Cadence of the Spiral Umsebenzi Oyinhloko: Ukufakwa Okunyakazayo by Yusuke Kamiyama

Cadence of the Spiral Umsebenzi Oyinhloko: Ukufakwa Okunyakazayo by Yusuke Kamiyama is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Umklomelo Wesiliva we-A' Design Award in Ubuciko Obuhle Competition Category.

IsilivaUbuciko Obuhle· 2026

Cadence of the Spiral Umsebenzi Oyinhloko: Ukufakwa Okunyakazayo

by Yusuke Kamiyama

Client: Spline Design Hub Inc.

Umklomelo Wesiliva we-A' Design Award Winner in Ubuciko Obuhle Category

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The Design

About Cadence of the Spiral Umsebenzi Oyinhloko: Ukufakwa Okunyakazayo

Umbhalo Wencwadi: I-Cadence of the Spiral ihlola isikhathi njengento enwebekayo, ehlobene, nephilayo. Ucezu lwensimbi yensimbi yesprini engagqwali lubunjwa lube yisimo esiguquguqukayo ngezingalo zomshini ezingamashumi amathathu. Izingalo zinyakaza ngamagagasi acashile, ashintsha izigaba. Njengoba i-spiral iphefumula, ijika, futhi izihlela kabusha, akukho zikhathi ezimbili ezifanayo. Lo msebenzi uphefumulelwe yi-mainspring yewashi lomshini. Iphinda ihumushe insimbi esongiwe njengesitsha samandla agcinwe nokugeleza kwesikhathi. Ukunyakaza akuphindwa. Esikhundleni salokho, ushintsho lwembulwa ngokuhluka okulawulwayo. Isikhathi asilinganiswa, kodwa siyezwakala.

The Recognition

About the Umklomelo Wesiliva we-A' Design Award

Cadence of the Spiral Umsebenzi Oyinhloko: Ukufakwa Okunyakazayo iwinile uMklomelo Wesiliva we-A' Design Award, ukwaziswa okuhloniphekile ngokungajwayelekile okunikezwa imiklamo esezingeni eliphezulu, ebukekayo nethinta kakhulu. Abawinile beSiliva yimisebenzi egqamile kakhulu nedala kakhulu ebonisa ubungcweti obuphawulekayo, italente nobuhlakani babaklami babo. Cadence of the Spiral Umsebenzi Oyinhloko: Ukufakwa Okunyakazayo ilindeleke ukuba ibe ngumsebenzi omuhle wesibonelo, onobungcweti obuphawulekayo nezinto ezintsha ezijulile. Lo mklamo owinile uMklomelo Wesiliva we-A' Design Award uyinto entsha ebonakala kakhulu nethakazelisayo esiza futhi isunduza imingcele yobuciko, isayensi, ukuklama nobuchwepheshe. Cadence of the Spiral Umsebenzi Oyinhloko: Ukufakwa Okunyakazayo iyinto enomhawu omkhulu kuyo evusa izifiso, ilethe imizwa emihle futhi ivuse ukumangala nokuxakeka.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: A long stainless-steel spiral is dynamically deformed by independently actuated arms, generating continuous reorganization through tension and release. Unlike static sculpture, the form never settles; it is constantly restructured into shifting orders. The spiral functions as a physical model of time—elastic, unstable, and relational. Controlled irregularity replaces mechanical uniformity, allowing viewers to perceive time not as measurement, but as a living and evolving order.
Dimensions & Packaging: Material: Blast-finished stainless spring steel (0.3 mm thickness, 80 mm width)
Spiral pitch: 100 mm
Number of turns: 10
Control: PC-based control system
Installation footprint: Approx. 2000 mm × 2000 mm × 2000 mm
Power: AC 100–240 V
Tags: Kinetic art, Spiral structure, Time perception, Mechanical rhythm, Parametric design, Stainless steel sculpture, Dynamic installation, Temporal form
Production Technology: A custom-fabricated stainless-steel spiral plate forms the core structure, paired with a bespoke linear actuation system developed for this work. Most mechanical components—including joints, mounts, and structural interfaces—were custom-designed to enable precise distributed deformation. Motion is coordinated through a PC-based control architecture enabling synchronized, phase-shifted oscillations. Parametric modeling and simulation optimized stress distribution and torsional balance.
Design Challenge: The primary challenge was balancing structural stability with expressive flexibility. The spiral required sufficient rigidity to maintain form, yet enough elasticity to allow dynamic deformation. Managing distributed mechanical stress while achieving organic motion demanded extensive iteration. Technological constraints of synchronized actuation and material fatigue also required innovative solutions to preserve both safety and poetic integrity.
Research: This practice-based design research explores time as a spatial and kinetic phenomenon. Through iterative prototyping combining mechanical engineering and artistic experimentation, parametric modeling, structural simulation, and motion analysis were employed. Audience observation during exhibitions informed the study. The research identified perceptual shifts generated by micro-irregular motion, demonstrating how controlled instability enhances emotional engagement and contributes to contemporary kinetic art and experiential design.
Inspiration: Inspired by the mainspring of a mechanical watch, Cadence of the Spiral reconsiders the spiral beyond its functional role. The tightly wound strip of metal appeared as a vessel containing latent energy and rhythm of time itself. When gently lifted, it responded with subtle motion, as if about to begin a heartbeat. The spiral thus emerged not as an object, but as a physical manifestation of invisible time—an embodiment of tension and release within temporal experience.
Project Duration: The project began in Tokyo in March 2025 and was completed in November 2025. Prototyping and structural validation were conducted in Tokyo. Developed in collaboration with Seiko Watch Corporation to explore the cultural and mechanical heritage of horology, the work was exhibited in Japan and is currently being prepared for international presentation.
Operation Flow: The spiral slowly shifts between tension and release. As the supporting arms extend and retract, the form breathes, twists, and reorganizes itself. There is no fixed choreography; instead, subtle variations create moments of alignment and misalignment. Viewers experience a continuous transformation—sometimes synchronized, sometimes slightly off—evoking the sensation of time that never fully repeats yet always returns.
Patents: Copyrights belong to Spline Design Hub Inc., 2025.
Team Members: Yusuke Kamiyama
Shin Sakamoto
Kaku Murayama
Fumiya Nakano
Image Credits: IMAGE CREDITS: Daisuke Ohki