For this semester, I designed and fabricated a series of four Archetectonic Lamps, experimenting with different aesthetics, materials, and orientations. I utilized the lamp created at the end of last semester to serve as a prototype and starting point for creating this series. Initially, each light piece stood on its own. However, through the evolutionary process of creation, each piece ended up serving as a study in meditation.
prototype from previous semester
Research and Inspiration:
A collection of photos of light fixtures with compositions I was drawn to, and which I thought might translate well into modular compositions, can be found in this Flickr album. I then created rough sketches of about half a dozen different types of lamps, and met with Dr. Scott to discuss work processes, as well as what alternative materials and light fixtures might be available. I underestimated how beautiful some light bulbs can be, and found new materials with which I had not previously worked.
Serial Lotus:
Wall mount, gray- stained birch wood and bronze cast acrylic
I've wanted to work with plexiglass and light after seeing Dr. Scott's example last semester. I wanted to create a light piece that felt serene but also commanded attention. I thought it would be fun, visually, to layer wood and plexiglass in order to create an overall impression of a lotus flower with light emanating from the inside. For this, I utilized the serial slicing method, and built a box that ran through the mid layer to hold the light source. To create the lotus shapes, I made paths from different inspiration source images in Adobe Illustrator, then imported the paths into Rhino as curves. This design technique was taught to us during the Pepakura and Origami projects, though the physical build is set up like a serial slice. The cardboard prototype for this piece was very useful in designing the negative space that was needed to accommodate the light fixture in the mid panel.
^ scale image ^
Chandy:
Hanging, textured paint on hardboard with Shoji paper
The idea with this was to create a flourished silhouette of a chandelier as a radial rib and seat them around a small diameter cylinder. However, I could not hit this concept right on the scale that I wanted, so I designed decorative panels in lieu of the silhouettes. Again, I used Illustrator to create the fan shape and inner design, then imported it into Rhino. Once in Rhino, I was able to smooth out the rough paths of Illustrator's pen tool and rotate duplicates around a center column.
The prototype was where I made manual edits that I then carried over into the digital design. Some grillage was removed, the inner design was simplified, and a decision was made to sandwich Shoji paper (really pressed fiberglass) between the fan planes and give each plane more visual weight by doubling up the material.
Shoji Bell:
Hanging, hardboard with Shoji paper
I dearly wanted to make a softer light for a kitchen space, so I decided to play on the idea of a dinner bell. The overall shape had to be created in Maya, and once imported into Rhino the interior was Boolean differenced out. The original bulb for this piece was discarded once the cardboard prototype was assembled, along with some original grillage. To edit those manual changes digitally, I simply deleted the unneeded ribs and mended the notches with Boolean curves. I also adjusted the fixture openings to fit a standard socket, in lieu of the prototyped chandelier socket.
The Shoji paper interior was the result of design evolution and playing around with the prototype. The end result is a bit too nice for my kitchen, but it does transition well to an outdoor piece.
Nest:
Blue stain on birch wood with stainless steel wire
On its initial creation, this piece was going to stand very tall and have smooth lines that exaggerated the natural line of a forearm. The shaped was modeled in Maya by manipulating a cylinder and edge rotation. Once imported into Rhino, the light space was hollowed out and the model was again resized.
However, after handling the cardboard prototype, I felt it best to truncate the piece and play with the inner negative space as the concave part of a bird's nest. The lines on the truncated piece had a sci-fi look to them, and played well when the small globe light was placed inside, mimicking an egg. This globe light was originally meant for the Bell piece, but the prototypes allowed me the chance to preview possible extreme design changes. The nicest thing about this prototype process - the final layout design fits perfectly in a 24"x24" area, so I can cut 2 on every 2x4' sheet :)
^ scale image ^
Best lesson learned: cardboard prototypes were the best tools I had this semester!
'The prototype was where I made manual edits that I then carried over into the digital design.'
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