centipede pavilion components

Centipede Pavilion Prototype III

Rock(ite) Wall: Not For Climbing

Team "We Will Rockite You" In Process

Thinking up Forms...

Paper or Plastic?

Plastic!

Generating an Army of Forms.

Connections...

So what next?
Surface Texture, Zip Ties, Craft Foam!
More on this later..

Posted By Team "We Will Rockite You" (Ted, Paul + Hollie)

The Rockite Paradox

Everything started well. At a small scale, Rockite will do whatever you tell it to.

Pour out as thin as paper? Keep any shape you put in the form? Create cool effects depending on what items you throw into the mix?

Definitely.

The problem with Rockite arises when increasing in size: Scaling up dimensions exponentially scales up weight, without necessarily scaling up its strength. Especially in tension (there's a reason buildings use steel rods for strength in tension), and when there are weak points in the single massive form.

So through trial and error, I found the best way to make thin panels of Rockite is to make it as even as possible (ridges put the Rockite in tension and shatter) while integrating a structural element or grid into it.

With bubble wrap.

This allowed me to create 12"x24" panels that were translucent in parts due to the moments where they were thinner than paper. Even the thickest part of the panel wasn't larger than 1/4". And due to their cellular structure, they didn't break.

...For the most part.

Simply put, concrete has a very particular bias against being thin, lightweight, and panel-like. Even with constant testing and finding a method that worked more often than not, concrete has a certain wish to be purely a compressive material. Preferably a single piece in compression without weak points...

Still to be uploaded: A picture of the finished frame in the window.

The component, acting as jig, is inherently variable in assembly and static in dimension. Through the use of quantity, angle, and distance, the component generates an anarchic patterning. Construction of the bridge relied heavily on attempting to apply the forces of compression parallel to the joint. Perpendicular compression on the [t] to the [o] joint resulted in structural failure. Remnants of fallen heros remain in the bridge construction as removal was tedious and destructive to the rest of the bridge structure.

The first artifacts and prototypes edges were shear and flat. To generate more component connection possibilities I made the decision to extend the [t] beyond the width of the [o]. This is what led to the connection of the implied walking surface. The surface would be constructed out of a sort of grate material to allow for views to the structure below. The inspiration for the patterning was retrieved from a meteorite cross-section, showing the Widmanstätten patterning.