Participating Structure

Status: Competition entry, 2018

Location: New York City

State 0- Open Canopy

State 3- Partially Open Canopy

State 6- Closed Canopy

State 0- Open Canopy

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Participating Structure is a changeable pavilion comprised of a repurposed scaffold and a canopy of 99 thirty gallon empty plastic rain barrel drums. The scaffold would move on to another project after the duration of the installation. The rain barrels would be sold or donated to another user. The mechanics of operation are derived from a flexible mesh system developed by Ron Resch. A mesh of this type is composed of rigid body elements of the same size and shape that are attached with hinges at each corner. The elements of the mesh can be any rigid body, this and the fact that the entire system is ruled by geometry makes the system scalable and open to a variety of material compositions

STATE DIAGRAMS

State Diagram_0

State Diagram_3

State Diagram_6

State Diagram_0

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The geometry that underlies the mesh system is surprisingly rich, and can be mapped onto a linkage system that supports both the system and its motion. This linkage system is embodied by the scaffold. The scaffold equipment is configured into a fixed part that is anchored to the ground and five movable stations, together they form the linkage system. Pushing simultaneously at the 5 stations rotates the structure and changes it's wall and canopy position and orientation. The result is a structure that opens and closes, inducing a variety of activities in response to its form.