For the second part of our moodbox, we made a group moodbox consisting of various parts of our groupmate’s individual mood boxes. We were really intrigued by the idea of flowing water and verticality and incorporated it into our group moodbox.
We first created the ‘shape’ of the frame with wood and tied fishing line at the top frame as we anticipated many elements to dangle in the space. Our music was very serene and mysterious and hanging elements in the space would complement this.
We then used a heat blower to ‘soften’ the wire mesh and rolled it into a snake-like coil that spirals and in the middle, dangled with fishing lines. We also sliced up blue acrylic into shards and let them ‘rain’ around our main dominant snaking sculpture. We then used the soldering iron to pierce holds for the wooden chopsticks to pierce through (wow piercing is just Pandora’s box all over again).
It is here we learnt that firstly, gloves are important and secondly, there is an existence of soft wire meshes, but I guess you can consider this one of those painful lessons of ADM.
Presenting… our Beard Papa mood box
Our group moodbox features various elements of the model.
Metabolism (新陳代謝shinchintaisha) was a post-war Japanese architectural movement that fused ideas about architectural megastructures with those of organic biological growth.
Metabolism is defined as “the chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life”. This architecture was inspired by the dynamic changing landscape and demands of the people, that if the people were changing and adapting, so should architecture and buildings. Thus the buildings incorporated an organic element, with a “metabolism”. They built a structure that could incorporate prefabricated, interchangeable cell-like parts easily attached and removed when they grow old and unusable.
A well known example of a building that utilized metabolism architecture is Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo.
Kurokawa developed this building to be able to install the capsule units into a concrete core with only 4 high-tension bolts, as well as making the units detachable and replaceable. Each individual capsule is designed to accommodate the individual as either an apartment or studio space, and by connecting units can also accommodate a family. Complete with appliances and furniture, from audio system to telephone, the capsule interior is pre-assembled in a factory off-site. The interior is then hoisted by crane and fastened to the concrete core shaft. The Nakagin Capsule Tower realizes the ideas of metabolism, exchangeability, recycleablity as the prototype of sustainable architecture.
Some notable features that define this movement includes:
1. They are big-scale structures capable of growing organically in different direction, such as vertically and horizontally.
2. The design of the buildings do not follow the modernists’ views of ‘Form follows Function’, but allow the spaces and forms to be adapted to changeable function in the future, dependent on the needs and demands of the people in the environment.
3. Adaptable plug-in mega-structures, which express the progress in building technology, allowing cost-effecient change in structure without demolishing the entire building.
MODULAR STRUCTURE IN NATURE
Zoomed in Fish Scales
Zoomed in Butterfly Wings
Honeycombs
Compound Fly’s Eyes
Perhaps modular structure exists in nature so that if a skin or surface is damaged, it is easily replaced through shedding. Alternatively, if the surface grows in size over time, such as if a fish were to grow bigger it is easily ‘layered’ on.
MAN-MADE MODULAR STRUCTURE
Space Truss utilized lightweight, interlocking struts in a geometric pattern. Some other considerations of creating supports with plenty of voids could be a lattice structure. A benefit of using this is that it allows weight to be supported over a large space without utilizing too much material.
the “inside out sock” concept to allow pipes and ducts in a building to be visible from the outside, giving light to what is commonly hidden in buildings.
For class we made music! I don’t know if it’s just me but when you pair poor hand-eye coordination and poor sense of rhythm, you get … essentially me. BUT we explore with 4 instruments – xylophones, zig zag blocks, wooden sticks and a shaker shaped like a banana!
RELEASE THE INNER CHILD.
SOUND ONE
1. Xylophone – The xylophone is played consistently throughout the piece and I showed this through ascending bars as there is a sort of happy vibes in the sound. I allowed plenty of space around the bars to evoke a sense of space as the xylophones sounds are much longer than the other elements.
2. Wood Blocks – I scattered hard pieces of wooden chopsticks as the wood blocks seem to have a short, hard beat constantly throughout the piece. I imagined it as hard clunky notes scattered across the box.
3. Shaker – I felt the shakers evoked a sense of ‘falling water’ sort of sound, so I showed the two times the shaker was … shaken (?) in short spirals that hover in the air
4. Zig Zag Block – The zigzag block hovers outside the box as it feels as though the zig zag block was a final sound that appears towards the end of the clip. I felt as though it is a note that almost escaped the space and the length of the note is also much shorter than the others.
Sound Two
Zig Zag Block – The rough sounds of the zigzag block is consistent throughout the piece, thus it runs across diagonally across the box, creating a sense of dominance.
Shaker – Like above, the shaker evoked a sense of falling beads or water. Thus I used a gentle curved plane that goes downwards.
Wooden Blocks – I felt the wooden blocks were an element that seem to be a hard, short sound that comes out in the distance as a sort of echo. Thus I placed it almost piercing out of the box, as though they are like a guy in a distant clapping his hands.
Xylophone and Void – The xylophone was a final note before a long silence. I showed this by sort of ‘piercing’ the void with a piece of acrylic to show how the note seem to echo in a void space.
Reflection
Overall, I realized I am NOT a sound person and most of my interpretation of sound are along the lines of how I feel, what images I see and a matter of perspective of where in space is the sound coming from. Perhaps there are many ways to ‘see’ sound in space – where they are, what ‘texture’ they evoke (whether hard or soft, fluid or static, near or far, long notes or short notes). When we were composing the beat and tempo, I learnt that there has been a lot of consideration when exploring sounds, too!
There is so much to discover about sound. WHEE.
All I can think about was this video, playing instruments
In design – there are two ways to construct an item: a homogenous construction and modular construction.
Modular is defined as ‘employing or involving a module or modules as the basis of design or construction‘. Modular structure distributes the elements into various modules, or skids, independently that can be plugged together into one complete structure.
Modular structure is like building things out of lego. Each piece of lego is customized to be able to fit together like a puzzle piece into one complete structure. It is important to note that the modules can be added, removed or re-arranged.
A benefit of modular structure is the freedom in customization and how easily it can be changed to cut costs in replacement or repairs.
Some examples of modular structure and design includes…
Ikea is well known for it’s cost efficient and customizable furniture. I remember about two or three years ago I went to IKEA with my family and picked out kitchen counter tops. They gave us a variety of choices – from the material of the counter top, the wood type in the frame and even the material of the handle of the drawer. Modular design allowed change and customization and this freedom is what makes each piece of furniture unique to an individual.
It is also observed (but less frequently so) in architecture, where the choice to make it modular is more of a practical and economic alternative to homogenous structure. Though most architecture around us is an in-between. of the two. This however potentially creates a monotonous pattern that might result in a loss of design identity.
But design aside, let’s try looking at it in a installation perspective!
Untitled by Mademoiselle Maurice
I remember seeing this a few years ago at Singapore Arts Museum, never thought it’d be something I think about looking at modular design. This art piece consists of origami cubes, cranes, boats and fishes hung in a spiral.
This is done by Mademoiselle Maurice, and she is known for various other works involving similar idea of vibrant origami pieces folded into a shape, as well!
Black Forest by Han Sai Por
This is another modular work I recall seeing in Singapore Arts Museum, this time during the Singapore Binenale 2016 titled Black Forest by HanSaiPor. I remembered how every little trunk and branch was burnt or coated in black or charcoal, and how they seem to be put together almost like a city or a forest. This piece was a message about ecological problems in today’s world.
In my research, I came across this design that utilizes modular structure to create a partition for an office space. Allowing varying transparency and reducing reverb. I was fascinated by how modular design could be adapted into various scenarios and also how the modules allowed for a unique purpose to be multiplied for greater effect! read more here!
