Summary of the process:
a synopsis:
Inspiration, simulation,
optimization, generation, materialization
an expanded synopsis:
The process starts with an
observed structure in nature, a formal motif found in organic systems – such as
the ripple of a wave or veining in a leaf.
The underlying elements of the structure are identified and simplified –
deconstructing it into curves, shapes, and forms. Next, a visual representation of a similar
structure is created in CAD, trying to complete it in as few steps as
possible. Those steps are written into a
program, or script, which can then be executed in CAD software to recreate the
same model. Once successful, randomness
is added to the program to create variance.
By doing this, each time the program is run, the parameters change and
the outcome is different. Introducing
randomness is relatively simple – most programming languages
have a random number generator built in; it's just a matter of building that
into the numeric variables of the program.
For example, if the program is written to create a sphere, a random
number can be generated for the diameter of the sphere so that each time the program is run,
the sphere will be a different size.
Through
small changes of a few variables, radically different forms and patterns can
emerge. Think of a code as a series of
actions - the 'butterfly effect' from chaos theory illustrates how a small
change early on results in unpredictably large changes over time. As one element is added to another, the
latter is affected by the former.
Continuing with the same sphere example, if that sphere is to be the main
body of a tea kettle, for example, it’s initial
diameter will determine the overall size and volume Then the spout and handle
must fit to that form. In a longer
sequence of interdependent variables, the resulting form exists as a function
of change feeding back into itself to create unpredictable outcomes. Simple rules iterated over thousands of times
create complex behavior – this is the basis of emergent systems in nature.
prototyping
The goal of this process is
to create functional physical objects, not visual representations. Therefore, the virtual forms must be
materialized into durable objects – in this case, the silverware must be made
in a material that allows the forms to function. The final pieces are made in sterling silver,
the traditional alloy for silverware in the
In some areas, such as the
bowls of the spoons and blades of the knives, the layers of the prototyping
process are visible, creating a texture that resembles Damascus steel or
weathered wood. The texture was kept in
order to leave indications of the process and allow an unpredictable surface
finish to emerge through the process. Additionally,
the resulting aesthetic parallels the organic forms of the work,
supporting the suggestion of natural process and accretion in layers (similar
to what is seen in shells or rock layers).
Once finished, these wax models were used as waste models
in a lost-wax investment casting process.
This process goes back to ancient Greek and Chinese bronze casting. To briefly summarize the process: the model is placed in a steel flask and
surrounded with high-temperature plaster, leaving a single opening to the model
at the top of the flask. The flask is heated
in a furnace for several hours while the model is burned away through the
opening, leaving an open cavity in the plaster.
Then, molten metal is poured into the opening, filling the cavity left
by the model. The plaster is broken
away, and the metal piece is ready for finishing. Each piece is oxidized and tumbled for the
final finish.
Because the prototype is
burned away in the casting process, there is never a mold and never a duplicate. The complexity of the model is intended to
make it impractical (if not impossible) to mold. The only way to get an identical model is to
print it with the 3D-printing process; at which point it is just as efficient
as making another unique model. And
because a unique model can be quickly generated with the program already
written, the work needed to make a new CAD model is negligible. The result is a manufacturing process that is
no more efficient when producing identical copies than when producing unique
objects – a production line of variants – a way of making one-of-a-kind objects
on a near mass-production scale. Maybe,
to twist a quote from Henry Ford, ‘You can have any color you want as long as
you take whatever color you get.’
a bit more about the form
The silverware is inspired
by systems in nature, specifically branching structures and aquatic
tentacles. The overall structure of the
handle is composed of six randomly varied sine curves, mirrored to create
bilateral-symmetry. Each curve defines a
tapered vine that terminates at the neck of the utensil with a small
ellipsoid. The overall structural effect
is of a perforated tapered tube, creating a hollow structure that is light and
strong. The ellipsoid shapes cluster
together to create a robust transition to the utility end of the utensil,
mimicking transition points in nature, such as joints and branches.
The spoons are inspired by leaf forms, with structural
veins along the center and perimeter where tapered vines blend into the surface. The randomness of the program generates a
variety of shapes and depths for the spoon bowls, and the surface is textured
by the layers of the prototyping build process.
The knife blade reflects forms in nature such as seaweed
or aquatic fins (ie tadpole tail) with a rippling
spine and thin undulating surface. Here
again, the aesthetic forms are also functional structures – the thick spine
supports the thin blade, and the ripples act as a rib structure that support
forces perpendicular to the blade edge – meaning that even though it is thin,
it can be used to cut without bending.
The fork tines are a continuation of the sine curves of
the handle. The number of tines, as with
the number of veins on the spoon and knife, follow the Fibonnocci
sequence prevalent in nature (1,2, 3, 5…). [It is more common to find elements in nature
that split into 2, 3, or 5 directions than it is to find those that split into
4 or 6, thus the rarity of the four-leaf clover…] The randomness of the code causes the tines to
overlap in unpredictable ways, though generally the outside tines are of
mirrored symmetry around the center tine.
Each tine tapers from the neck of the handle down to the tip, again a
structural consideration – a tapered beam, like a flag pole or cantilevered
bridge.
about the aesthetic
It has been noted that the
silverware that came out of this process looks baroque or gothic,
and I would like to explain that this is a byproduct of the process more than a
direct aesthetic intention. Ornament, from
cave painting to Islamic pattern-making, has been influenced by nature. In gothic work, and later objects from the
Craft Revival, the value of variance is viewed as a reflection of nature, as
well as a reflection of the nature of man, his work, and in his pleasure in the
perception of variety.
Though I was studying historical
ornament while designing these pieces, there are very strong systems of historic
ornament that this work does not follow.
Additionally, there are elements that are wholly digital (such as the
linear faceting of the grain pattern in the surfaces of the spoon and knife),
which may at first appear to be a 'natural' pattern, but at closer inspection
are digital and linear. If anything, I
would categorize this work as digital-baroque, or fractal-rococo.
It is interesting that when trying to simulate nature via
digital processes, and allowing the systems established in the program to guide
the overall aesthetic, that the end result so immediately reflects historical
ornament that grew from the same inspiration via different means. Something as simple as a sine wave, our
notation for the transfer of sound and light, when used as the foundation of an
emergent structure, results in a form that reflects natural structures and
historical ornament. In the same way
that the process of its development is an integration
of old and new technology, the appearance and format is also a reflection of
the past in the present, all of which exists in the work in a way that could
only happen today.