These glowing structures fill the space, allowing users to travel through them,
making flowers bloom as they go.
making flowers bloom as they go.
Our concept originated from a fundamental question: What defines a successful Nuit Blanche project? In today's social media-dominated landscape, particularly with platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, visually captivating projects tend to attract the most attention. Our design actively encourages attendees not only to use their phones to operate the flowers but also to capture moments with the installation.
The envisioned space consists of a forest of columns, each decorated with flowers that blossom when illuminated, mimicking the natural bloom of flowers in sunlight. The objective is to infuse the space with a mystical ambiance, creating an environment that captivates both the senses and the lens of a camera.
Fabrication Technique
CNC Router
STRUCTURE Material
STRUCTURE Material
plywood
Installation Components
In our Nuit Blanche proposal, the designated space will be populated with fourteen columns, each boasting around thirty flowers, culminating in a total of four hundred flowers.
The structural composition comprises three key components. Firstly, the wheel platforms establish the horizontal structure. In this prototype, three platforms are employed, interconnected by the second element—the structural slots—which form the vertical framework. The third component consists of the flower holders, serving as a secondary structure. These holders shape the columns and provide the support needed to showcase the array of flowers.
Conceptual Ideas
Given the emphasis on social media and capturing moments through photos, it quickly became apparent that a reaction-based installation would be ideal. The goal was to design an environment that not only draws in visitors, prompting them to take photos but also encourages reciprocal interaction as the installation "poses" for the camera. Several concepts were explored, including the incorporation of columns and mounds filling the room, with the overarching aim of creating a mysterious and engaging atmosphere.
Design
Our design featured substantial columns populated with flowers designed to burst open or blossom when photographed. This effect was achieved through light sensors discreetly placed at the center of each flower. When the light sensor received a specific amount of lumens, a tension system would be released, enabling the petals to gracefully fall open.
Fabrication
To evaluate the feasibility of the design, a one-meter-square prototype was constructed to simulate a segment of a complete column. The column's structure was crafted using a CNC router and plywood. The meticulous aspect of the process lay in the creation of individual flowers. This phase proved time-consuming, as each flower incorporated a tension system for every petal that necessitated careful calibration to ensure uniform and synchronized petal openings.
Construction
Constructing the column prototype demanded meticulous coordination of the wiring for each flower and the main power system. Notably, each breadboard for the Arduinos could effectively support only two flowers. The lighting arrangement within the structure was also a key consideration. To achieve the desired luminosity for the entire column, it became evident that multiple bulbs would be necessary, consequently leading to increased electricity consumption.
Conclusions
The primary challenge encountered in this project was ensuring the functionality of the flowers. Due to the diverse components involved, there were increased possibilities for malfunctions, necessitating extensive testing of various techniques to achieve optimal performance. The installation of each flower also proved time-consuming, particularly in integrating them with the overall structure.
Aesthetic considerations prompted a desire for adjustments in scale for both the columns and flowers. The realized size exceeded our initial expectations. Moving forward, we envision slimming down the columns and scaling down the flowers to achieve a more refined and proportionate visual impact.
