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Glow Globs Umsebenzi Wokukhanyisa by Virginia Melnyk

Glow Globs Umsebenzi Wokukhanyisa by Virginia Melnyk is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 Umklomelo Webhulonzi we-A' Design Award in Ukudizayina Ukukhanyisa Competition Category.


IbhulonziUkukhanyisa· 2021

Glow Globs Umsebenzi Wokukhanyisa

by Virginia Melnyk

Client: Virginia Melnyk Designs

Umklomelo Webhulonzi we-A' Design Award Winner in Ukukhanyisa Category

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The Design

About Glow Globs Umsebenzi Wokukhanyisa

Glow Globs iyisakhiwo sokukhanyisa esigcwaliswa ngomoya, senziwe ngendwangu emhlophe ye-nylon, ifeni yokuphephetha umoya kanye namalambu e-LED. Lesi sakhiwo sakhiwe izinhlobo ezintathu ezingaqondene nesimo esithile, ngayinye ilinganiswa phakathi kuka-2.5 no-3 amamitha kuzo zonke izinhlangothi. Lezi zimo zenziwa ngokusebenzisa imodeli ye-three-dimensional futhi zagqugquzelwa intuthu kanye nokugeleza komoya. Isimo ngasinye sakhiwe ngamaphaneli athungiwe angu-80 kuya ku-100. Amalambu e-LED alengiswe ngaphakathi, ukuze ukukhanya okushintshashintsha imibala kusakazeke kancane ngendwangu. Izimo ziyawa uma ifeni icishiwe, okwenza lesi sakhiwo sikwazi ukuhanjiswa nokumiswa kwezinye izindawo.

The Recognition

About the Umklomelo Webhulonzi we-A' Design Award

Glow Globs Umsebenzi Wokukhanyisa iwinile uMklomelo Webhulonzi we-A' Design Award, ukwaziswa okuhloniphekile kakhulu okunikezwa imiklamo ephawulekayo eyehlukaniswa ukudala, ubuhlakani nobukhali bengqondo. Abawinile beBhulonzi yimisebenzi enobuchule obukhulu nedala ngokumangalisayo eqinisekisa isipiliyoni esibanzi, umcabango nobuhlakani babaklami babo. Glow Globs Umsebenzi Wokukhanyisa ilindeleke ukuba ibe yinto exatshwa kakhulu, edunyiswayo nethandwayo, enobungcweti obuphawulekayo nezinto ezintsha. Lo mklamo owinile uMklomelo Webhulonzi we-A' Design Award uhlanganisa izindlela ezinhle kakhulu ebuciko, esayensi, ekuklameni nasebuchwepheshe futhi uhamba phambili ngenxa yokunaka kwawo imininingwane. Glow Globs Umsebenzi Wokukhanyisa iyanelisa izidingo ngokumangalisayo, ithinta izifiso, iheha imizwa futhi ikhanga ukufuna ukwazi.

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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