a brief synopsis...

A very quick overview of the progression of my model as a product of process for presentation purposes. An in depth overview of the entirety of the building process will be posted over the next few days...stay tuned!

Umbrella Structure - Revision 7 - Pulley & Canopy

Umbrella Structure - Revision 6 - Canopy

Elevation from Drawing 4

1 to 100 - North side of Higgins

Site Plan - Drawing 4

Site Plan - 1 to 300 (24" x 24")

Connection possibilities between each post in the specific area.

Mapping the Possibilities of the System - Drawing 3

Unlike my previous drawing this one is to scale, just for starters - it is 1:50, the same as the final model will be when constructed (this drawing is approximately 6'-0" x 8'-0"). I decided to start mapping out my final model so I could do a material calculation and a quick schematic layout on my living room floor in masking tape turned into a very complex drawing which is modeled after The Thinking Machine creation upon which I wanted to base a drawing surrounding the same concept.

I began by making a simple non-linear connection between each of the points within the site where a telephone pole is located. From creating one connection I began to form more layered on top of one another, each with a slightly different path than the previous to demonstrate the organic nature and tendencies of the system. My previous drawing was extremely rigid, ordered and geometric whereas my goal with this drawing was to break past the barrier of rules that I had created for myself by originally limiting the constraints of my system's components (the rings attaching to the posts).

The concept that I began with basically layered on top of itself until I had created a web of connection paths. I am now left with a mapping of possibilities through connections that may be constructed in my final model. Some will exist in my final concept, some will not and all of them will most likely vary to a certain degree to what I have predicted. This drawing is only a prediction, or a set of possibilities or assumptions. I have not however let one connection determine or limit another connection as in the previous drawing, I tried to be as uncontrolled as possible other than the obvious rule of connection points being the posts.

Below is a time-line of my mapping the progress of the drawing growing in complexity and above is the product that I now have as a result of the process. My plan is to possibly recreate the situation but this time on a clear backing material so that I can sandwich the drawing and use it for presentation purposes rather than only having photographs...at least this is a possibility...the interesting part about this is the recreated version will be slightly different than the original, but that's the beauty of the system and the technique that I'm using.

Thinking Machine 4

"The artwork is an artificial intelligence program, ready to play chess with the viewer. If the viewer confronts the program, the computer's thought process is sketched on screen as it plays. A map is created from the traces of literally thousands of possible futures as the program tries to decide its best move. Those traces become a key to the invisible lines of force in the game as well as a window into the spirit of a thinking machine."

- http://www.turbulence.org/spotlight/thinking/

It was suggested during my last crit that I may want to take a similar approach in creating a drawing in which this drawing is generated. Basically a series of possibilities or opportunities are mapped out, much like what I attempted to do in my last drawing, but in a more organic way. A less linear interpretation of the site will show the true nature of the system that I'm creating.

Connection Opportunities - joining the in between

Moving along with the bunching that I've been working on where the structure is starting to meet in between the posts I have designed some pieces that will create opportunities for connections. The pieces are getting cut on Thursday, possibly earlier, out of calendar vinyl, and will allow me to experiment even further, no on a completely different plane which I began on the previous model. Hopefully with the incorporation of these new pieces I will get a better grasp on the spaces that I'm trying to create as a result of the bunching, at least that's the plan -

Umbrella Structure - Revision 5 - layering

Incorporation of Blocks - The system is ALIVE!

Studying a typical rigging arrangement for a sailboat using several different types of blocks I have come up with a method of raising and lowering the eight sections of the parasite which will latch onto each post. I want everything to be operable by a single person and because creating that much tension in some type of material would be difficult a pulley system works perfectly because the amount of force required is distributed over the multiple blocks, therefore making it easier for one person to operate the system. All lines will run to a single end point at the base of the post using a cleating system, to be determined.

...I'm super excited...

Blocks, Rope & Cleats

Trying to get as in depth as possible for some of the research I've been looking at regarding different components involved in the rigging of a sailboat I have been able to scavenge some equipment from the Black Pearl - Thanks!!! A few different sizes of blocks, some different styles of cleats and some old rope will allow me to set up a small rigging system that will help me in making some of my decisions regarding the set up for the operating system of my umbrella system.

Essentially my focus is going to be specifically surrounding blocks (very similar to pulleys), which will allow me to create a system to control the functionality of the 8 sections of the parasite attached to each telephone pole throughout my site. I haven't decided yet if I want this system to be manually operated or if I want to incorporate electronic capabilities into the mix. In a way I like the factor of human interaction, reliance and control of a person operated system, very much like that of a sailboat.

Potential Points of Interaction - Drawing 1

My focus today was to construct a drawing which could be used as a tool for mapping interactions between the parasite umbrella structures. Using the existing locations of the telephone poles throughout the area I chose a particular one as a starting point and set an angle of rotation to the parasitic disc that inhabits the bottom of the post, therefore becoming the base support for the upper canopy structure. This positioning was determined by my desire for an adjacent post to become to next point of interaction for the parasite. My goal was to begin to connect nearby posts but in such a way that their point of interaction started to inhabit the existing space in some way. It seems appropriate to begin to leap across the roads as much as possible as well as form connections between posts by using as many of the eight given potential points on each as possible.

In some cases the connection point between poles becomes a very large distance simple due to the angle of projection acquired from the positioning of the disc surrounding the post. There are essentially indefinite configurations for the site because of the unlimited amount of positions allowed by the system that I currently have created. The pattern that I did end up with in the end was dependent on each choice and decision I made along the way starting with the positioning of the first disc. If one disc in the entire system was to be rotated even 5 small degrees the entire system would have a different and unique outcome therefore changing the inhabitance of the parasite or virus.

The wonderful thing about the site being able to essentially "change" is that my parasite creation needs to have the natural capabilities or instinct to adapt and configure itself to these conditions. If one telephone post was to be moved or removed completely some of the connections between the post in question and the surrounding posts would be lost. At this point the adjacent parasite would need to find a new point of attachment or be left to exist without that piece of its individual system.

I hope to use this drawing to begin a more 3D process of mapping so that I can better visualize the process of creating canopies / coverings between the points of interaction of the parasites attached to the posts.

Umbrella Structure - Revision 4

I have started to repeat the structural pattern that I have created over an area so that they can begin to interact with one another forming new opportunities that do no exist when they are single isolated structures. Connecting the poles will allow the structure to take on more viral characteristics, which works well with my original intents at the beginning of this semester. Tomorrow I am going to begin mapping the possibilities, in the form of a drawing, for formation using this technique.

Umbrella Structure - Revision 3