Proxi Flower

Industrial Design

Project Overview

HORTUS BIONICA by Studio Samira Boon i.c.w. Sensor Lab Utrecht explores our relationship with nature to foster healthier forms of architecture based on biophilic design principles.
It is a garden of bionic plants – the new species of architectural elements that are able to carry out a number of functions to optimise energy, light, sound and movement within public spaces.

Proxi Flower is all about encounters that move us. With integrated vicinity sensors it directly responds to the user by opening and closing to generate temporary wall screens. Within large spaces, arrays of Proxi Flowers offer flexible divisions, privacy and emotionally affiliated environments.

My Contributions

During this project, I was responsible for designing and prototyping the dynamic mechanical structure and hardware of the Proxi Flower textile that is based of the Miura Fold, invented by Japanese astrophysicist Koryo Miura.
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On top of that I was involved in the conceptualisation of other organisms as well. I matched sensor types to different origami textures to fit their purposes.
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This experience resulted in a unique crossover of art and technology.

Process

Freelance Designer

Sept 2018 - Okt 2019

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The first step was analyzing the motions of each textile and researching how these could help the organism improve an indoor climate by regulating the temperature, lighting, privacy, and acoustics. For the Proxi flower, the choice was made to use an infrared proximity sensor to improve acoustics and privacy.

Once all organisms were defined, it was time to dive deeper into the motions and how a mechanical structure would be able to move the textiles. I've found mathematical principles a good source of inspiration, and a 2D representation of the Hoberman sphere seemed to be a good fit for moving around the Proxi Flower. The aesthetics of the structure are inspired by rose stems and a wood-filled filament for printing. Combining this organic appearance with the geometrical pattern perfectly balances organic vs bionic appearance that fits seamlessly with the concept.

The last step in this process was matching the sensors to the hardware, making sure the movement of the users was being transferred into the textile movement.