Dirigible Cephalopod Community Hub
In this project, I started by exploring the idea of mythical creatures attending to my house plants and the tasks that they were carrying out. This then developed into the idea of having a community hub on an allotment site in Walthamstow, along with a house and workshop.
Therefore, my project is all about helping allotment users to tend to their prized plants, while also providing a learning and social space for the surrounding community.
The main focus behind the development of my project was to find a way to utilise soft robotic tentacles and inflatable structures to aid the community. Some of the key precedents that influenced the main concept within my project and introduced me to the idea of inflatable structures, include David Greene’s Living Pod and Haus Rucker’s Wayback Machine. Also, the research by MIT on 3D printed inflatables significantly contributed to the development of my soft robotic tentacles.
This inflatable community hub is for all to enjoy. Inside the community centre there is a space for learning, including a collection of books and experts at hand to answer any questions. The spaces outside vary in different seasons to meet the needs of the community. For example, during the spring, inflatable picnic benches will be set out and at harvest time a competition will be held to show off prized fruit and veg.
My project also proposes a house and workshop next to the community centre. This workshop will provide maintenance and repairs to the soft robotic elements across the allotments.
This community hub has very futuristic and playful qualities to it, from the inflatable community centre and café to the soft robotic tentacles, it invites people to be creative and explore this hi-tech world.
Therefore, my project is all about helping allotment users to tend to their prized plants, while also providing a learning and social space for the surrounding community.
The main focus behind the development of my project was to find a way to utilise soft robotic tentacles and inflatable structures to aid the community. Some of the key precedents that influenced the main concept within my project and introduced me to the idea of inflatable structures, include David Greene’s Living Pod and Haus Rucker’s Wayback Machine. Also, the research by MIT on 3D printed inflatables significantly contributed to the development of my soft robotic tentacles.
This inflatable community hub is for all to enjoy. Inside the community centre there is a space for learning, including a collection of books and experts at hand to answer any questions. The spaces outside vary in different seasons to meet the needs of the community. For example, during the spring, inflatable picnic benches will be set out and at harvest time a competition will be held to show off prized fruit and veg.
My project also proposes a house and workshop next to the community centre. This workshop will provide maintenance and repairs to the soft robotic elements across the allotments.
This community hub has very futuristic and playful qualities to it, from the inflatable community centre and café to the soft robotic tentacles, it invites people to be creative and explore this hi-tech world.