First piece of our latest furniture collection based on research with SPM [Studio for Progressive Modeling] from Yolles Group on structural optimization in furniture design.

in Collaboration with Daniel Hambleton; SPM.

“Parkdale chair” is made with off cuts of other studies in the Parachair collection. Designed in parametric design platforms has allowed for more efficient use of resources. Working with CNC machines and other CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) technologies usually results in large amount of waste and unsalvageable  leftover materials. The parametric design platform allowed for better analysis and use of the off-cuts.

Parkdale chair is a small lounge chair made with white-birch plywood and felt cushions. The flexible back is uniquely design to accommodate different body types and proportions.

Structural Optimization Diagram, Diagram by SPM, Halcrow Yolles

In collaboration with: Crispin Howes + Dan Hambleton form SPM [Studio for Progressive Modeling, HalcrowYolles Group]

This collection is a series of studies Fishtnk has developed with SPM (Studio for Progressive Modeling) at HalcrowYolles Engineers.

The study has been on going collaborative project which has resulted in a unique approach towards furniture and product design.  With the increase of analytic + parametric software presence in design processes, the ideas of mass-customization in large scale production becomes more approachable than ever.

The Vessel Chair by fishtnk became a case study for this research. The outcome is developed as a malleable algorithm to be applied to different disciplines for material and structural optimization on the principals of mass-customiza

tion.

Above diagrams and drawings provided are courtesy of SPM, Halcrow Group.

Pieces like Three, Vessel chair, Bungeeseat, Leftover chair are a few that were developed to production level.

This collection is developed in Grasshopper for Rhino software platform. The input sensory has been a series of digitizers, image based mapping techniques and live input.

Work-TOgether interactive urban design site model +  interface from Fishtnk on Vimeo.

May 2010, Gallery52
52 McCaul St. Toronto ON

Visit the photo gallery.

More informatoin on the urban analysic of the exhibition at AoUC.

Tunable Sound Cloud 1.0 from Fishtnk on Vimeo.

This collection is an ongoing research-based project focused on user input in mass-customized furniture production. Pieces like Three, Vessel chair, Bungeeseat, Leftover chair are a few that were developed to production level.

This collection is developed in Grasshopper for Rhino software platform. The input sensory has been a series of digitizers, image based mapping techniques and live input.

Using negative space as a design element, it frames three hollow cushions to become a chair.

Three was designed with removable components with magnetic joinery to be taken apart easily to become three cushions.
More photos…

Beyond acoustics in music performance halls; a responsive sound system for architecture.

I will be looking at responsive systems in architecture and music to design a tunable performance space that could be adjusted to meet the absolute sound requirements for a specific sound performance.

Baroque period 1600-1750

Interior view of Coutances' cathedral, department of Manche, Francephotograph by: Eric Pouhier

• Musicians: Bach,Handel,Vivaldi,…
• Architecture: Gothic architecture
• Reverb 3.0-3.2 sec
• Special characteristics of that era: Unaccompanied music ,Contrasting music and vocals

Classical period 1750-1820

• Musicians: Mozart, Beethoven,Haydn,…
• Architecture: Neoclassical architecture
• Reverb 1.8-2.0
• Special characteristics of that era:More popular- published music as entertainment result change in scale of Venue [architecture],More complexity and layering

Romantic Period 1820-1920

• Musicians: Schubert, Puccini, Wagner,…
• Architecture: Neoclassical +Art Nouveau
• Reverb 1.8-2.2
• Special characteristics of that era: Sound/Acoustical engineering,More color and tone in the music, Wagner designs the 1st opera house for his own performance. 1924 grand opera dies; Turandot, puccini.

Modern and Contemporary

Einstein on the Beach 1976

• Musicians: Philip Glass, John Cage, …
• Architecture: Modern architecture
• Reverb: Electronically controlled
• Special characteristics of that era: Music becomes an multimedia performance enhanced by electronic devices.

programmatic topic [the proposal]

Sketches:

This study looks at a dynamic ceiling structure made with two layers:

Spaceframe-structure [Bones]
Surface [Skin]

Structure:

The structure is based on a series of hinged triangular spaceframes, connected and actuated at the top center of the frame to the adjacent frames.

Preliminary sketch of the structural layer:

Skin:

Tunable Sound Cloud; Responsive Surface Study from Fishtnk on Vimeo.

Above is a study of the surface movement with Nitinol wires to control the sound behavior for the Tunable Sound Cloud Project.This study is designed as a 10X10 grid of micro responsive modules [10X10mm units] to control the acoustic properties of the surface.

the physical prototype :

Tunable Sound Cloud, prototype tile from Fishtnk on Vimeo.

below is a study of the system, interfaced through Grasshopper and Rhino modeling platforms, the ceiling structure of the Tunable Sound Cloud is controlled and adjusted to accommodate different acoustical settings.
Actuated with Arduino micro-controller and servo motors.

Tunable Sound Cloud _ responsive ceiling surface from Fishtnk on Vimeo.

An experiment in music/architecture

This project has been an attempt to compose space from sound. Or capture the space between two musical notes.

Two notes, C and G have been translated through Max/MSP application to a series of numbers. These numbers create coordinates to a point cloud which define a space in Rhino 3D modeling environment. Through a series of exploration with different methods of surfacing some forms and objects were contrived. Each note created a virtual object that was unrolled and unfolded to a group of flat surfaces.

These surfaces were translated through a laser cutting method to two physical models. Each model representing a note became a base for a network of stretchable fabric to connect the inside edges of the two panels together. The space captured between the surfaces is a note between C and G which expresses a Cmaj7 chord.

More photos …

December 2007
Toronto

Rene Herbst ‐ The French architect turned designer was nicknamed the “man of steel”. He pioneered the use of industrial materials for furniture years before mass production on a large scale was possible. In 1929 he created several versions of his celebrated Sandows Chair, which ignited his research into serial production and inaugurated the era of mass production in the hype of modernism**, giving impetus to global production and a new era for design and architecture. Modernism and the ideas from that movement are fascinating for me, but it was not my intention to recreate modern furniture with modern ideals; my approach was nostalgo‐modern along with today’s conscious in material selection. Rather than the concept of global/mass production, we focused on limited production at Fishbol.

The other part of this project was to figure out Toronto’s role as the “Eighth Design City.” Our intention was to keep production local and more responsible to the environment. I was able to supply the bungee cords from an old Canadian manufacturing company here in downtown Toronto, and the Bamboo‐ply is from a supplier in Markham, Ontario. Though the Bamboo‐ply is not sourced locally, it is considered a rapidly renewable resource with extra structural strength. These qualities made bamboo‐ply a better choice compared to conventional Baltic‐Birch plywood that was used for my first study models and prototypes.

The final phase is packaging for projects like the Bungeeseat. Going back to the drafting board and study models with the help of Sara Navid, we developed a quite stylish reusable cardboard box that would allow for repackaging of this ready‐to‐assemble (RTA) chair. Most of the packaging design was done by Elie.

Click here for more Photos…

*http://www.designmuseum.org/exhibitions/2008/designcities
**David Raizman, History of modern design: graphics and products since the Industrial Revolution;Published by Laurence King Publishing, 2003