to cast a shadow

to cast a shadow is a project which is rooted in the fascination of the dialogue that takes place between the casted matter and the membrane containing the fluid.

It’s a conversation of pushing beyond boundaries and refraining within the limits. The dialogue results in a material gesture, that reveals the story of the material’s properties.

We tend to move around in space, according to different variables, such as the climate. Our body thereby defines the space and it’s borders. This observation results in an actual adjustable, temporary structure, that provides shadow where needed. The structures are composed of a set of interlocking, textile casted concrete chain modules.

translucent skin

An often forgotten aspect of the fishing industry, are the residual fish skins. This project aims at re-using the thrown-away salmon skins, by celebrating their lightweight and translucent material properties. The long material experimentation phase revealed the natural properties of the fish skin.

The material research resulted in a space divider. The visual language is inspired by traditional fishing nets, intending to remind us of the endangered species that are being overfished. The individual modules of the space divider have been inspired by the shape of fish bones.

Reconstructing a Practice

‘Reconstructing a Practice’ explores the evolution and craft of the ancient eelgrass thatched houses on the Danish Island of ‘Læsø’. A study into the historical, cultural and ecological past of the island reveals the former contextual practices of the local building processes, and forms a future perspective towards maintaining the rich cultural heritage.

The washed up eelgrass on the shores of the island, as well as various other surrounding resources, have for centuries dictated the local building tradition. Being isolated on the island forced the inhabitants to regard the eelgrass as a replenishing building resource, giving birth to a local roof thatching tradition. While historical knowledge and craftsmanship are slowly fading away, the eelgrass carries a valuable heritage and strong ecological potential for further development.

This project aims at revitalising the local building culture amongst inhabitants, by passing on collected knowledge in an engaging setting. For this craft to sustain in the future, alternative eelgrass-based building methods need to be developed. An interactive installation on the island unfolds the original building process, and opens up to a collective moment of re-interpreting the initial thatching technique.

Please send an email request to lwostudies@gmail.com to gain access to the research book of the project:

https://files.cargocollective.com/c1196974/LunaWirtzOrtvald_Book_ReconstructingAPractice_Locked.pdf

Transitional Structures is an investigation into weaving fragments that serve as adjustable, spatial partitions.  The fluid and dynamic character of the woven fragments introduces an engaging, adaptable building approach, allowing us to prolong the lifespan of our buildings.

Our demands and requirements of spaces changes over time. Consequently, we tend to build, destruct and re-build again and again, while neglecting serious environmental consequences. Where conventional building approaches rely on static and rigid building materials that require large amounts of finite resources, Transitional Structures suggest an approach of transition: Weaving spatial elements that respond to our increasing demand for adaptable infrastructures.

The settlement of our initial nomadic culture, lead our textile technique based building methods shift to an industry, implementing rigid and monumental constructions. Our building culture mutated from alterable surfaces to static blocks. In an attempt to reverse this material transformation, the question rises: How can we step away from contemporary static materials to enable a more flexible and engaging use of our existing structures?

Braiding and weaving a malleable construction material, lays the foundation for a transformative building approach. The act of weaving becomes a moment of intertwining existing structural elements with a materialised extension of ourselves. In making full use of the performative qualities of textiles, woven compositions continue to grow within spaces. Transitional Structures enables buildings to gradually transition in both their material composition, form and behaviour, while facilitating new spatial configurations.

Transitional structures is an ongoing investigation into developing structural and self-supporting textile pieces that serve as non loadbearing architectural elements.

With our constant evolving use of space, we tend to build, destruct and re-build without considering the environmental impact. As opposed to our conventional, static and rigid building materials that require a lot of resources, these textile structures respond to our increasing demand for flexible infrastructures. Through their lightweight properties, adaptable nature and dynamic character, the lifespan of building elements can consequently be prolonged.

A series of experiments explore various materials, weaving- and production techniques, in order to achieve the needed structural properties.

What if columns weave onto walls, walls weave onto buildings, buildings weave in and out of spaces, while cities become fluid entities?