VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS STUDENT JOURNAL
MODULE ONE, IDEATION EXPLORING SKIN AND BONE NICOLE TAN 641433
VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS STUDENT JOURNAL
M1; THE NYLON KITE
INTRODUCTION Subject: Lightweight nylon kite that can be partially dismantled Materials: Nylon sheet, plastic ‘caps’, wooden rods, thread Manufacturer: Daiso Industries (Australia) Design: Lightweight skin and bone structure, triangular Evaluation: The kite is an example of a skin and bone structure which utilises tension to provide strength and stability. The ‘bone’ in this instance are the wooden rods that form a frame which the nylon ‘skin’ encloses. This is essential for the functioning of the kite as it allows for wind and air to be captured by the tensile skin which pushes the kite upwards. The string attached to the kite acts as an anchor as well as a steering mechanism for moving the kite. From the kite’s structure, we can gather that the skin and bone system is strong and stable. It is able to manipulate the air whilst using minimal materials to remain lightweight and hence is an effective design and construction system.
Description of how the object was measured: My measured drawings were done to a 1:5 scale similar to the drawings done by Ulrik Nordam of the garden chair and Claus BechDanielson of the office chair in ‘300 years of Industrial Design’. This method was followed because dimensions of the kite were too large to trace to fit onto a piece of paper. Thus, I used a ruler to measure the actual dimensions of the kite and its components and converted the values according to the 1:5 scale. I used the ‘backbone’ of the kite as a reference point to which the other edges were measured against to maintain the accuracy of my measurements and drawings. I also followed the drawing conventions present in the measured drawings in ‘300 years of Industrial Design’. For example, internal components of the system were represented as dotted lines whilst external edges were drawn as solid lines.
M1; THE NYLON KITE
VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS STUDENT JOURNAL
MEASURED DRAWINGS EXTERNAL WOODEN ROD IN LATERAL DIRECTION
USE OF THREAD TO FORM A ‘POCKET’
PLASTIC CAPS WHICH HOLD EXTERNAL WOODEN ROD IN PLACE
PLASTIC CAPS
INTERNAL ROD
ELEVATION DRAWING OF A NYLON KITE (base up)
EXTERNAL ROD
USE OF THREAD TO AFFIX DECORATIVE RIBBONS
PLAN DRAWING OF A NYLON KITE
SECTION DRAWING OF A NYLON KITE
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M1; ABSTRACTING
THE
KITE
WIND LOGIC
ANALYTICAL SKETCHES
As ‘300 years of Industrial Design’ explains, the choice of materials is extremely significant and especially nowadays, we deal largely with cheap synthetic materials (like ones used to make this kite). However, it is also important to understand that good design involves being considerate and understanding how things are used hence I explored the concept of wind logic of the kite through the following sketches. M A T E R I A L S :
WIND LOGIC The rods allow the soft material to withstand upward and downward pressure creating an ‘inflated’ section of the fabric. The triangular shape is also streamline and manipulates the airflow.
The nylon sheet is flimsy and needs a backbone to provide support and stability. Hence the rods act as a backbone and provide rigidity to the structure. The skin and bone concept allows materials to transform and display several combined properties like strength, flexibility, texture and geometry. It also displays elements of transformability. Without the central rod, the kite is able to be folded up however once it is added, the kite remains taut.
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M1;
USING
DIGITAL MODEL
BOTTOM FACE OF THE NYLON KITE
TOP FACE OF THE NYLON KITE
RHINO
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SKETCH MODEL
Week two’s lecture and studio captured the essence of transformability and a ‘changing form’. Our skin and bone system is never static and hence embody the concept of adaptability but also stability. The nylon kite was a very static structure and so through reconfiguring it, I attempted to create an object that transforms, moving between planes and changing shape to create a volume. Using pins, I created joints that could move whilst the string acts as a mechanism for which the movement can be induced. I maintained a wooden frame made from balsa wood as it was easy to handle and lightweight. The skin was made from paper.
M1; RECONFIGURING THE KITE
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M1; RECONFIGURING THE KITE TRANSFORMATIONS AND MOVEMENT
4 The final result is the ‘skin’ of the kite fully stretched out in tension as the frame extends outwards. The ‘X’ shaped joint is fully horizontal.
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3 The pulling of the string results in the movement of the kite’s joints and the extension of its frame. The ‘X’ shaped joint becomes horizontal as the string is pulled.
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1 The reconfigured kite first begins in a shape similar to the original where it is ‘2D’ and sits only on a single plane.
2 Just like the skin and bone system, the bones do not remain static and can be pulled using a string which results in the kite being transformed.
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SKETCH MODEL
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M1; RECONFIGURING THE KITE
SKETCH DESIGN IDEAS
The area of focus here is the backbone/spinal cord. It draws from the idea of ‘tailgating’ and creating a ‘space cushion’ as described in Sommer’s book Personal Space. Design idea draws from a dragon fruit as an artificial spine covers the back and wraps around the hip to feel protected.
Following the shape of a clam shell, I used the shoulder as a platform for holding up my design that partially obscures the face. Sommers Gathering from the Sommer’s reading, the face, and more importantly, eye contact drives the distinction between intimacy and distance and I want to play around with this idea.
Good, positive and comforting objects and actions bring people closer and hence drives my design to reduce personal space and individual distance. The circular edges provide the perception of safety (compared to pointed edges).