Articulated Timber Ground

In the last few years there has been an open discussion about making as a mean of learning. While theory is an important part of every subject, practice puts everything in a new light, offering important insight on how the theory applies in real life. This was the idea behind the Student Design Competition of Melbourne based studio Power to Make. After a six weeks work period, a winning design was chosen, which was later built with the help of all 14 participants.The result was a small pavilion that has multiple uses with it’s main characteristic being adaptability. Thanks to the smart “joints” that incorporate industrial rubber, the structure made of 1752 components can change it’s shape and can adapt to different body positions, from sitting to lounge. A series of tests have been made by the University of Melbourne’s Engineering Department in order to make sure the structure is safe for use as furniture, and to test its response to load bearing. ”The design of the pavilion is a complex relationship between structural, material, fabrication and ergonomic constraints.” – the coordinator of the project has stated.