Inspiration: Transportation
Ultralight Structure Project Description
As an artist
I create pieces of furniture and sculpture to explore the aesthetic effect of
shape and boundaries and function. The
construction processes of architecture and transportation infrastructure frequently
influence my designs. I am attracted to
the aesthetics of efficiency found in engineered works and I find beauty in the
lines of structural necessity. Through
the use of materials previously unexplored in my work new ideas are generated
and new forms soon follow. In these explorations
I employ synthetic fabrics and skin on frames structural systems, frequently
used in aircraft and lightweight boats, to search for a greater understanding
of the relationship of structure, surface and shape in studio furniture.
Box Beam is an exploration of a material and a technique I have never before used. Taking a cue from structural engineering, the bones of this piece are assembled using pin joints and triangulation resulting in an extremely light weight and durable frame, similar to a box beam turned on end. The skin is made of Dacron, a synthetic heat shrink fabric typically used in aircraft and high end ultra light kayaks. The resulting light weight volume was balanced with a mass of solid plywood and represents the economy of efficiency found in engineering scaled to relate to the human body.
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Box Beam Light
2012
7" x 24" x 61"
Dacron, Ash, Plywood
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Air Frame Light
2012
6" x 28" x 88"
Dacron, Ash, Plywood
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