In the summer of 2015, with students from the Spitzer School of Architecture at City College of New York, we began the study of curved folding as a methodology of creating a volumetric structural unit from sheet material, requiring minimal fastening and maximum space. The pavilion is formed from 100 “petal” units each constructed from an individual piece of .0625” thick density polyethylene. Two petals each were cut from a 2’ x 4’ sheet and etched to .032” depth using a CNC 3 axis router. The figural arc groove contour is created with a V-Groove tool-bit that when folded forms the rigid structure of this “Petal brick.”
/ Models
Geometrically, the petals each are contained within an octahedral bounding box which is locked to a geodesic grid around a sphere. The chosen geodesic grid is a triangulation of Goldberg’s Icoshedral Polyhedra of the 3rd order, featuring regular pentagons, and two six sided figures, one regular hexagon and one irregular. As a result of the tessellation, each octahedral and its contained petal, span from a hexagon to a hexagon or from the hexagon to the pentagon resulting in 2 unit types.
/ Diagrams
Three petals, 2 hex units and 1 pent unit, join together at a half-lap joint using nylon socket bolt-screws, to form a cluster of three resembling a flower. Five flowers themselves come together to form a larger rose-component, using inner and outer brackets. This staged construction methodology of brick, cluster and larger component makes for easy transport to and from a deployment site, requiring only the 7 roses to be carried and snapped together.
/ Video
The Pavilion meets the ground utilizing custom half-units and feet designed to be scoop seating. Funded by the Spitzer School of Architecture, the project resided shortly on the City College campus, and was gifted to New York City Parks and Recreation and now has been re-installed as a visitor pavilion at its home in Fresh Kills Park in Staten Island.
/ Drawings
/ Project Team
Jonathan A. Scelsa, Charles Lent, Ermir Gjoka, Danica Vildosa, Tony Fung Cheung, Daniel Escobar, Destiny Conely, Berk Eraslan, with Christina Bien-Aimé and Alvaro Almada
/ Project Info
/ Project Type - Folly
/ Location - City College Campus, Fresh Kills Park
/ Status - Summer Studio
/ Project Date - 2015