HEXigloo is a fully parametrically designed pavilion resulting out of a 7 day workshop in Bucharest Rumania organized by Tudor Cosmatu, Irina Bogdan, Andrei Raducanu, and guest tutors Andrei Gheorge (Angewandte, Vienna) Alexander Kalachev (DIA, Dessau) and Bence Pap (Zaha Hadid Architects London) . 55 students participated in a week long workshop learning the basic principles of parametric design, and software, with the task to build in the second half of the week a human scale spatial installation. Out of 10 projects 3 got finally built using a laser cutter and long night work shifts for the assembly of the parts.
HEXigloo represents a pavilion that’s based on a cellular honeycomb structure, applied on an igloo surface typology. From concept to the finite product, the process went through following steps: mapping a hexagonal grid on a pre-modeled surface (14 rows + 14 columns – having 196 elements as a result), extruding the mapped hexagons on the Z axis in order to create a binding surface between the components and adding rigidity to the overall structure.
The main interest was focused on the interior space being articulated by cone like funnels, filtering light to the interior space. This contrast between the smooth exterior and the intricate interior reveals a moment of surprise when entering the structure.
Approximately 2200 linear meters were cut at the laser cutter for this installation and it was made out of 6mm cardboard.
Two teams of participants were created in order to assemble the laser cut components: one that assembled the pieces in their three dimensional shape and one that stitched the components together in order to create the final overall structure. We subdivided the whole volume into subassemblies in order to make the job easier. The whole process lasted approximately 80 hours.
Credits:
Tutors: Tudor Cosmatu, Irina Bogdan, Andrei Raducanu
Location: Bucharest, Romania
Guest Tutors: Andrei Gheorghe, Alexander Kalachev, Bence Pap
Students: Alexandru Damboianu, Andreea Nica, Andreea Hriscu, Ana Maria Pop, Bogdan Samoila, Cristian Bohanita, Daniel Mitrofan, Irina Sargov, Ina Dumitriu, Mihai Pascalau, Oena Eremia, Sorina Simion, Theodora Raduca
Photographs: Courtesy of Bence Pap
Design: T_A_I – Photographs: Courtesy of Bence Pap