Wool-Thread Machine above At a taut state, thread is strung through grids, and eventually given some slack and dipped vertically in water. Pulling the machine out of the water, strings spontaneously bundle together, while branching apart at both ends like trees in a forest. This allows them to create their most efficient structure.
Initial Trials In an attempt to capture this branching/bundling phenomena, I cataloged the interactions with a diagramming technique that allows for a database of orthographic branching parts. By consciously ignoring any curvature, the result was an efficient and clear data collection strategy before the strings dried and separated.
Inserting Objects After initial trials, it was clear that the machine’s behavior was chaotic. To control some of the results, objects were coated in thread and inserted into the machine. Once dipped in water, the strings engulfed the objects creating spaces that could later be “programmable” voids in the structure of the building.
Collection of Trials After analyzing many trials, I found what afforded a rigid structure. Bundling at the center allows the column to grow in strength with each added member. Branching at the bottom and top allows for a strong column base and capital to support the
loads.
