THE DYNAMIC WALK
Competition Project • Organized by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Orange Coast College • Design Village • Advisor: Steve Fuchs • Spring 2013
Role: Designer & Team Leader
Assembly Team: Nathan Jang, Peter Won, William Ellswoth, Jesus Perez, Tim Wright, Yura Oh
The world is moving in such fast pace that automation technology is quietly replacing human interactions. As a trade-off for industrial innovation, the bonding connection between human and machine is slowly weakened. The Dynamic Walk project is a bridge to re-connect the relationship, strengthen the human influence in a structure design, and re-engage human motions to enable mechanical mechanism without any use of automation device.
The project begins with the interest on kinetic structure in the aspect of geometrical relationship of part and whole and relational movement of members. The further exploration centers on the idea of how to engage human body with the operation of a kinetic structure without any use of automation device. The process when to numerous experiments from the relationship of members, to the details of joints.
Initial Exploration
Kinetic Structure & Relative Movement / Two forces are applied to operate the entire system. The project begins with the interest on kinetic structure in the aspect of geometrical relationship of part and whole and relational movement of members. The further exploration centers on the idea of how to engage human body with the operation of a kinetic structure without any use of automation device. The process when to numerous experiments from the relationship of members, to the details of joints.
Initial Mockup
Study of relative movement & aggregation
Modular System
There are five types of module that based on geometrical relationship, operate differently but create the animating effect as a whole. Each module is cut by CNC machine with 1” thickness plywood sheet. The spring on upper part is designed to allow the system move back to original condition. Two horizontal members hold important roles on the movement concept. One stays static to be structural foundation and one transfers force into upper parts. transfers force into upper parts.
Concept of Platform & How-to-play
Depend on the weight or the number of persons playing, the design animate differently
Animated form & Human body
Depend on the weight or the number of persons playing, the design animate differently
Installation Process
The site of the competition is located on a hill of San Louis Obispo. The system is designed to take a part and reinstall easily for transportation. The foundation members have to be stable yet flexible enough to adapt to the topography of the site. The team consists 6 members. Each team has 12hours for installation. All of the materials and parts have to physically be transported 1 miles from a site. The wire connection and the plastic pipes on the upper parts act as lateral resistance and help to keep the equal gap between modules.
Outdoor Installation Proposal & Skin Concept
Concept of foundation and installation process on the sloping topography / Lateral Resistant member
Connection Details
The spring on upper part is designed to allow the system move back to original condition. Two horizontal members hold important roles on the movement concept. One stays static to be structural foundation and one transfers force into upper parts. transfers force into upper parts.
Concept of Animated Form
Geometrical logic of modular generation & details of joints
From Mockup to Full-scale Prototype
The first design challenge has to deal with how to transfer the force receiving at the platform from human gravity to the upper parts of the structure that allows them to animate and move back to the original condition when one steps out of the platform. The second design challenge centers on the relationship of part and whole, how to create the minimum amount of self-similar module that allow each module to operate differently but create the animating effect as a whole. minimum amount of variation of module that allow the system to move and operate as a whole.
Installation at OCC Art Exhibition / Costa Mesa, CA
The project received “The Most Ingenious Award” at OCC Art Exhibiton in April 2013.
Installation at OCC Art Exhibition / Costa Mesa, CA
In June 2014, it was exhibited at Lanscaster Art and History Museum and showcased in Mana Film featuring Professor/Advisor/Designer Steve Fuchs.