HOLLY SAUNDERS STUDENT NO. 583535
SEMESTER 1/2012 GROUP 7
My Design is based off the process involved in the Petrification of Wood. The Key Elements involved in this process are: Compression, Tetrahedral Environments, Organic Decay, Carbon Deposits and Permineralisation.
Of those concepts around the process, I explored different ideas and came up with different concepts. Many of which were unsuccessful. Permineralisation occurs when timber is felled and exposed to condensation and pressure which builds up mineral deposits as the organic matter decays. What you are left with is a gemmed replica of a tree. In the top right hand corner is an image of a stylised copper wire tree mounted on a piece of petrified wood. The piece was made by Judy Byington, who sells these clever sculptures online. It is titled “Petrified Wood-Juniper� and is available at: http://fineartamerica.com To the left is an image of a cross section of petrified wood. You can actually still make out the tree rings where the sediments have formed over time. This was sourced from: http://www.rainbowpetrifiedwood.com/
PETRIFIED WOOD
In exploring compression as a part of the petrification process I realised the concept was a very vast one to grasp. It was a bit of a challenge for me to narrow it down. Nevertheless, I did and it was a precursor to my synergetic outcome.
Above is a quick sketch of a stylized arrow representing two forces moving towards each other to create a sense of compression. Because they are identical it is intended that they equal each other in force. To the right you have circles and spirals complimented by the springs below. I have experimented with circular structures and cylinders to strengthen tensile bonds. I decided that I could elaborate further on this concept and so I developed further ideas to communicate a more abstract notion of compression, in order to symbolise one of the major processes petrified wood undergoes.
EXPLORING COMPRESSION
And so, compression rings were implemented into the project alongside other compressive elements. To the left, we see it being combined with a tetrahedron. Below we see the tetrahedrons as they join together. At this stage they are meant to be an external representation of compression as the pyramids and the concept of compression tie in unanimously.
I thoroughly explored the concept of cylinders, before looking to another design principal for inspiration. Compression is also something found in tetrahedrons.
Instead of cylinders I made the exterior angular, which allowed me to still implement compression rings on top for extra emphasis and aesthetic appeal.
The tetrahedrons were meant to overlap each other and strengthen the exterior, like in the example above. Instead when joining the hollow bits up I would run into some design problems getting them to mesh with each other. It would be later on that I would meld them with another concept explored over petrified wood before I came up with a viable way to tie the compressed tetrahedrons together.
I also revised and considered the possibility of implementing coils modeled off the spring examples I presented on the page prior. To the right you can see strips coiled around concept models which I was using to explore the concept of compression as my core process.
EXPLORING COMPRESSION
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Pressure was another concept I considered when brain-storming over the concept of compression. I found this overly difficult to represent however because most things that represent pressure also represent various other principals as well. Instead I explored it in the specific form of pinching and then opposing that with depression as seen with my tetrahedral concept.
Uysal Mehmet Ali - Pinching Earth Here we see a visual representation where compression is found in natural environment. This statue is clever in how it takes an every day item of artificial design and appears to stretch and distort the ground. This was most useful to me in identifying yet another way to manipulate the project in order to convey the desired traits and principles. It’s a clever yet only semi-abstract way to convey the concept of connecting something together. I do not endeavor to be this obvious in my design. Information acquired from: http://www.saatchionline.com/mehmetaliuysal
EXPLORING COMPRESSION
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Pixilation is a way of representing digital compression. The images below were a good example of pixilation in Sculpture.
The artist responsible for this artwork on the top left is unknown to me, although that doesn’t change the usefulness of this example. Pixels make up a very large portion of imagery in our digital era and so it’s not surprising that people would seek to portray art in this way. These sorts of artworks can be communicated very effectively despite their large components. Source acquired from: http://www.jeanniejeannie.com 2011.
In this sculpture designed by Douglas Coupland that sits outside the Convention Centre in Vancouver, I see digitalization of non abstract elements. This work helps me to explore the concept further and look at implementing sketched options to further implement compression in a more abstract way. Sourced from: http://www.weheart.co.uk/2010/07/28/digitalorca-by-douglas-coupland/
EXPLORING COMPRESSION
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To the left is an example of pixilation in architecture. This was designed by MVRDV and is labeled “The Cloud” after the pixilated cloud like expansion that only occurs half way up the towers and connects them. There is a little controversy over their uncanny resemblance to the World Trade Centre towers in New York at the point of impact on 9/11. I believe it’s a very good lesson to learn; that while many concepts are great to implement there needs to be some sensitivity and awareness when it comes to designing something so prominent.
To the right is my attempt to integrate pixilation and aforementioned triangles to answer my Natural Process. The greater aspects of it is in the triangular fixtures that sit in each other and interconnect, and in the ability to expel lots of light from between them. Probably the weaker aspects of it is that it only slightly answers decay and Permineralisation.
EXPLORING COMPRESSION
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Voussoir Cloud - IwamotoScott Architecture (Right) Arches are another form of compression and provide an aesthetic solution to bearing substantial loads. It was based off the Voussoir Bricks that are traditionally used in compression arches according to http://www.architectmagazine.com/engineering/voussoircloud.aspx?printerfriendly=true
I plan on trying to implement arches as it just about guarantees structural integrity and makes the model look good. It will also help me answer the compression aspect of my model.
EXPLORING COMPRESSION
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Tetrahedrons display compressive qualities and have great structural integrity. They are as important to the process of petrifying wood as much as compression is. To the right is the City Council Building in Tempe, Arizona. It not only adopts the inverted triangular exterior but also has a mass of windows that let a lot of light in, which is something I will explore later. Designed by architects Michael and Kemper Goodwin and completed in 1970/1. Sourced at: http://www.tempe.gov/historicpres/HE-HistoricEligible/CityHall.html To the left is My own development on tetrahedrons. I have thought to implement holes between tiles and create negative space to tie in with my next concept: Permineralisation and decay. The tetrahedrons were going to be overlaid on panneling before I decided it was too intricate and didn’t answer the process properly. In the bottom right hand corner I have included another example of Modern Architecture adopting Inverted Pyramids. This piece is the Victoria & Albert Museum in Scotland which was conceptualised by http://www.rex-ny.com/ This building also admits a lot of light and is designed specifically as a creative hub.
EXPLORING TETRAHEDRONS
After covering the concepts of Compression and Tetrahedrons, I moved to the concept of exploring the decay and Permineralisation that happens to the wood after it falls. I started to think about all the negative space that I would need to have in order to make an effective lantern and realised that it ties in really well with the concept of decay and the way that light reacts when it hits minerals. Therefore I opted to explore the different ways I could adapt holes in my work to demonstrate this concept. In the top right corner is a model lantern by http://www.etruxes.com/architecture/tapered-circles/ which more or less gives you an idea of how I wanted to incorporate the holes in my paneling. They developed these holes using the picture below.
What resulted from my research into this was a lot of experimentation with the way light plays off models and refracts off gloss and shiny things.
EXPLORING DECAY & PERMINERALISATION
From left to right I experimented with refraction to see if it was feasible. After colouring in the majority of an A4 page of paper black, I held it under the light but didn’t get the response I was after. I next covered it in craft glue and allowed that to dry with varying textures.
Before it had completely dried though I held it up under the light and was able to get refracted light off the page. This is what helped me establish that I only wanted a small portion of light to escape my lantern. By this stage I realized that I wanted to consider refraction as a property of Permineralisation. Realizing that I wasn’t going to get the effect I was after by refracting light down a long cylinder of paper, I decided to consider how I might overcome this obstacle.
EXPLORING DECAY & PERMINERALISATION
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I started to experiment with holes and applying them to paper and plasticine models.
EXPLORING DECAY & PERMINERALISATION
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I started to experiment with different styles to incorporate the concepts together. From Left to Right, the one on the left explores Compression in angles and layers, Organic Matter in the tendrils, Permineralisation and decay in the holes scattered about the model. But I wasn’t impressed with the aesthetics. The middle model explores decay in compressed layers but doesn’t answer the organic decay as there is really nothing organic to decay from.
The model on the right explores Tetrahedrons and Decay/Permineralisation but not so much Compression.
EXPLORING DECAY & PERMINERALISATION
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Just when I thought I was getting somewhere I brought my ideas to class and got valuable feedback. I wasn’t able to establish a sensible working model because I wasn’t considering all of the possibilities that would give me the most complementary form. That answer lay in the Radioisotope of Carbon. I decided to implement the graphed image of the radioactive isotope as shown below. This is what I came up with:
EXPLORING THE RADIOISOTOPE OF CARBON
Using the abstractions I was able to come up with from the Radioisotope Graph; I started to model a new lantern. This first image to the left was just the beginning‌
DEFINING THE ABSTRACTION OF PETRIFIED WOOD
…I had designed an answer to compression with arches, from which the light of the central shaft shines. I had answered decay with a tongue that represented the tree sap on the most organic section of the model while the tail was amassed in holes of decay. I had answered the question of the radioisotope with the paneling on which those holes sat and I had answered Permineralisation with the negative space and light that speaks of the jewels within…
DEFINING THE ABSTRACTION OF PETRIFIED WOOD
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springs ideas: http://www.masterspring.com/images/compression_springs(bjt042).gif Manganites and Cupite: (researching tetrahedral constructs which gave me an idea for my texture) http://sartbaeva.chem.ox.ac.uk/Research_component.html Inverted pyramids in architecture: http://inhabitat.com/the-victoria-albert-museum-as-a-daylit-inverted-pyramid/va-museum-at-dundee-by-rex-2/?extend=1 also: http://www.rex-ny.com/work/v-a-at-dundee http://www.tempe.gov/historicpres/HE-HistoricEligible/CityHall.html Tension and compression: http://www.mercedes-benzclassic.com/content/classic/mpc/mpc_classic_website/en/mpc_home/mbc/home/museum/impressions.flash.html and http://www.e-architect.co.uk/images/jpgs/stuttgart/mercedes_benz_museum_un131108_3.jpg Coils in structures: http://www.civilengineergroup.com/tension-compression-yin-yang-structural-engineering.html Examples of Petrified Wood: http://www.rainbowpetrifiedwood.com/ For the purposes of emphasizing the negative space in order to show degeneration of organic matter I have opted to introduce holes. These holes harbor the light and allow it to glow through.. this is sort of what I was thinking of. Sort of. http://www.etruxes.com/architecture/tapered-circles/ To explain the radioisotope of Carbon: http://www.yellowtang.org/images/carbon_isotope_b_c_la_784.jpg Pixelation http://www.weheart.co.uk/2010/07/28/digital-orca-by-douglas-coupland/ http://cdnimg.visualizeus.com/thumbs/2b/0d/compression,humour,motivational,poster2b0ded17843e7401263f6276ebbe5a63_i.jpg http://www.jeanniejeannie.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/pixelpour22.jpg http://inhabitat.com/the-cloud-mvrdvs-luxury-twin-towers-joined-by-a-lush-pixelated-cluster-in-seoul/the-cloud-mvrdv1/?extend=1
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