Assignment #16 – Neri Oxman, ‘Material Ecology’, MOMA- Exhibition- reflection

Project 1:

Vespers II

About:

This project explores the transition between life and death, illustrating the progression of the death mask from a symbolic cultural relic—as represented in the first series, past—to a functional biological interface—as revealed in the third series, future. It moves beyond the exterior surface and into the interior volume of the mask, employing a contemporaneous interpretation of the soul’s journey.What technology is used.

Materials:

Titled Data-driven Material Modeling (DdMM), this approach utilizes external and user-generated data-sets for the evaluation of heterogeneous material distributions during slice generation for 3D printing, thereby enabling the production of voxel-matrices describing material distributions for bitmap-printing at the printer’s native resolution.

 

Usage/Benefit/Innovation:

In this series, it is the interplay of light that reveals these internal structures. Like spirits (from Latin spiritus, meaning “breath”), the internal structures reference the distribution of the martyr’s last breath.
Project 2:
Totems

 

About:

The design team studied the biosynthesis of melanin in the natural world and translated the processes into a set of chemical design protocols in our Lab. In the following experiments, melanin was created in three ways: chemical synthesis, extraction, and bacterial synthesis.

Material:
The team searched for substance that can sustain and enhance biodiversity across living systems, which have thus far endured the perils of climate changes. Melanin is one such substance.
Usage/ Benefit/Innovation:
Bio-based materials can integrate buildings and objects into the living systems around them, using natural processes to perform functions like energy production and waste recycling.
Reflection:
Neri Oxman opened a new approach to design. It made me understand the importance of using biological materials. It was fascinating to see the fusion of natural science with design to create sustainable and innovated architecture. It also opened up my brain to combine cross-disciplined subjects with design.

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