Glow Globs Iṣẹ Imọlẹ by Virginia Melnyk is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award in Àpẹẹrẹ Ohun Ìmọ́lẹ̀ àti Ẹ̀rọ Ìtànṣán Competition Category.

IdẹÌmọ́lẹ̀· 2021

Glow Globs Iṣẹ Imọlẹ

by Virginia Melnyk

Client: Virginia Melnyk Designs

Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award Winner in Ìmọ́lẹ̀ Category

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Colors

The Design

About Glow Globs Iṣẹ Imọlẹ

Glow Globs jẹ́ ohun ìṣètò ìmọ́lẹ̀ tí a fi afẹ́fẹ́ mí sí i, tí a fi aṣọ nylon funfun, ẹ̀rọ afẹ́fẹ́ tí ń fẹ́, àti àwọn iná LED ṣe. Ìṣètò náà ní ìrísí àìdánimọ̀ mẹ́ta, tí ọ̀kọ̀ọ̀kan wọn ní ìwọ̀n láàrin mítà 2.5 sí 3 ní gbogbo ìhà. A ṣe àwọn ìrísí náà pẹ̀lú àwòṣe onípọ̀-mẹ́ta, tí a sì rí ìmísí wọn láti inú èéfín àti bí afẹ́fẹ́ ṣe ń ṣàn. A kọ́ ìrísí kọ̀ọ̀kan láti inú 80 sí 100 àwọn pátákó tí a rán papọ̀. A gbé àwọn iná LED kọ́ sí inú rẹ̀, kí ìmọ́lẹ̀ tí ń yí àwọ̀ padà lè tàn jáde ní pẹ̀lẹ́pẹ̀lẹ́ nípasẹ̀ aṣọ náà. Àwọn ìrísí náà á wó lulẹ̀ nígbà tí a bá pa ẹ̀rọ afẹ́fẹ́ náà, tí ó máa jẹ́ kí a lè gbé ìṣètò náà kí a sì tún fi sí àwọn ibòmíràn.

The Recognition

About the Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award

Glow Globs Iṣẹ Imọlẹ jẹ́ olùborí Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award, ìdánimọ̀ olókìkí gan-an tí a fún àwọn àwòṣe tó tayọ tí wọ́n yàtọ̀ nípasẹ̀ ìṣẹ̀dá, àrékérekè àti ọgbọ́n inú. Àwọn olùborí Idẹ jẹ́ àwọn ohun èlò tó ní ìjáfáfá gan-an tí wọ́n sì ní ìṣẹ̀dá tó yani lẹ́nu tí wọ́n ń ṣe ẹ̀rí ìrírí gbígbòòrò, ìrònú àti ọgbọ́n àwọn olùṣàwòṣe wọn. A retí pé Glow Globs Iṣẹ Imọlẹ yóò jẹ́ ohun tí a kà sí gidigidi, tí a gbóríyìn fún tí a sì nífẹ̀ẹ́, tó jẹ́ ti ọ̀jáfáfá lọ́nà tó ṣe pàtàkì tó sì ní ìmúṣẹ̀dá tuntun. Àwòṣe tó borí Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award yìí ń kó àwọn ọ̀nà tó dára jùlọ nínú iṣẹ́ ọnà, sáyẹ́ǹsì, àwòṣe àti ìmọ̀-ẹ̀rọ jọ, ó sì tayọ nítorí àfiyèsí rẹ̀ sí àwọn àlàyé kékeré. Glow Globs Iṣẹ Imọlẹ ń tẹ́ àwọn ohun tí a nílò lọ́rùn lọ́nà àgbàyanu, ó ń fọwọ́ kan àwọn ìfẹ́ inú, ó ń gbà ọkàn ó sì ń fa ìfẹ́ láti mọ̀ mọ́ra.

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