Process
I started becoming familiar with the idea of making and creating in the studio. For me to use this practical skill and a way to materialise my conceptual designs, I was given the task to construct a cube out of 3 sides of foamboard and manipulate the inside space to adopt an appearance of one or more characteristics from a list.
I found this was a great way to explore with space with no limitations to the form. I thought of many directions I could go and eventually came up with an ambiguous concept that ended up being rigid, metallic and somewhat magical.
At first I chose the characteristic of “metallic”. Instantly, I thought of a reflective material but decided to put that towards the end of the process so it wouldn’t dictate the space and let my ideas flow. The connotations I had with metallic were rigid which led me to triangles, and how easily they intersect. Being a structural engineer, I have encountered triangular structures such as trusses and know that this is the most stable form in construction. I found the core point to start was with my concept, shape and form. The materials, texture and finishes came later.
I thought about dimension and instinctively explored origami pyramids and my first thought was to make the base a square, however I liked the idea of a triangular base so that triangles would be the only shape to these volumes, emphasising a theme of structural stability and continuity. They created a cohesive triangular grid as they were able to fit perfectly together and a square base would produce a grid I would find too regular. I was able to make two pyramids at a time from one card piece, and this saved time, resources and labour.
I measured one side of the cube and through trial and error I made the card pieces with a specific dimension so the pyramids would evenly fit. I chose paper card as this was the most malleable without it being flimsy and end up losing its pyramid shape. I intended to cover the pyramid faces with a reflective material and I was going to use mirrored plastic sheets. However I found kitchen foil was a better option and it being cost effective. It was much easier to manipulate and easily accessible. I found I did not need anything fancy to portray the environment I wanted to create and I could use resources around me.
I was also going to cover all 3 sides with the pyramid structure, but I found it too time consuming and didn’t have a lot of time. Through experimenting, my solution was to cover the last face with shiny tin foil and this actually created a nice contrast with the matt texture from the card. Also, the flatness contrasted with the protruding pointed triangles. This decision instantly added dimension to my cube and I realised that experimenting allows unexpected but desirable results. I did not consider the colour of the card as I initially was meant to cover it, but the white unintentionally ended up being a good choice as it captured the reflected light from the foil very well. It reminded me of water when it glistens in the sun and I found it very captivating like magic.
Through this exercise I realised finding alternatives to a solution and making mistakes is part of the process. If I am met with a problem, the only way to resolve them is to go with it and find a way to develop it into an idea that works. Improvising and getting hands on is a way forward. This exercise helped me become confident in creating, generating an idea into something tangible and sometimes the only way is to create. It touched base on the foundation of interior design and my way of thinking through form, lines, shapes and volumes and how these are all powerful that play into an interior.