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︎︎︎︎Inside Vision





Computation
Tessellation
Typography






KINETIC
TESSELLATIONS

Animating tessellations to create dynamic materials





Kinetic Tessellations to create dynamic materials based on M.C. Escher’s tessellations and Heinz Strobl’s wobbling cubes. It presents a method to animate tessellations in the physical dimension by transforming surface, shape, and form.

This research is in parallel to a study called, ‘An additive framework for kirigami design’ conducted by MIT researchers. While their work leans towards the mathematical aspects, focusing primarily on polygonal tiles, mine takes a more artistic and design-inclined approach.








ORIGIN OF IDEA


In 2022, Heinz Strobl's origami model, specifically the wobbling wall of nine cubes, piqued my fascination. The inter-connectedness of these cubes created a delightful motion in physical space. Observing the negative spaces between them transform from a thin line to a diamond and then to a square, reminiscent of an animation crafted from code, sparked a series of inquiries.
HEINZ STROBL'S WOBBLING WALL OF NINE CUBES MAPPING ROTATION OF A 5 x 5 WALL
 



What if coded sketches were made of real atoms?

How can computation and fabrication define physical properties of coded sketches?

How can the wobbling cubes seamlessly integrate with other creative disciplines?










AVENUES OF EXPLORATION


The wobbling cubes served as the foundation for a series of experiments, evolving into a tactile surface for communication and a kinetic sculpture that echoed the metamorphosis found in the tessellations of M.C. Escher, among other possibilities. Delving into the intricacies of the wobbling cubes, three distinct avenues of exploration emerged:

  1. Surface
  2. Shape
  3. 3D Form
SURFACE SHAPE 3D FORM









SURFACE


The wobbling cubes operate on the profound logic that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The interconnected surface, in constant motion, acts as a dynamic interface for communication through letterforms. As the cubes move, the letterforms fragment and reconstruct into a new, distorted form. Similar to how a mathematical algorithm converts strings into binary code, this motion serves as a visual logic to encrypt letterforms.

LETTER 'S'

LETTER 'O' WITH HIDDEN SURFACES

LETTERFORMS NOT FOLLOWING THE GRID DISTORT MORE

LETTERFORMS FOLLOWING THE GRID DISTORT LESS










SHAPE


Alternative shapes instead of squares were also explored to further discover possible iterations and variations. This feat was accomplished through the application of M.C. Escher's tessellation technique, resulting in a series of shapes that retain the same motion.

SPIRAL CUT TO CUBE

WINDMILL

CURVED WINDMILL

INTRODUCING CUTS TO COLLAPSE SHAPE

SURFACE EXPANSION

CIRCLE


Further experimentation revealed that, instead of a single shape, even an array of shapes morphing into one another can replicate this motion. Here’s an example created with an acrylic sheet, where shapes and negative spaces transition from straight lines to waves. Intensifying as they converge towards the center, they resonate with M.C. Escher’s tessellations in physical space.
MORPHOSIS OF NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE SPACE STEPS OF FABRICATION SKY AND WATER I, M.C. ESCHER










3D FORM


While the cubes repurposed themselves for communication and visual encryption, they also serve as a stable foundation for 3D forms. This iteration is a kinetic sculpture made of paper pyramids atop a base of wobbling squares made from an acrylic sheet. This simple intervention elevates the paper tessellations to a state of mesmerizing motion.











WHAT’S NEXT?

There’s a lot to experiment! The next step involves engineering an automated mechanism for the motion. Further exploration with a variety of materials, forms, and traditional arts, has the potential to breathe life into a diverse array of kinetic installations. 

Apart from creating kinetic installations, the method can be utilized in the fields of engineering and architecture to create shape-shifting structures and surfaces.