Structural Weave 2.0: a_study_of_materiality_connection_and_form

Objective: Construct a pedestrian bridge for a local park

Material: Plastic tubing

Requirements: Replace an existing wood structure, engage hiking trails above and in the spanned gorge below.

Inspirations: Horsetail (plant) and bone structure

This prototype, the second of four, resulted from explorations to make this inherently flexible material more rigid. Two layers of tube are wrapped around an inner "core". The tubes penetrate one another through holes made with a wood punch. The counter wrapped tubes provided greater stiffness for the structure, but not as much as I desired. Further posts will show the advances made from Prototype-II.

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This "linear weave" is an exploration of weaving the material upon itself to gain rigidity. A single piece of siphoning tube was hammered with wood punches and then clothes line was laced through and looped back upon itself. I plan to use this element as a walkway for the bridge in Prototype-IV.

More to follow!