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Glow Globs Instalação de Iluminação by Virginia Melnyk

Glow Globs Instalação de Iluminação by Virginia Melnyk is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award de Bronze in Design de Produtos e Acessórios de Iluminação Competition Category.


BronzeIluminação· 2021

Glow Globs Instalação de Iluminação

by Virginia Melnyk

Client: Virginia Melnyk Designs

A' Design Award de Bronze Winner in Iluminação Category

Colors

The Design

About Glow Globs Instalação de Iluminação

Glow Globs é uma instalação luminosa insuflável feita de tecido de nylon branco, um ventilador soprador e luzes LED. A instalação é composta por três formas abstratas, cada uma medindo entre 2,5 e 3 metros em cada direção. As formas foram desenvolvidas por meio de modelagem tridimensional e inspiraram-se na fumaça e no fluxo de ar. Cada forma é construída a partir de 80 a 100 painéis costurados. As luzes LED ficam suspensas no interior, de modo que a luz que muda de cor é difundida suavemente através do tecido. As formas desmancham-se quando o ventilador é desligado, permitindo que a instalação seja transportada e montada em outros locais.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Bronze

Glow Globs Instalação de Iluminação conquistou o A' Design Award de Bronze, um reconhecimento altamente prestigiado atribuído a designs notáveis que se distinguem pela criatividade, engenho e perspicácia. Os vencedores do Bronze são artefactos amplamente habilidosos e surpreendentemente criativos que comprovam a vasta experiência, imaginação e capacidade de iniciativa dos seus designers. Espera-se que Glow Globs Instalação de Iluminação seja um objeto muito considerado, admirado e estimado, notavelmente profissional e inovador. Este design vencedor do A' Design Award de Bronze incorpora as melhores práticas em arte, ciência, design e tecnologia e é excelente pela sua atenção ao detalhe. Glow Globs Instalação de Iluminação satisfaz esplendidamente necessidades, toca desejos, encanta sentimentos e desperta curiosidade.

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

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