Project 1: Spatial experiences
3rd Feb | Initial Exploration
For this project, we were tasked with designing 3 different modules and connecting those singular modules to create one bigger module, which is basically a 3D structure. For the initial exploration, we were told to use 10–15 modules to create the 3D structure. The use of adhesives was not allowed, only using small slits in the modules.
My idea with this initial exploration was to try out both chipboard and cardboard and see which one would be better to use in this context. After trying them both, I decided to use chipboard since it is easier to cut in comparison to cardboard making the process a bit easier. For my modular shapes, I came up with a few designs and I decided to go with the basic ones first and give myself a chance to explore the workings of chipboard.
As you can see, these shapes are pretty basic, which was intended on purpose so I could easily explore how to connect these shapes to create the 3D structures.
As you can see, all the modules are interlocked through slits on both ends in each 3D structure because I did not realize we could instead connect some of the modules on the sides instead of using the slits. So that is definitely something I want to try for next class. I think that would allow me to introduce some natural curves in the structure and make it more dynamic and natural. Another thing I would like to do is use my bone folder to add some bends in the modules and try to introduce curves that way.
8th Feb |
After watching my peer’s models in class and the discussions we had, I was able to get a better idea about the expectations of this project and how I wanted to approach the prompt in a more conscious and informed manner. The feedback I received in class was about making my modules more dynamic just like I had expected and one of the methods to achieving that is scoring so I started to brainstorm potential module designs that could have a dynamic aspect to them.
My new module design that had curves and also a scoring aspect that would make it more dynamic and organic. The idea was that the curves in the module would allow for an organic bend in the structure and give it a natural vibe. The second module design was basically a hollowed out circle as seen on the top right on my sketchbook page. I thought this shape would compliment the initial module design. After experimenting with these module designs for a while and designing different iterations, I decided to cut the chipboard and see where it goes from there.
As soon as I cut these pieces out, I realized that this was not a good idea but just to make sure I cut out a couple more pieces and tried to connect them together. Soon, it was clear that these module designs do not go well together so I completely dropped the idea of incorporating organic curves and bends into my structure. Rather, I decided to look up some environmental designs online in the hope of getting some inspiration. After conducting some research, I decided that I want my structure to have geometric and “futuristic” aesthetic. This was decided after looking at google images that related to the terms like “futuristic architecture”. Below are some images that I took inspiration from in my research:
The idea of the space being futuristic and having sharp angles was more appealing to me than a space having organic bends. I knew that if I make my space geometric I would still need to find out a way to incorporating some dynamic aspects into it and make the space unpredictable and joyful rather than just a few symmetric boxes.
After exploring and brainstorming module designs for a while, I decided on a particular shape that I wanted to use: Parallelogram. This shape has some nice geometry to it but I realized that it is not as predictable as a square/rectangle and I could score the center of the shape in order to bend it and make it dynamic.
After deciding on the parallelogram shape, I gave it a few modifications like an angled cut etc. Before I started cutting out the shape, I needed to make sure that the cutouts would be consistent therefore I created a grid on the chipboard that would ensure that the shapes are similar in terms of dimensions and angles.
While I was cutting out these shapes, I also came up with the second module design that would compliment the first one.
After creating the grid for both designs, I cut out 18 individual modules each of both designs. After cutting these out, I started putting them together in different ways.
This outcome was created purely through experimentation and trying different joining angles and techniques. In all honesty, I kind of like how this turned out because it has a “maze” like feeling to it and a lot of possibilities for people to interact with it in different ways. The structure has varying levels of elevation, different angles, its unpredictable and not too static. There’s is definitely room for improvement since I think that the current design is a bit too expansive and could maybe be brought a little together.
After analyzing this structure, I choose the verb “PLAY” since PLAY incorporates verbs like jumping, climbing, sitting, walking etc. and I think that the structure allows for all those interactions to take place. Another important aspect of this structure is the ability for people to take shelter under one of the pieces during the event of rain or bad weather.
10th Feb |
In the next steps, we were assigned to explore colors for our structures and experiment with different lightings. Since my structure was a futuristic geometric playground for children, I wanted it to have a cheerful, inviting and a vibrant aesthetic. I started off researching what color schemes playgrounds have and I found a color trend in most playgrounds with red, green, yellow and blue being the most prevalent. The following playground images represent the colors that were most common across all images:
Next, I did some research on which colors are the most cheerful and playful and the following images informed my decisions:
After doing this research, I chose yellow and red since they were the most appealing to me in the context of my structure. To color the modules, my initial idea was to print out the module shape in the color of the red and yellow and then cut those shapes and paste them on the modules. To do this, I designed the modules on illustrator and the following are the illustrator files:
After printing these shapes out and trying to paste them onto the modules, I was utterly disappointed with the result so I gave up the idea of pasting the colors onto the modules and decided to paint them instead. Although I would not be able to undo the painting like I could do with the pasting, I decided to go through with it because it would be much more efficient and also much better in terms of quality and sophistication. For the painting, I did not have the color yellow, only red and golden so I decided to use those instead.
I painted the bigger modules red since I wanted red to be my primary color and the smaller modules golden since I wanted some accents of gold in my structure to make it more appealing and not too consistent/predictable. The gold paint turned out to be better than I had expected it to but I would still definitely prefer yellow since golden also kind of makes the structure look a bit adult-ish which is something I don’t necessarily want.
During the re-assembly of the structure, I made a few minor changes in the placement of the modules and made the structure a bit more like a playground. I also experimented with lighting and the different angles of lighting and how it impacts the perception of the structure.
Photos of different angles of lighting / surfaces:
When I angled the lamp from top-down to simulate the sun high up in the sky, the structure created strong shadows that could serve as a resting place for people during sunny hours. I also angled the lamp on the sides of the structure to simulate sunrise-sunset hours and these angles created diffused soft shadows. This experimentation definitely helped me confirm that my structure can be interacted with at all times during the day since the modules can be used as a place to rest under during really sunny or rainy days.
13th Feb |
After having in-class discussions with my peers and professors, I decided to modify some elements of my modules. First, I painted the edges of the modules since I had forgotten to do so before; this would help make the modules more sophisticated and finished and get rid of the bare / raw look it seemed to have in some areas.
Next thing I did with my modules was paint them once more with the red paint. I did this because I wanted to give them a brighter / more vibrant feel and I thought that painting them once again would achieve this and help my structure feel more cheerful and joyful.
While I was painting my modules, I also decided to make the slits a bit deeper and wider because I was having troubles interlocking them in the previous iterations. By making the slits deeper, my structure would have more stability and the modules would be harder to disassemble, which is a feature I need since my structure’s design is spread out and open.
Photos of structure after all the modifications:
For the 3 adjectives to describe my structure, I chose - “playful”, “modern”, and “puzzling”. I want this place to serve as a parkour like obstacle course for children where they are required to jump/climb/walk/crawl etc. in order to navigate through the place, henceforth my verb is “play” as I mentioned before.
Next, I asked 4 non-design people to describe the place to me and what they would do in the place, how it makes them feel, etc. and the following are their responses:
Friend 1: “This feels huge and something from the future.. I feel like I would just love to walk around this place. It also looks like a jungle jim so I also see myself going crazy and running everywhere”
Friend 2: “I get a feeling of disorientation from this place..It feels really unusual but beautiful at the same time. I’d definitely do some parkour in it and chill and explore. I don’t know why but the red also gives me a bit of anxiety ”
Friend 3: “This is a parkour wonderland.. The red makes it feel like a giant colosseum of energy and it feels really fun to run across.”
Friend 4: “I feel confused in this place.. the red reminds me of fire or lava floor. It also gives me a large maze like feeling.. I’d probably like to walk and explore this place”
These opinions were pretty much consistent with the mood I was going for as they all mentioned words that I have been using throughout the project. One interesting outlier was the word “anxiety” because of the red which was interesting to hear and it goes to show how people perceive the same color in different ways. This is something I definitely want to address in my next iteration because I do not want my structure to feel anxiety inducing for anyone.
17th Feb |
The feedback from in-class discussions and Q also revolved around my use of color in the structure and Q felt that the red and golden made the structure feel less playful and uninviting and I do agree with him considering the context of my work. After this, I talked to Margot and Dani about the issue of color and how I should tackle this. They suggested me to use Adobe illustrator to try different color combinations and see what would work for my structure. The following image demonstrates some of the color experiments I did in Adobe Illustrator:
After doing this, I decided to go with the middle combination (yellow and blue). To be more specific, I wanted somewhat muted shades of yellow and blue because yellow can really quickly become a color that becomes associated with disgust. The idea behind this color combination was that yellow (primary color) would serve as a playful color that would feel warm and inviting and accents of blue (secondary color) would add streaks of life and calmness to the structure and would make it attractive to look it and explore.
To repaint my modules again, I first had to paint them all white and then the chosen colors
After painting the modules and cutting out tiny people for the scale representation, I took the final photos, both in the context of the structure and also in studio
Final Photos:
