Straws and String

Before taking another step forward we wanted to look back and share one of the major steps in our structural design process.

Turning sketches into something tangible can be a little tricky.

For us, working with a 3D scale model was a great way to help understand the space and its individual elements in relation to each other. We experimented using different materials for our model, but every time we created a solid frame we wanted to bend and manipulate it. So alas, the hours of cutting and glueing all came undone in those last moments of a forced twist, bend and snap.

And so, the match sticks and wire were soon replaced by two simple materials that used in harmony suited our needs perfectly.

Straws and string. Yep.

By threading the straw through sections of straw it becomes easy to shape your end structure in the way you want whilst keeping enough strength to hold the form. We were able to create tight angles, complex joins and also be precise enough to keep it all at a rough 1:20 scale. 2 happy model makers! :)