PERFORMANCE DEVICE

Typology Interactive Model

Client The Bartlett UCL

Location London, UK

Concept

An architectural art piece that uses coplanar piston movement to pump water vertically while causing the ‘ceiling’ and ‘floor’ to undulate. The device uses the rhythm of the pressure exerted on the floor as well as the waves passing underneath to cause the fabric ceiling to oscillate to the same rhythm.

Pumping Sequence

1. Chamber is full of water from the tank/sea.

2. Chamber compressed by piston pushing water through check valve

3. Water pushes up the vertical column - the valve then closes.

4. Piston moves up, and water fills the chamber from the gap around the piston head.

This motion simultaneously pumps water uphill via check valves on the floor to a Japanese cistern in the ceiling at a rate proportional to the pumping energy generated by the pressure on the floor and the wave motion. This cistern fills and tips at intervals. This water then flows through tubes in the ceiling which are vibrated at set frequencies. Under stroboscopic conditions, this can make the falling water look like a stationary sine wave.

WEARABLE OBSERVATORY