The Cloud

I found this over the summer while listening to a Core77 podcast on a UK design company called Troika. One of their projects was a kinetic sculpture for the new Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport named "Cloud".

I think the way they have incorporated old school flip dot technology with modern electronics is amazing! The result is a number of fluid like patterns that ripple over the sculpture. I love it! The best thing is, you don't even notice that it's all being controlled by a computer - it feels so organic and natural, even alive.

This definately has to be one of my inspirations for doing what I do.

The Future of Craft

It's a bit late, but here is a link to the Past,Present & Future Craft Practice website. They had an exhibition of craft with Deviants in the Matthew Building.

The piece that stood out to me was a giant glove created by Freddie Robbins called: "Hand of Good, Hand of God". The quality of the machine knitting was incredible.

Cultural Probes

For our product design module at uni, we have to carry out research. But we have learned a new approach to gathering information from random people - cultural probes.
These probes allow you to ask more personal questions but not in an obtrusive way.

My probes are focused at local craftsmen, women and electronic engineers to see if there are any similarities/difference between them. The packs contain:

a disposable camera
a rule sheet
a recipe book
4 postcards

I am sending these probes away tomorrow, so hopefully by next week I will have some results!

The origins of my interest

The subject of "Digital Craft" started last semester while participating in a competition set by Microsoft. I wont go into much detail about it as our team created a website for it -

www.storymakerstoryteller.com

This project helped me realises the route I wanted to take with my studies and hopefully my future career. Here's hoping!