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CONCEPT
In working with the intention program, I found
some things that appealed to me both in the
childrens drawings from our trip to Rindal,
but also tried to let my hand create some
interesting lines without thinking to much.
When looking at the result, I decided that the
focus of my project would be a structure that
has some qualities that children of all ages
can find alien, that stokes the imagination,
and that allows you to ascend to the stars.
I experimented with some different types of
alien structure, before landing on a concept
of a light structure that supported something
heavy. Perhaps it should feel like the whole
tower was some sort of instrument that aliens
had left in this hill?
SITE
I had decided that I wanted a high structure,
both so you could look above the treetops,
but also because ascending was an important
aspect. I placed the structure a little way down
the steep hill, so a bridge could bring you
from the top level and right into the structure.
The clearing allowed some nice views to the
west over the river, so it would be nice to look
out the west as you where going up.
STRUCTURE
I decided to use tension as the main principle.
Tension is interesting, because it allows the
vertical members to be very slim.
To achieve this, a large frame was
constructed, and wooden boxes where
suspended from beams at the top. The frame
consists of gluelam columns 8”x8” held in
place by diagonal trusses 4”x4”. The columns
where slightly overdimensioned, to make
them appear very solid in contrast to the
tension members, which where two coupled
2”x2”, hanging from 450mm high trussbeams.
Sketch Models
Final model in context