Curvature Bench

thingiverse

For my project, I decided to manipulate the idea of "building bridges" by taking an interpretive approach to my design. I knew that in order to "build bridges" socially, there had to be a gap between two or more communities or identities. This meant that conceptually, I knew I had to create something that had two parts or some type of symmetry that immediately drew a viewer's eyes. Preferably, I wanted a viewer's eyes to direct their vision from the outward regions of my design to the central focus (which happens to be the bench). I attempted to do so by designing the curved forms at either end of the project such that the curves seemed to have been melted then shaped in an industrial turbine. Being that "building bridges" was my main design parameter, I knew that my structure had to incorporate an actual bridge of some sort with the purpose of making each separate aspect of the overall design into one unified form. To do so, I decided to incorporate a ring structure that was actually bound to the two outer ,curved forms that enclosed and defined the space in between them. I then wanted to further the parameter of "building bridges" by making he ring structure into a bench because public benches are communal and help aid interactions between individuals which is required when "building bridges". If this structure were to be built, I would preferably want it placed on the empty patio outside of Burton D. Morgan (facing the commons area) because I feel that it fits with the building's geometric, modernist aesthetic that incorporates glass, metal, and lightly-hued woods that are all polished and create an open-air internal environment. I also feel that placing it anywhere on the commons area would be nice because it has so much open space that it needs a focal point of some sort that would encourage faculty and students to interact with one another. Regarding the dimensions of my structure, if it were to be built, I would want it to be 10 feet tall (at its highest point) x 14 feet in length x 8 feet in with (would be determined by the diameter of the bench as well as the space between the two curved structures). From a material standpoint, if my design were to be built by in front of Burton Morgan, I would want it to be made out of a sandstone granite that has been somewhat darkened that would then be polished and waterproofed to increase weather resistance. I could also see my design be made out of a polished, water and bug proofed birch of a light hue.