A research on looking at the prospects of an existence of geometrical structures in living and non-living beings and its potential application using new technologies and materials.

To re-look, the geometrical state of art which can bring new dimensions to surfaces/spaces in its physical well being of living and non-living existence.

Decoding the various elements in nature to its various geometrical relations and reflecting to a question “why beauty is there”. Where the flower for example has its geometrical rule how it is grown and why should it maintain certain proportions or why a bird should have a certain number of feathers to make it fly. These questions made me to the world of geometry where there is certain mathematical expressions/equations or generative algorithms, which the almighty has created and brought them to life.

As the world is constantly changing, the role as an individual is shifting and responding to some innovative methodologies which could offer a paradigm shift that alters the development of new novel process - based strategies which could bring more efficient connections between living and non-living spaces.

The potential of the research is to find and explore new generation of interactive systems within science, art and architecture that could bring new relationships or interconnections between the nature and human beings.

The research started with the decoding of various changes in nature in living and non living things.Like..

Active Changes

Passive Changes

But decoding which one… living/non living thing was a question for me.As I was a designer it took me only to discover the non living things in nature.So myself thought that the opportunity lies in living things where I could explore more - Decoding the living things surrounded by us. As this was also a challenging area of finding again what type of living things.

A brief research on various living things was undertaken.Understanding the relation on mathematics/geometry in biology took me to new dimensions of relation of science and the Question “Why beauty is there?”.

As the start of the Research “Project Decode” I have categorized the areas which leads me to great potential interests

1) Plants

2) Animals

These two areas where chosen because I thought there could be some unseen relationships in macro and micro levels which can be explored and revealed. In order of choosing the area, further discussions with Foam members where done and was narrowed towards Plants. Understanding certain possibilities started what can be decoded from the plants..The part of natural science where the study of life in living organisms like structure, Function, growth, origin, evolution, distortion, Decay, Distribution, Taxonomy…where taken to account.

Research on growth and Form - Readings and Reflections

The book “On growth and Form” and the video “The secret life of Plants” from Foam Library took me to certain values in nature that should be understood and reflected in its way of exploration.Various discussions and web research in Foam led me to reach to world of “Phyllotaxis”, the study of mathematical regularities in plants.The research on phyllotaxis led me to understand the various functions in nature like growth, geometry and patterning of various plants.The basic patterning in leaves according to research where alternate, opposite, whorled or spiral.

Research on Phyllotaxis

This research took to new heights by understanding the spiral dynamics in nature of plants and the role of Fibonacci number.The advantage of fibonacci pattern and phyllotaxis where studied from the internet.The question always stroked me why I am studying these things….I realized that to make people learn or give them new experience of growth, geometry and patterning.Various research of plants and its geometrical relationships where studied from various websites.As in search of spiral dynamics old school instruments and other relations came to notice.

Research on various Geometrical Tools

Spirographs: A geometric drawing toy that produces mathematical curves of the variety technically known as hypotrochoids and epitrochoids. Graficus(Zeichenspiel drawing Set): A geometric drawing toy that produces mathematical patterns. Penrose Tiling: A non-periodic tiling generated by an a periodic set of prototiles. These various geometrical instruments allowed to understand the geometry of patterning from the relation of spirals.

Research on Contemporary and Traditional dances

From the relation of growth, geometry and patterning of spirals in nature it also questioned me about the movements in nature. Collaboration with a contemporary dancer “Tine Maringka” and discussions led me to the perspective of movements in the contemporary/traditional dances.Various research on contemporary/traditional Dances where undertaken for understanding why movement is represented in performances.

The field of inquiry for this project, for us, is the research where it could bring new dimensions to understand the growth,geometry and patterning in plants by movement.The movement seen in the growth/decay can also reflect to various spaces.The interaction of plants and the human beings through the representation of movement in an interactive system can be the future of this research.This can also reflect contemporary dance spaces where the immersiveness of an individual can bring new perspectives of movements from nature.

THE MOVEMENTORS

This project aims to decode the elements of plants by looking at growth, geometry and patterning, which could bring new dimensions in its movement of existence through spiral dynamics. http://www.kirangangadharan.com/recent-/movementors.html

Justification

This project reflects in the understanding of various growth and decay in various plants and the discovery of phyllotaxis with its relationship of mathematical expressions.Growth is appreciated/respected but not seen.Decay is disrespected but not seen.In relation with growth of plants there is a unseen mystery of movement.The movement is a performance in itself. Comparing the complex situations from static/dynamic, organic/inorganic, form/function, observer/observed, self/other and reflecting in a space, which can bring new aesthetics to movements and also transform the space in itself.

Buckminster Fuller said

“…man is just about to begin to participate consciously and somewhat more knowingly and responsibly in his own evolutionary transformation.I include evolution of the environment as a major part of the evolution of humanity.”

Expected outcomes of the Research

2011 March

Two Dimensional and Three Dimensional Representations

1) Flipbook

Recto - Verso Generative Growth of Spirographs

Verso - Recto Movement of the Dancer: Improvisation./Growth of a composite fruit or flower./Movement of the body(People)through spirograph.

2)The role of patterning with spirographs.

3)Perspective of spirographs

4)Interactive Future architectural concepts in 3d or hand drawn.

2011 (March - December)

Project Decode (Plants)

Investigating the various possibilities of building some interactive architectures where the concepts will be freezed to making stage.Innovative material and technological research which will be decoded from the nature.Understanding the area of bionics and applying to these interactive systems.Research on various sustainable materials which could bring advance architectural solutions.

Making a real Prototype considering all the above said relatives.

2012 (January - March)

Project Decode (Animals)

Animal Morphology, bionics and their relation to geometrical proportions.

2012 (March - December)

Project Decode (Aquatic Plants and Animals)

It all started discussions with various Foam members and other creative professionals, the main approach for me from the beginning was a little bit mess. In-order it lead me to various ideas and millions of idea which bursted into my head. As a designer I used to create beautiful things and it lead me to artifacts which I could show people and reflect on it may be that gave me ideas to create something beautiful.The research on websites also let me enter into cross disciplines which I had an eager to do research in, but time was a constraint.I also started collaborating with some of the artists to share ideas and also share my research on which lead me to a stable posture where I am now.

The research on plants started with phyllotaxis understanding the Fibonacci series and the geometrical placement of leaves and petals.The spiral placement, geometry and patterning of plants lead me to explore various spiral relationships. I started taking spirographs as a medium to explore various spiral relationships.Finding old school instruments like spirographs and other graphical instrument was quiet difficult.These instruments has become an historic tool as the computer generated graphics has changed a new perspective.

The mathematical relations of spirograph where studied and the algorithm to generate various spirographs where done.Various iterations where done in the open source plug in - generative modeling for rhino 3d called grasshopper 3d to achieve an algorithm for spirograph.An archive of various spirographs where made using this algorithm to understand the nature of the spirograph and how it is continuous and how these generated spirographs leads to patterning also was done.The growth of the flower starts with the growth of the petals from the bud relating it to the spirograph relating to the growth of these spirographs through the algorithm was also studied.The linear and non linear spirographs where studied and the patterning of it also was made.One of these spirographs from the archive was taken and it was explode to the ground.

The exploded view of the spirograph made the dancer to take it it as tool for herself for improvisation.The spirograph placed in the ground was also allowed to know what people reflected towards it.Snapshots where captured from the camera in two different views one from the top and side view to understand the perspective of the movement.

These snapshots and the movement is reflected towards the flipbook and also the exploration of various illustrations to movement is the possibilites to be explored.

To be continued