An unlike amalgamation comprising robotically-driven fabrication with highly crafted human labour lead to the formation of 2021: A Steam Odyssey. Conceptualized with the idea of designing in augmented reality (AR) would only reawake the traditional craftsmanship by augmenting hand and material skills, 2021: A Steam Odyssey had been created by Soomeen Hahm of SoomeenHahm Design, Igor Pantic and Fologram.
Design and architectural designer Hahm, who was recently appointed design faculty member of the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), drew major inspiration from her learning at the Steampunk Pavilion to design the 2021: A Steam Odyssey alongside Pantic, a London-based architect and designer.
The structure is fabricated in smaller three parts in the school’s parking lot to make it fit through the doors.
Image Courtesy: SoomeenHahm Design
Going beyond design
Positioned at the SCI-Arc Gallery, the 2021: A Steam Odyssey acts as a centrepiece of the exhibition. Steam-bent hardwood using primitive hand tools have been augmented with the precision of intelligent holographic guides to form the structure. The structure had been fabricated in smaller three parts in the school’s parking lot to make it fit through the doors, and was later assembled within the gallery. Reportedly, two months were invested in its fabrication process, courtesy AR. Without the help of AR, it would have taken years to fabricate the structure, according to Hahm. The head-mounted devices which the team wore holographically overlaid a digital model of the structure against the structure which was in progress. This helped the team to create a mixed-realty environment which helped them to assemble the three parts of the structure. Steam was later applied to the wood to bend it into accurate curves. Each of these curved strips was then sealed with multiple clamps.
Without the help of AR, it would have taken years to fabricate the structure, according to Hahm.
Image Courtesy: SoomeenHahm Design
Understanding AR
For Hahm, wood is one of the best materials to demonstrate the use of AR in building construction on account of its limitations. The structure is designed to explore alternative strategies for the fabrication of digitally designed architectural structures, utilising cutting-edge, head-mounted devices to holographically assist workers in the manufacturing and assembling highly varied components using traditional craft techniques. 2021: A Steam Odyssey is step up in SoomeenHamh Design’s ongoing research into complex timber structures that are assembled with the help of AR.
Project details:
Design team: Soomeen Hahm, Igor Pantic and Hanjun Kim
Construction team: DaeWoong Kim and Shun Sasaki
App design: MoFei Li
Video edit: Yiguan Liu
Consultant: Format Engineers
SCI-Arc directors: Hernan Diaz Alonso and John Enright
SCI-Arc staffs: Gabriel Henandez, Emil Tatevosian, Reginald Benson, Stephanie Atlan and Marija Radisavljevic
Steam-bent hardwood using primitive hand tools have been augmented with the precision of intelligent holographic guides to form the structure.
Image Courtesy: SoomeenHahm Design
The head-mounted devices, which the team wore, holographically overlaid a digital model of the structure against the structure which was in progress.
Image Courtesy: SoomeenHahm Design
Positioned at the SCI-Arc Gallery, 2021: A Steam Odyssey acts as a centrepiece of the exhibition.
Image Courtesy: SoomeenHahm Design
Each of these curved strips is sealed with multiple clamps.
Image Courtesy: SoomeenHahm Design
Steam is applied to the wood to bend it into accurate curves.
Image Courtesy: SoomeenHahm Design