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The Sun-Smart Collection
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Comfort X Design
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- Experience Architect -
The Cloud
Living in a new place is like walking in the cloud. Everything surrounding influxes to your sight and draws every single bit of your attention. Getting lost and trapped can be easy. It is of essence to keep yourself along the way and find yourself a way out.
This self-exploring project records and displays my past journey, where I strived to find my true self.
Project type: Interactive Sculpture Design
Location: Evanston, USA
My role: Individual Bootcamp Project
Skills: Rhino 3D modeling, Twinmotion rendering, physical prototyping, Arduino
Story
China, America, Japan, and Italy. Nanjing, Shanghai, Kyoto, Tokyo, St.louis, Evanston, and Florence. In the past 6 years, I have been studied, worked and lived in 7 cities, across 4 countries. Placing myself constantly in different environments can be both exciting and challenging. Everything surrounding can be stimuli distracting my attention and gradually pulling me away from my goal. Sometimes, I felt like there were thousands of me encircled, watching me and doubting my true being. I carried all of them and kept walking, to somewhere I don't know the exact destination. But what I have learned along the way is that, as long as I keep going forwards, exploring, learning and loving my own self, there will eventually be a way out and lead to where I am now.
Thus, inspired by my own experience, I designed an interactive physical device as my way of memorizing.
<Along my way> - Photo collage; Adobe Photoshop
Backgroud Story
Design
[Initial Idea - Dodecahedron]
Inspired by the parallel mirror system, I found out dodecahedron can form a spatial environment that each inner face creates multiple images which appear to be stretching to "infinity", if every inner face is made fully reflective material like mirror.
Individual
Molecular Structure - Organic growth
Ideation
Starting from one dodecahedron, I used grasshopper in rhino to make it grow randomly on randomly selected face within a 10"x10"x24" box frame. Through this approach, every dodecahedron has at least one face attached to another dodecahedron.
[Structure & Materiality - Connected & Infinite]
All dodecahedrons are connected. I used white bristol paper as exterior material and stick reflective mirror sheets inside. Thus, the inner space is infinitely reflective on every face but the outer appearance looks seamless. Some marginal dodecahedrons are poked holes as observing windows.
ME
<Thousands of me> model photo
Perspective view of physical model
The connectivity of the model has the meaning that whatever direction I choose to move forward, as long as I keep going, I will always find a way out and find my true self.
The model presents its spatial potential to stretch and grow to all directions. The triangular position of its three standing feet ensure its stableness no matter how far the branches extend.
Making process - Physical model photo & Digital rhino modeling
Application
[Interactive Device - Arduino]
To make it more interactive and to explore its further potential, I used Arduino as a tool to add some dynamical elements, such as lights and sounds. I designed a LED lighting system that allow user to change the color of the lights inside to create their personal visual experience.
Physical model & Video Recording
Application
I programmed the LED lights to change the colors randomly under a color series: purple, red, green, blue and yellow. Pressing the button to change the color is like opening a Christmas present. User will never know what color will come next and what visual effect will be like under the infinite reflection of the mirrors.
Photos of Mechatronic assembly and connections with the device
[Architecture - Human Scale]
What if the device becomes big enough that people can actually get in?
I extended my project to human scale, exploring its potential to be an interactive dwelling space. The architecture can embrace its playful nature to function as an urban amusement park for kids and families to enjoy their weekends. The voids created by its exterior structure welcome people to gather and have unexpected communications and interactions. Eventually, I wish it could become an urban highlight that revitalizes the city.
Kids are running around the "columns" and enjoying their weekends with friends.
Families and tourists take photos in front of this beautiful city landmark.
Friends have picnics under the shades.
The spatial occupation and expansion fill in the city vacancy and bridge communities.
Rhino Modeling & Twinmotion rendering
Programs happen inside of the architecture can be immersive and highly interactive. It provides experience that invade people's senses and brings them unparalleled emotional impact. By looking at millions of "selves" and programmatic visual effects around, people will learn to ruminate their existence in the world and reflect their relationship with surroundings.
Some simulated photos show potential interactive programs that could happen inside the building: digital projection & light installation.
Rhino modeling & Twinmotion rendering
[Photo Gallery of the Physical Model]
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