Desert group working on making their test models-Continued...: Interactive-Progressive-Gateway

Again in these pictures we are working on our molds and platforms. 

Desert group working on making their test models: Interactive-Progressive-Gateway

All of these pictures are of our group working together to make our very first test model. Some of the pictures involve carving the insulation foam ,casting our mold ,or making our mold.  

Living on the Edge Work Summary

Casting was a true trial and error experience throughout the various molds, strategies and aggregates. In the end, we found what worked: plastic square molds, some wood and a few cardboard boxes. We found our base was 1'-0" by 1'-0" at 3'-0"thick. 

One of our molds was rectangular because it was to be placed across from the desert group at the bottom of the property/hill. So we wanted to be able to bury it in the ground to look 1'-0" by 1'-0" like the rest of the Living Edge models. 

Bray and Kristina working on carving out their first attempt at foam curves. They were able to create a second model that allowed them to make a better version of this first attempt. 

An example of a first mold gone bad. It was sad to see the wood shop work and some concrete and aggregate go to waste, but it was a beneficial learning experience and times like these assisted our group in making rational and strategic decisions by the presentation. 

Random FYI: It was very cold during the majority of the casting process. 

The casting took us about two to three days depending on the size of each mold to officially turn green and eventually harden. We were expecting a much longer drying process due to the cool temperatures outside or possible cracking but thankfully ran into very few bumps in the road. 

Desert Group- Texture:Rippling

These are our test models to see how our texture would turn out. We decided that is was a success...as far as the texture goes. 

Desert: Interactive-Progressive-Gateway: Exibit

The first and fourth pictures are our to scale models of our island desert. And the other pictures are of our group's exhibit for the critique on Monday, December 1st.

Desert: Interactive-Progressive-Gateway:Initial Ideas

The very first picture is a collaboration of point words that our group came up with, so that we could use them to channel into our concepts. Some of the point words are no longer relevant to what we are doing currently. However, all of the words are apart of our thought process as a group and got us to the point we are at now.

The next picture is of our converging image idea. The main point for this is for it to work as a visual speed bump. We would use our ripple texture to create a sand dune image that would be visually completed as you pass by or drive by the island. And parts of the complete image are on separate parts on each platform(there are four platforms). And we all decided as a group that we wanted to do something that worked with vertical objects. So we came up with the platforms...Then the issue became,"How many should we have?" So finally we all concurred that four would be a good number because it wouldn't make the island to busy but it was enough that you could gather the image and was the right number to create interaction.

The next picture is of the rippling in the sand dunes within the desert. We decided that this would be a good texture to incorporate within our concrete objects. Because it reflects the desert but is still suttle and not to overwhelming.

This is of our group parti. Some of our initial plans were to create a water catcher, use mosaics, and incorporate a desert rose within our island as well. We wanted the water catcher to incorporate water some how. However, the issue arose of there not being anyone to keep it clean and the water would become stagnant. And then within the center of our four platforms we had decided that since we could not do the water catcher that we needed something in the center, so we devised a way to create a desert rose, and then we were going to cast it and mosaic it with glass. Our idea was that it would create a mirage effect when the light would hit the glass. However, we finally came to the epiphany that we do not have to have anything in the center. So we refined our ideas a lot. And so our design plan now is to have the four platforms and orient them diagonally towards the building so people are directed to the building. And we also have the rippling texture was over all of the platforms.

Desert:Interactive-Progressive-Gateway: One of our test models

This is the desert groups test model. We mixed plaster and concrete and used pea pebbles as an aggregate.

For our mold we used a cardboard box and reinforced it with concrete. We then to insulation foam and cut it to fit all the sides and the used an xacto knife to carve out the ripple, so that we could achieve the ripple texture. And we made the cast hollow by creating a smaller rectangular prism out of the insulation foam. This is a representation of our smallest platforms.

However, there was a flaw with using the cardboard box. It was not quite strong enough to support the strength and bond of the concrete and it let the concrete seep into the edges enough...that it did not quite create the edges that we had hoped for.

We all worked cohesively to create this test model. Some of us mixed the concrete, while others of us carved ripples into the foam to get the texture that we wanted for our platforms.