Welcome back! We're really excited for the first week back of this term, especially because it's our Ritual magazine launch tonight! We'd love to see as many people there as possible, there will be free drinks, and it should be a great party.
What's On
Jeff Koons at the Ashmolean - the exhibition opens on the 7th February so if you want to visit early, book now!
Christian Dior at the V&A - the exhibition opens on the 2nd February and showcases fashion and drawing from Dior
Student of the Week
Our Student of the Week is Benny Cook from DS2. Benny's work this year has focused on bending wood, and he used this process to design a shrine to sailors lost at sea along the British coast. We love the atmospheric designs he's created.
'This research explores the use of deformed structural glulam timber elements within the spatial realm, through the prototyping of a spiritual space with a focus on process, digital development and tectonic form. The research has been undertaken through 4 phases: a tectonic exploration of the craft of wood bending, a diagrammatic and illustrative exploration of the tectonic systems previously explored, the translation of the tectonic systems into a digital design language, and the prototyping of a spiritual space through spatial explorations of the tectonic system.Glue laminated timber already represents an economical and structurally efficient way to introduce timber into a built environment, far exceeding the performance, size and cost factors of natural timbers and providing a environmentally sustainable alternative to steel or concrete. Whilst lamination allows for complex forms, the structural performance is dependant on the integrity of lamination of the plys. This research analyses the application of wood bending crafts upon glue laminated timbers, along with the material properties of plywood laminates, to produce structural complex geometries. The prototyping of a spiritual space demonstrates the application of this deformative tectonic system within the design and construction of an architectural project.This research demonstrates that the material properties of the plys can be manipulated to improve the deformability of a glue laminated element, at the cost of its structural performance. Through the integration of steam bending, the structural performance can be reimplemented to the glue laminated element whilst further enhancing the elements deformability. The findings of the research demonstrates the opportunity for expanding the utility of glue laminated timbers within the architectural realm.'