Marc Fornes from THEEVERYMANY unveiled an installation in Lyon, France based on the tectonic analysis and assembly of different geometric units. While the contemporary production of the so called digital architecture often manifests itself as physical object of pure envelope, n|Edg proposes for a more dynamic habitation of space through a constant variation of section and scale. What was a room is then transformed into playful “parcours” terrain, constantly engaging its users, forcing them to adapt into different positions and body postures. Its complex overall geometry, stretching in multiple directions, allows for the defi nition of voids, vaults and circuitous circulation, aiming to challenge the idea of social interaction by the introduction of a new topological order. Both its skins – the top one hanging from the ceiling and the bottom one spanning between structural supports – are composed of hundreds of planar facets which are assembled to entail a continuous and highly refl ective surface; allowing a porous piece to emerge that both reveals and conceals; while the multifaceted refl ections of its golden mirror fi nish transform the intricate defi nition of its pattern into a global and immersive environment: depthless. n|Edg essence is characterized by its playful nature along with embedded complexity of the design and assembly.

n|Edg assembly is written within continuous series of investigations at different scale:

Overall: development of protocols of surface relaxation – in order for the surface to generate best fit curvature in response to fi x hanging or support points (fl oor, ceiling, walls) as curvature – despite generating apparent complexity – also provides natural structural stiffness.

Surface description (or sampling): re-understanding the resultant surface as series of points – which densities are relative to the degree of curvature – the more curvature the more points and eventually parts.

Surface reconstruction (or tessellation): previous work focused on describing complex surfaces with fl at components – after working for different “high end” architectural and design practices – the only way to keep pushing non standard environments is to introduce the economy of parts as part of the equation – therefore early tests were fi rst looking at ways to triangulate complex surfaces – and therefore strategize on panels cut within flat sheets of material – which very quickly evolved toward what is now the trendy “arrays of quads” components paradigm. “n|Edg” is now investigating the reconstruction of a surface with polygonal parts going from three edges to (n) number of edges.

Informed customization: each part is similar though not identical – its change of size and proportion is therefore allows to describe different radius of curvature – but also local re-reading of orientation is driving the length and width of branches – the fl atter, the wider in order to provide more surface alike coverage.

THEVERYMANY / MARC FORNES

Design team: Marc Fornes (principal), Mathew Staudt
Computational descriptive geometry (Rhinoscript): Marc Fornes
Nesting: Skylar Tibbits
Digital fabrication: Jared Laucks
Assembly in Lyon: Marc Fornes, Skylar Tibbits, Marie Bassano, Anne Vialle, Simon Feydieu, Lou Lucas, Tamara Maes, Sophie Roset, Charlotte Marrel, Benedetto Bufalino.



While the contemporary production of the so called digital architecture often manifests
itself as physical object of pure envelope, n|Edg proposes for a more dynamic habitation
of space through a constant variation of section and scale. What was a room is then
transformed into playful “parcours” terrain, constantly engaging its users, forcing them to adapt
into different positions and body postures. Its complex overall geometry, stretching in multiple
directions, allows for the defi nition of voids, vaults and circuitous circulation, aiming to challenge
the idea of social interaction by the introduction of a new topological order. Both its skins – the
top one hanging from the ceiling and the bottom one spanning between structural supports – are
composed of hundreds of planar facets which are assembled to entail a continuous and highly
refl ective surface; allowing a porous piece to emerge that both reveals and conceals; while the
multifaceted refl ections of its golden mirror fi nish transform the intricate defi nition of its pattern
into a global and immersive environment: depthless. n|Edg essence is characterized by its playful
nature along with embedded complexity of the design and assembly.

Tech:

 

“n|Edg” assembly is written within continuous series of investigations at different scale:

– the overall: development of protocols of surface relaxation – in order for the surface to generate best fi t
curvature in response to fi x hanging or support points (fl oor, ceiling, walls) as curvature – despite generating
apparent complexity – also provides natural structural stiffness.

– surface description (or sampling): re-understanding the resultant surface as series of points – which densities
are relative to the degree of curvature – the more curvature the more points and eventually parts.

– surface reconstruction (or tessellation): previous work focused on describing complex surfaces with fl at
components – after working for different “high end” architectural and design practices – the only way to keep
pushing non standard environments is to introduce the economy of parts as part of the equation – therefore early
tests were fi rst looking at ways to triangulate complex surfaces – and therefore strategize on panels cut within
fl at sheets of material – which very quickly evolved toward what is now the trendy “arrays of quads” components
paradigm. “n|Edg” is now investigating the reconstruction of a surface with polygonal parts going from
three edges to (n) number of edges.

– informed customization: each part is similar though not identical – its change of size and proportion is
therefore allows to describe different radius of curvature – but also local re-reading of orientation is driving the
length and width of branches – the fl atter, the wider in order to provide more surface alike coverage.

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