Ruga Swan | Jiangmei Wu

Ruga Swan is a parametric installation created by Jiangmei Wu, head of Folded Light Art + Design and Assistant Professor of Design at Indiana University in Bloomington. Ruga is a Latin word for wrinkle, crease, or fold, and it works perfectly as the title of this project, as it is deeply rooted in the origami tradition.

– a dear subject for the architect. The crease pattern of Ruga Swan was developed based on the Yoshimura pattern, which is known for its ability to produce an approximated arc form that has great structural stability. Ruga Swan is an example of irregular deployment of the Yoshimura pattern to create versatile and flexible architectural skins.

– Jiangmei Wu mentions. The form was generated using parametric tools, while the finished product was realized with over one hundred panels of laser cut corrugated paper, creased and folded manually. Ruga Swan is a work of passion. Jiangmei Wu fondly remembers her first exercise in architecture university, when she was asked to design a structure from a single piece of paper

– a classic exercise, originally used at the Bauhaus. This reminded her of her childhood, when she used to play with paper. Since I was a child, I have always been fascinated by the art and the science of the folding paper. Paper folding seems to always start from a simple geometric pattern and then it evolves into a complex piece of art through the hands of an artist/designer, she adds. It is possible to see the art work live, as it is currently displayed at Hermitage Museum and Gardens in Norfolk, VA, from May 8^th until July 26^th