesh and a metal looming pin. Together we created a module held together purely out of tension.