From Fractals to Senses

Think back to when you were younger – how many times were you exposed to technology in a day? Whether it was a phone, a computer or watching TV. The world has had a dramatic advancement in technology and the questions that should be asked are, “are we as humans becoming more robotic? Running day-to-day tasks repeatedly?” My aim with the project below and the help of Burning man is to try to make us human again by reflecting on the 5 senses. Part of my childhood in Kenya was filled with no technology at times especially because it was a third world country. Weather I spent an hour climbing trees or just playing several different sports – no technology was involved. From a more personal experience babies/ kids at the age of 1 are already watching TV and playing games on phones. Where were we 30 or 100 years ago and where are we now? Who are you? What is your identity? When was the last time you experienced something that moved you spiritually/ emotionally? The journey through a temple or certain spaces can personally move me at times. If it’s just experiencing the space or listening to religious hymns – having a connection with something greater than yourself can not be described but just needs to be experienced.

Manveer Sembi’s Aexion Fractal imported from Mandelbulb3D to Rhino and 3D Printed

Art installation name: To Make One Human Again

Project Description
Fractal geometry has always existed but was very recently discovered. The chosen design is based a fractal (as shown above) and the research of temples. At this stage in time everyone around has become very dependent on computers and technology as days go on – systematically – wake up, go to work, have lunch, work again, come home, sleep, repeat. It appears we have become robots running day to day tasks.

Physical Description
The structure is to have several entrances with a variety of different spaces – each space can be used in different ways. The proposed idea is to focus on most of the senses and finally introduce the user/ occupant to an area which can be used as he or she prefers. People who visit the installation will have a range of different background and want to reflect in different ways. The idea of interfaith participation with the installation will be a focus and even if one is an atheist, they should still be able to reflect with the installation. Experiencing the senses in the art piece/ sculpture shall take away the user from their day to day working/ life and try to make them experience a change in conditions which would make them feel “Human” .

Interactivity and mission
The proposal uses the 5 senses, so in order to enter into the main space, the user will need to experience one of the 5 senses. The space in the middle/ communal space can be used for multiple purposes (as burners see fit).
This is a preliminary installation for myself. The project is still at its concept stage and through experimentation and learning a working design can easily be constructed. The assembly process may need more than a one person (burner/ volunteers can help).
Although the burners may use this installation in different ways, possibly climbing it – the final product should be partially combustible, and any material left can be re-used by recycling.
The sensory installation will allow people to reflect with their inner self. Some memories are brought back with certain smells etc. For the installation to work, all the spaces must be kept clean at all times and each person’s privacy respected.

Philosophy of the piece
Focusing on fractal geometries at university – I was drawn to looking at Sikh and Hindu temples. Some of these temples use fractals in their construction. I have studied and worked in the UK but was born and brought up in Kenya. I have come across a range of different people with backgrounds which vary dramatically. The first world counties highly depend on technology and even now certain third world countries value technology over day to day necessities such as food. The idea of using the senses allows technology to be minimised in the installation and for one to be made human again. This is one of my major motivations, however, the objective of the installation at burning man is to experiment with the scalability of materials, construction techniques and to provide a sensory experience.

The proposal of using the 5 senses.
Sight – Certain LED lights can be added to the structure – so that it is visible at night.
Smell – Scent infused timber can be used so during the burn, these can be released or as people occupy the space the timber can have a smell to it.
Touch – Some of the timber can be engraved/ have different textures
Taste – The users can sit in the space to have their snacks/ meals
Hear – Chimes or other instruments which harness the wind can be hung in this area.

 

Fractal Cult

day view

“Fractal Cult” is an installation consisting of two types of structures that aim to create an intriguing, mesmerising, explorative, playful and interactive experience for visitors of the 2013 Burning Man festival, an annual art event and temporary community based on radical self-expression and self-reliance in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada.

night view

The geometry of the installation is based on the work of Swedish mathematician Niels Fabian Helge von Koch and in particular his invention of the Koch Snowflake, one of the earliest fractal curves to be described. Specifically, the structures are an adaptation of Koch Snowflake’s principles into a three-dimensional environment that essentially starts with a regular tetrahedron and recursively generates new tetrahedrons on each of its faces resulting in a complex, yet simply and efficiently defined, end result.

Fractal progression in 2D and 3D

The installation is consisted by 4 timber-made, fractal pods that symmetrically surround a space frame-like structure of a similar fractal nature and with climbing nets dressing the faces of the geometrical shape that is created.

Timber Pod construction progress

Timber Pod interior photos of 1.5 : 1 model

The timber pods, during daylight, are the first structure that a visitor encounters and both initiate and welcome the exploration of its symmetric but complex structure. Visitors are also able to enter the pods and experience an even more intriguing spectacle of the formation of faces and joints that create a kaleidoscope-like effect. They can also be used as temporary shelters from wind and sun, or even a meditation space. During the night, these timber fractal pods are illuminated from their interior, creating magnificent patterns of lighting that will attract visitors and welcome them to explore the site.

night plan view

The imposing, central structure, during daylight, attracts visitors with its fractal nature, yet simple construction, and invites visitors to climb and engage with it with in all sorts of ways. Climbing the exterior and attempting to reach the top or even getting inside the interior and enjoy the complexity that the multiple layers of nets create. Moreover, the structure can definitely be seen as becoming a much more live thing during the festival, with people using the nets to create temporary shelters from the sun by weaving cloth materials or similar, forming a patchwork effect on the structure’s faces. It is difficult to predict exactly the kind of behaviour that visitors will have towards such a structure but more likely than not its lightweight nature, great size and the multifunctional nature of nets will allow for several different scenarios which would be great to observe. During the night, the structure maintains the same use but it is symmetrically lit with stage lights pointing from the ground up that will give the structure an illuminating effect and hopefully attract visitors from far away.

Main structure construction process

Last but not least, the geometry of the structures is strongly spiritually connected to Mekabah, a divine light vehicle allegedly used by ascended masters to connect with and reach those in tune with the higher realms. “Mer” means Light. “Ka” means Spirit. “Ba” means Body. Mer-Ka-Ba means the spirit/body surrounded by counter-rotating fields of light, (wheels within wheels), spirals of energy as in DNA, which transports spirit/body from one dimension to another.

Merkabah

Overall, “Fractal Cult” aims to offer a great variety of fun and explorative options, as well as serving as a place able to transform to temporary shelter or meditation space for visitors, while at the same time impose beauty through its fractal and symmetric nature.

1.5 : 1 Model photo in DS10 studio

QuasiChurch

The Quasi-Church is an architecture carved by the sun to form spaces and events in time. In doing so the building acts as a calender, reconnecting people to place through the ritual of the Sun. This process and focus of the Sun brings the church back to the origins of religion as Sun worship, celebrating the duality between light and dark.

APPROACH PERSPECTIVE

INTERNAL PERSPECTIVE

Alain de Botton’s temple to atheism

The philosopher and writer Alain de Botton is proposing to build a 46-metre tower to celebrate a “new atheism” as an antidote to what he describes as Professor Richard Dawkins’s “aggressive” and “destructive” approach to non-belief. Alain de Botton’s idea is to borrow the idea of awe-inspiring buildings from religion to give people a better sense of perspective on life.
He plans to build a £1m “temple for atheists” among the international banks and medieval church spires of the City of London. De Botton said he chose the country’s financial centre because he believes it is where people have most seriously lost perspective on life’s priorities.

“Normally a temple is to Jesus, Mary or Buddha, but you can build a temple to anything that’s positive and good,” he said. “That could mean a temple to love, friendship, calm or perspective. Because of Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens atheism has become known as a destructive force. But there are lots of people who don’t believe but aren’t aggressive towards religions.”

The temple features a single door for visitors who will enter as if it were an art installation. The roof will be open to the elements and there could be fossils and geologically interesting rocks in the concrete walls. Details within the temple aim to evoke more than 300m years of life on earth. Each centimetre of the tapering tower’s interior has been designed to represent a million years and a narrow band of gold will illustrate the relatively tiny amount of time humans have walked the planet. The exterior would be inscribed with a binary code denoting the human genome sequence.
The philosopher said he has raised almost half the funds for the project from a group of property developers who want to remain anonymous. He hopes to find the rest of the money with a public appeal, and construction could start by the end of 2013 if permission is granted by the Corporation of London.

De Botton has insisted atheists have as much right to enjoy inspiring architecture as religious believers.

Within my project I am going to take some of Alain Botton’s ideas of a new atheism forward through my ‘Quasi-church’, but looking to develop a project in France as they continue to grow as one of the leading nations turning their back on religion.

Below is Alain de Botton’s TED talk on Atheism 2.0.