Synthetic Nature_July – October 2013

Synthetic Nature is a collection of prototypes born of holistic research into the genesis of form and space. The self-organization of matter, conservation of energy, equilibrium and notions of minimal complexity are concepts that have driven the creative process, a symbiotic mix of art and science. The analogy with the molecular behavior of soap bubbles informs the research method, which involves nature inspired algorithms and geometric constraints. Focusing on periodic minimal surfaces, the design process challenges the concepts of multi-dimensional symmetry and repetition, creating modular continuous surfaces that are infinitely expandable.

This research explores new spatial qualities, material effects and volumetric intricacy, through continuous surface geometries, repetition of cellular components to skin topology systems. The resulting prototypes open-up opportunities at various scales in architecture, product and fashion design. The paradoxical character of Synthetic Nature is emerging from the computational side of the process as well as the artificial materiality of the prototypes. Following the biological model taxonomy, the collection challenges the notion of artifact through creating a series of morphological design species.