Wednesday, August 24, 2011

We ♥ : Laser Cut Generative Butterfly Installation


In the summer of 2007, The Barbarian Group was invited to participate in the exhibit Interactivity at the McLeod Residence – a gallery in Seattle, Wa. The Barbarians developed three pieces: the McLeod Mirror, Reflection 1: See Yourself in Others, a series of prints known as The Magnetic Structure Prints, and this project, Biomimetic Butterflies. The Butterflies were the centerpiece of the show, an installation taking up an entire room.
The Butterflies were a result of a cross country collaboration between Barbarians located in San Francisco, Boston, New York, and Los Angeles. The pedestals were constructed by Vince, a fabricator in Seattle
via: http://mcleodbutterflies.com/installation/

INSTALLATION

Our goal was to create mechanical creatures which would respond to observers by flapping their wings. Their motion is achieved using a combination of stepper motors, rare earth magnets, some custom circuitry and a Mac Mini driving the whole thing using input from a video camera. The Butterflies’ wings are created using designs which were laser cut into paper.
paper cutout detail
The Butterfly wings are made of laser cut, heavyweight drawing paper. After laser cutting, and some clean-up with an X-Acto knife, the wings are glued to a small piece of cotton to form a simple and delicate hinge. Using lightweight fabric keeps the overall look clean and creates a hinge with much less resistance than a more standard mechanical hinge. Each wing is fitted with two pairs of neodymium magnets by sandwiching the wing paper between each pair, making sure that the polarity on all magnets is consistent. To keep the Butterfly in place, we pin it to the mounting board with black insect mounting pins.
The fact that we need to laser cut these designs presents an interesting creative constraint. It means that the patterns have to obey the basic rules of stenciling - we cannot allow any “islands” or the wings would fall apart. In addition to each laser cut variation, we generate an additional 14 designs per species using their respective algorithms, which are printed in pairs.
The wings are articulated by moving a large neodymium magnet oriented so that it has the opposite polarity of the magnets on the wings. For example if the magnets on the wings all have the south pole facing down, the large magnet will have south facing up. So when the large magnet is moved close to the wings, the magnets on the wings are repelled causing them to close. To move the magnet, it is mounted to a servo motor using a 2" plastic drum. The servo faces perpendicular to the central vertical axis of the Butterfly’s body. The magnet is mounted on the edge of the drum so rotating the servo causes the magnet to move away from the Butterfly, which in turn lessens its effect on the wing.
All servos are connected to a single computer using an Arduino board. This opens the door for any number of possible control inputs for the Butterflies. For the installation at the McLeod Residence, we used a webcam mounted at the back of the room to look for movement in front of each butterfly. As visitors walk closer to get a better view, the Butterfly in the pedestal they approach begins to flap its wings. Since the Butterflies respond to movement, not presence, they soon settle down as the viewer stands still while watching, only to briefly flutter again when he or she walks away.
The pedestals are hollow so they can accommodate stepper motors and much larger rare-earth magnets. The stepper motor can be controlled via Processing and Arduino so that it can rotate the large magnet up towards the top of the pedestal. The polarity of the magnets on the Butterfly is such that the large magnet can push the smaller magnets away. Since the Butterfly wings are pinned to the pedestal, they take on the appearance of flapping.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

LCDL new project at Skopje Design Week (во најава)


Laser Cut Design Laboratory is a studio for contemporary design, development, exploration and experiment in future concepts and techniques which contain within it the language of architecture, art and fashion.

Laser Cut Design Laboratory needs to grow. 

The future is now project praises the kaleidoscope of contrasting images and conditions that one has in their own design approach. This project overcomes the contrast design entities of two designers bringing them close to a creative flow similar to the act of making love.

The future is now is a laser cut challenge between two designers Jordan Tasevski and Aleksandra Shekutkovska.

Jordan Tasevski’s concept genesis is characterized by diagram application design which contains the very essence of architecture. The high school for applied arts enabled him to continue his design research in his studies at the Faculty of Architecture. Since then he has taken part in different kind of architectural workshops, projects and exhibitions about the Macedonian architecture. He has worked as an architectural critique, most of his research papers are published in magazines as well as on his blog http://konvistinskataarhitektura.blogspot.com/.

Inspired by the whole art vocabulary Aleksandra Shekutkovska lives, creates and breathes ar(t)chitecture in the city of Skopje, Macedonia. She has had a couple of group presentations at Fashion week Skopje, Fashion to go and creating a jewelry collection for the brand Stilissimo. Her individual presentations include Positive. Negative. Ideogram and Once I went into the enchanted forest. She has taken part into a number of architecture workshops and summer schools, the International Symposium of design in the digital era on theme Architecture and fashion. Graduated at the Faculty of Architecture she works as an architect and a designer.
Her explorations and experiments are developed in her studio for contemporary design Laser Cut Design Laboratory.

Во најава Skopje Design Week 


Saturday, August 20, 2011

A/W 2011/2012 LCDL teaser


Laser Cut Design Laboratory's designers are working 
full speed on the new collection.
 We are preparing a new design tendency in our studio. 
The beginning of September we are announcing our new project
 and our new collection. Stay tuned and enjoy the ride! 

***
Дизајнерите на Laser Cut Design Laboratory работат напорно на новата колекција.
Подготвуваме нова дизајн тенденција во нашето студио.
Почетокот на Септември ќе започне со најавувањето 
на нашиот нов проект и нова колекција. 
Останете со нас ! 

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Womenswear materials a/w 2011/2012: laser cut tendencies


Laser Cutting in a/w 
materials 2011/2012

Engineered punctures
Square and oblong ordered pattern cutouts 
on coated and proofed hard cotton wovens. 
Tech innovation in crisp laser cutting 
allows for punched matrix pattern.
Muffled felts
Matted and felted fibres have a compressed density. 
Spongy compressed bulk can be double-faced 
and laser cut for quietly insulating outerwear.
Paper thin
Fragile porcelain and manipulated paper inspires crumpled, 
crisp, folded and starched cottons, 
as well as delicate ultra-thin filigree cutout petal effects.

Polished sheen
Glossy yarns and two-tone petroleum hues 
inspire calendared and chintzed finishes for fluid tonic suitings. 
Plush sectioned velvet pile offers soft shine.
via: http://www.wgsn.com/en/micro/2010/womens-materials/your_space.htm

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Во најава есен / зима инспирација




Autumn Winter preparations in 
Laser Cut Design Laboratory have begun
a lot of sketches, ideas and design
LCDL is bringing you something new this autumn
stay tuned 
***
Подготовките за колекцијата есен/зима 
започнаа во Laser Cut Design Laboratory
многу нови идеи, скици и дизајн
LCDL ви носи нешто поинакво оваа есен
останете со нас 
***

A dash of Minimal chic: On outfits, exhibitions & invitations - Featuring The Paperless Post

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