Autonomous Window, Variation One
This translucent window, created entirely of paper, was designed not for an architectural structure but instead found its framework in nature. For this temporary installation, on the banks of the Delaware River in Philadelphia, the Autonomous Window was oriented to be in line with the sun rising in the east.
As the sun crept above the tree line in the early morning, its rays illuminated the piece, animating materials that seemed static, through shifting hues of soft pinks and oranges.
Truncated Octahedron Tessellation
This Archimedean solid is a space-filling polyhedron. Meaning that, when this polyhedron is replicated multiple times, it can be packed together to fill space. In other words, it can tessellate. I drew a transparent tessellation of the polyhedron in two-point perspective to better understand its underlying construction.
I found that with so many basic lines overlapping but with no indication of hierarchy amongst them, my mind would toggle between perceiving the tessellation as a three-dimensional illusion while flattening it into a maze-like pattern. I then translated the design into a paper cutout, layering translucent paper in specific spots. With the assistance of a sunset backlighting this experiment, the design's three-dimensional illusion was brought to light.
