Hard and the soft
The ubiquity of concrete in building construction undermines its qualities of otherworldliness: how it vibrates and resonates. From the béton brut of Le Corbusier to the high-gloss of Zaha Hadid, concrete displays a wide range of surface tactility. This is a product of its formwork from which it gains its finish, whether board-formed or precast, and the mixture of its content.
In this research that supported the VITRIOL project, the plasticity of concrete, new methods in which it can be clad, and electronic sensing of its matter is placed at the fore. All matter vibrates, and concrete with its monolithic structure, transmits vibrations exceptionally well. Exposing the hidden vibrations of concrete give it greater dimensions in interaction. Hearing its interior life persuades more touching: stroking, knocking, and scratching.
Design Team: Aidan Kim, Joseph Giampetro, Khoa Vu, Michelle Chew, Doug Breuer, Emma Peng