Glow Globs 照明インスタレーション by Virginia Melnyk

Glow Globs 照明インスタレーション by Virginia Melnyk is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award 銅賞 in 照明製品・器具デザイン Competition Category.

銅照明· 2021

Glow Globs 照明インスタレーション

by Virginia Melnyk

Client: Virginia Melnyk Designs

A' Design Award 銅賞 Winner in 照明 Category

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Colors

The Design

About Glow Globs 照明インスタレーション

Glow Globsは、白いナイロン生地、送風ファン、LEDライトで構成されたインフレータブル（膨張式）照明インスタレーションです。本インスタレーションは3つの抽象的なフォルムから成り、それぞれ各方向2.5〜3メートルの大きさを持ちます。これらの形状は三次元モデリングによって開発され、煙や気流の動きから着想を得ています。各フォルムは80〜100枚の縫製されたパネルで構成されています。内部にはLEDライトが吊り下げられており、色が変化する光が生地を通して柔らかく拡散されます。ファンを停止するとフォルムはしぼんで折りたためるため、インスタレーションを移動させ、別の場所で再び展開することができます。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 銅賞

Glow Globs 照明インスタレーションは、創造性、独創性、鋭い洞察力で際立つ傑出したデザインに授与される、高い権威をもつ評価である A' Design Award 銅賞の受賞作品です。銅賞の受賞作品は、十分に巧みで印象的なほど創造的な工芸品であり、デザイナーの豊富な経験、想像力、機知を裏づけています。Glow Globs 照明インスタレーションは、高く評価され、称賛され、愛される品であり、顕著にプロフェッショナルで革新的であることが期待されます。この A' Design Award 銅賞を受賞したデザインは、芸術・科学・デザイン・技術のベストプラクティスを取り入れており、細部への配慮に優れています。Glow Globs 照明インスタレーションは、ニーズを見事に満たし、欲求に触れ、感情を魅了し、好奇心を引きつけます。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Glow Globs is an inflatable lighting installation, its unique design is deployable as the light fabric collapse with the fan is off. The Design is abstract shapes to spark curiosity and imagination. The shapes at night are illuminated with color changing LED lights. The lights penetrate through the Nylon material giving them a soft glow.
Dimensions & Packaging: The design consisted of three unique inflatables. Each design was between 3 meters and 2.5 meters in each direction.
Tags: LED, Inflatable, Lighting, Installation, Deployable, PopUp
Production Technology: The design was created in the computer using 3d modeling. Patterns much like those used to make a dress or piece of clothing were generated and sewn together on a home sewing machine. Each inflatable was made up of between 80 - 100 panels. Consisting of over 400 edges to be sewn together. Each peices was numbered and labeled to be able to stich them to the correct pieces. The inflatables were designed to attach to a special air blower fan used for inflatable sculptures. Led Lights were threaded through the interior of the inflated structure and suspended so to diffuse the light before it is emitted out of the fabric.
Design Challenge: Because the installation is pneumatic, it is important to understand how flat pieces of fabric will inflate. The fans blow in a lot of air and it is important to make sure that all the seams are sewn tightly. And that there are no leaks. At the same point the inflatable is under pressure and if the distribution of forces is uneven large amounts of force on one place may cause issues of pressure and seams to rip or tear. Studies done in Clo3D and Kangaroo for grasshopper, were able to give estimated simulations of where extra strain might occur when pressure is applied.
Research: My research is focused on sewing and three dimensional designs. i am interested in approaches to combine sewn forms into the built environment. Often engaging traditional and computation design making methodologies. In this case sewing large scale inflatables with large numbers of pieces methods from parametric computational architecture were adapted. As for the sewing methods from quilting, and dress making were adapted. the combination of making techniques and process of construction resulted in a unique design.
Inspiration: This project was inspired by the character inflatable lawn ornaments so commonly display in many front lawns of American homes during the holidays. But in contrast to the Santa Claus and Frankenstein that we see during the holidays. Glow Globs aspired to create an abstract organic form that would inspire imagination and creative thinking. The design was created in the computer using 3d modeling. Because it is inflated with air the designs were inspired by smoke and animations of airflow.
Project Duration: The installation is traveling. It was first installed for 3 days at Blink Art Festival in Cincinnati 2019, but can continue to be deployed at other locations and events.
Operation Flow: The installation was located in the landscaping in front of the Cincinnati Central Library. Here at night people would engage with the lights and play in the shadows of the colored illuminations.
Team Members: Virginia Melnyk
Image Credits: Photo Credits: Virginia Melnyk