We offer insight into our research and development process, and actively pursue it with the method of learning by teaching, by conducting a masterclass in-situ with participants selected by open call.
Our program fundamentally reveals how to code by folding; how to program materials into high-degree-of-difficulty folded forms. We begin by introducing Natural ORI*, a set of folding patterns that are formed, or buckled, by the application of specific forces to sheet materials. Haptic and manipulative contact with folded and unfolded Natural ORI* affords intuitive understanding of the ORI* function and aesthetic. We ask participants to scan objects, including themselves, to find forms that could be wrapped by ORI*, and then apply a custom software solution to find a foldable iteration of these wrapped forms as objects to be produced by our 3D printer Niwashi.
Special thanks to Christopher Lindinger, Horst Hörtner, and Benjamin Krux at Reprap Austria.
This project is funded through the FWF PEEK Program and a research project of the Ars Electronica Futurelab.
