Azorella Compacta Investigating inflatable structures. 

Project Team : David A. Smith + Zach Herbst

Instrutor: Andrew J. Wit

An investigation into rapid prototyping. 

Model exploration I

in the preliminary study of fabric and tensility we explored the relation that occurred when layering the fabric and when a grid was overlayed on it. the play between +ve and -ve space. 

"if you can have fun with leggings..."

Model exploration II

Having grasped a basic understanding of the potential of tensility and a grid we went on to explore the creation of a flexible model that allowed for variations of grid + tension. 

Model exploration III

This variation of the model added further flexibility and enabled us to revisit the concept of -ve + +ve space we had in our preliminary explorations. By having two layers of fabric operating in tension in both directions of the z-axis futher alterations were made possible.

Form Finding

In the quest fo the search of the soul a CT scan of a human was used and abstracted to generate our grid

inflation lung

prototyping a series valves and actuators to envisage how to air would be distributed throughout the different cells.

Cell Prototype

The next step, prototyping an inflatable prototype of a single cell to begin testing possible failures of the assembly. This also enables us to begin exploring materiality too.