Materials

While the form of the screen continues to progress, so does the system of materials used to create it.

The materials used must offer differing levels of porosity and translucency, be flexible enough to bend, and rigid enough to hold its shape, and allow the screen to be scaled up to architectural application.

With these criteria in mind and the iterative mock-up process ongoing, we have decided that a composite construction will a rigid frame and flexible pedals will allow for these criteria to be met.

We are currently experimenting with two approaches to this construction.  The first approach laminates a flexible material between two layers of rigid material, shown in the chipboard and paper mock-up in the above photo gallery.  We are currently using rigid board and working with yupo, tyvek, and felt as the flexible component.

The second approach works with a rigid skeletal frame that is laminated between two flexible layers, also shown in the photo gallery.  We are currently using tyvek with rigid board.  We would like to experiment with acrylic as the skeletal material.  The tyvek has proven to be a beautiful and flexible material for this application.

These experiments have led us to a discussion about materials creation and the possibilities of creating a woven form or an entirely new composite.  We hope to explore these materials research possibilities in greater detail.

Felt Studies

Felt provided a good amount of flexibility with varying thicknesses of the materiel. As the materiel became thicker the materiel was harder to tension in form. As the materiel became as thin as cloth the form became harder to control. Using a synthetic blend of felt offered the best results. Ecofelt offered the right amount rigidity to keep its form along with the lightness of fabric.

Tyvec Studies

Tyvex has the qualities of light weight paper with the strength of cloth that resist tearing. The material’s transparent quality allows for interesting degrees of transparency allowing the eyelid pattern to be seen when fully closed . When backlit by a light source the fibers of the materiel present varying sources of texture. The materiel still lacks the ability to hold its form when fully closed causing a need to work with its rigidity.

Polypropylene Studies

 

 

 

Material Concerns include:

-Toxicity (Material Safety Data Sheet)

-Ease of Fabrication

-Properties allow flexibility while maintaining a level of rigidity.

Materials currently being used in mock-ups:

Template Plastic, Mylar, Felt, Polypropalyne, Tyvek, Chipboard, Museum Board

While currently we are only using a laser cutter for fabrication,  die-cutting, weaving, and composite engineering are all being considered for final fabrication.