Flare is a modular, computer-driven system that creates a moving skin for the facade of a building. This kinetic membrane is formed by the changing positions of thousands of metal flakes that are controlled by pneumatic cylinders.
Here's a video clip that shows the different patterns that are created based on how the tilting flakes reflect natural light:
A higher-quality video is available on the Flare site.
Capuchin, a new robot from researchers at Stanford University, scales walls and cliffs, and can be used for geological research on earth and other planets. Lean more in NewScientist's recent article, "Climbing Robot Throws Its Weight Around."
"Capuchin's climbing is more human in terms of speed and agility," says Teresa Miller who worked on the 7kg robot before leaving Stanford last year. "When you look at Lemur [an earlier robot], it's hard to tell if it's climbing; it moves very slowly."
I'd like to see how dancers experiment with the weight-shifting approach of Capuchin as they scale vertical surfaces and inclines.
Dancers Go Vertical
Here are two examples of site-specific dance performances that use different architectural structures.
The aerial dancers of Project Bandaloop perform at the opening of a new hospital:
And you can also watch Rapture, choreographed by Noemie LaFrance, performed on Frank Gehry architecture at Bard College:
The Chanel Contemporary Art Container Opens in Hong Kong
It will be interesting to see what innovative approaches are taken to site-specific dance-making as we see a growth in new organic, mobile, sustainable and responsive architectural forms. I'll be writing about these different architectural structures and looking for examples of dance works created for these environments.
Chanel's Contemporary Art Container
In February Chanel launched an international tour of its futuristic, mobile art exhibit pavilion designed by architect Zaha Hadid (Wikipedia profile). The excellent Chanel Mobile Art website features extensive exterior and interior tours of this curved, organic structure that is now in Hong Kong and will eventually travel to the US and Europe.
Watch an external and internal rendering of the Chanel Contemporary Art Container:
Video footage of the exterior taken the day the exhibit opened on February 27th in Hong Kong:
Artist statement about the art container (I'm not sure who is speaking):
Read a write-up with pictures from the Hong Kong Hustle blog about a visitor's experience visiting the Art Container.
