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25EM_X12

Napa Wongsakulyanon, Maha Yaqoob, Maria Nguyen

Through this static equilibrium assignment, our team explored a structural concept using clear balloon balls and steel blocks, which offers a striking contrast between airy and translucent forms and heavy and rigid blocks. The steel blocks and clear balloons functioned as the compression elements that provided stability and dynamic for the entire structure itself, as the steel blocks exerted force upon the clear balloon balls, causing them to remain in place. Meanwhile, the clear string that was used to keep the structure upright and stable acted in tension as it was tied to the foundation board. By varying the pattern of the steel blocks and clear balloons with different arrangements to balance, we created various senses of floating volumes that stacked vertically, horizontally, and could cantilever. The 6 compositions created emphasize the interplay between heavy vs. light and structured vs. flexible. This exercise not only provided experiments on achieving static equilibrium but also provided a valuable understanding of how different material properties could influence structural behavior significantly. Visually, the transparent balloon balls contrasted with the solidity of the steel, generating spatial experiences that feel gravity-defying as the balloon balls make the heavy blocks look like floating volumes.

PHYSICAL MODEL

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DIGITAL MODEL

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PROCESS

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