Inspired by the opening and closing of a camera lens, a design emerged featuring a circular spiral and octagon at its center. The project's requirements dictated that the design fit within a 12”x12” boundary to facilitate multiple fabrication processes for material exploration.

The initial phase involved creating 2D line drawings to define the design's top view. Subsequently, 3D elements were introduced to add depth, with spiral curves symbolizing the camera's opening and closing moments flowing from the highest level down to the center.

Moving to fabrication, a positive model for the wood component was crafted using a CNC machine. Design decisions considered the CNC router's limitations, such as no undercuts, draft angles less than 2’’, and a 1/4’’ base left at the bottom of the tile.

For the concrete model, a digital inverse model was created and cut from foam using the CNC machine. The foam model served as a mold for pouring concrete, producing the original positive form of the design.

In preparation for the rubberized concrete model, a mold was created from a positive digital model, generating a foam model for vacuum forming out of plastic. Inverting this vacuum form created a mold for pouring the rubberized concrete.

The material exploration culminated at Metromont in Hiram, Georgia. The concrete was poured into the molds, leveled with a scrap piece of wood, and subjected to vibration on the plant's vibration bed to eliminate bubbles. After the curing process, the concrete and rubberized concrete models were removed from the molds for display.

Camera Lens + Material Exploration

First Line Drawing

Second Line Drawing

Final Line Drawing

Wooden Tile

Final Positive Model

Final Negative Model

Second Iteration

First Iteration

Vacuum Formed Plastic Tile

Rubberized Concrete Tile

Concrete Tile

Preparing the Concrete Mold

Preparing the Rubberized Concrete Mold

Leveling the Concrete Pour

Rubberized Concrete Pour