Living Architecture Piece Mimics A Tree's Quest For Light

Meant to simulate the growth patterns of real trees, design team Orproject recently developed a series of structures (based on algorithms) that digitally generate open and closed venation patterns. Engineered for the India Design Forum, each tree-like system consists of a set of "seed points" that branch out towards pre-programmed targets to absorb light, much like real trees.

"The structural system of topiaries acts mainly in compression and bending," says Orproject. "Reversing this, we can obtain a geometry that performs as a tensile system."

The installation, called Vana,  is composed of four tessellated structures--made from triangular segments connected via stitched joints and backlit by LEDs.

The prototype for an intended large-scale canopy construction, Vana was developed to be an iso-surface around an anastomotic network diagram (ie, mimic the actions of plants found in nature). In essence, this will be a new form of living architecture similar to Doris Sung's work.

All images copyright by Orproject.

Vana is currently on display at The Brick House, Project Jan-Path, New Delhi.