UMBRELLA DOME

 

BY ANDREAS BRETHAUER AND DENISE PACHECO

 

INTERTWINING LIKE THE SCALES OF FISH, THE UMBRELLAS OF THE “UMBRELLA DOME” FORM A DENSE BUT LIGHT AND AIRY SKIN FOR THIS MICRO-ARCHITECTURE, WHICH IS COMPOSED OF LOW-PRICED AND EASILY AVAILABLE MATERIALS: ABOUT 100 UMBRELLAS ON A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE OF PLASTIC TUBES, CONNECTED BY PLUGS AND SOCKETS AS WELL AS A FEW BOLTS. THE EVERYDAY HOUSEHOLD OBJECT IS REDISCOVERED AS A GRAPHICAL ELEMENT, WHICH IN TURN FORMS THE OUTER SHELL, THE INTERIOR, AND THE INCIDENT LIGHT. WITH A DETAILED MANUAL, ANY LAYMAN COULD REMAKE THE STRUCTURE, VARY THE SIZE OF THE OBJECTS AND COME UP HIS OWN COLORFUL PUZZLE BY PLAYING WITH THE UMBRELLAS.