Jake Ellis: Exploding Sphere

Over winter break I attended Art Bassel in Miami Florida and in the Design District on opening night, I came across an exhibit of R Buckminster Fuller's work. There was a 20 foot Geodesic Dome lit up in an open field surrounded by shipping containers full of Fuller's drawings and writings. I was inspired Fullers Domes. Not only by his engineering achievements but in my mind his domes radiated space and as if emblems of the future. Growing up in Titusville FL I witnessed a fair share of shuttle launches and have always been interested in space and a world outside of our own. My piece, "Exploding Sphere," intendeds to remind the viewer that there is a world outside of our own. This last fronteer has yet to be explored. It is vast and full of wonder.

I achieved my concept through a digital fabrication process. I began in Rhino, modeling each of my parts and then running them through a script in Grasshopper that create a waffel like structure. I laser cut these parts and coated each piece in cheese cloth and Sculpt-or-Coat. I then finished it with Graphite, and Clear Coat.

Here are some screen shots and photographs of my proceses.

Rhino Model

Key Shot Rendering

Progress Photos

Laser cut pieces

Waffel Structure

Sculpt-or-coat

Ready for installation

Finally here is a rendering I created in Maya and laser engraved onto wood