Elytra : Filament Pavilion

Structure in the courtyard of the Victoria and Albert Museum designed by Achim Menges with Moritz Dorstelmann and Jan Kippers.

A robot is gradually building the structure on site so it is growing over the course of the installation. It is made of glass and carbon fibres and the robot is using a winding technique. The shape is based on the filament structure of the shells of flying beetles known as elytra. It is part of the museum’s engineering season.

The shape and technique reminded me of a craft kit I had as a child in which you wove/sewed sheering elastic between two right angled triangles to create a curved shape. I love the idea that is a growing shape and I have been back since to look at the bit it was making when I was there!

Closes on 6 November 2016

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