Currently on display in Helsinki: "Erratic" by Norell/Rodhe

"Erratic" is an installation piece by Swedish architects Norell/Rodhe that shows a lot of personality. Daniel Norell and Einar Rodhe recently completed the project, which was featured in Helsinki Design Week this past September.

Made from a thick custom-made sack restricted at hundreds of points, the massive 3 x 3 x 3 meter piece illustrates the tension between meticulous design and temperamental materials. Currently on display at The Aalto University Digital Design Laboratory (ADD) gallery and cafe in Helsinki, the ambiguous, multiplex nature of "Erratic" makes it a great conversation topic as well.

Keep reading to learn more about the project.

Project description

"Norell/Rodhe: Erratic
September 19 – October 17, 2013
ADD, Helsinki, Finland

The installation Erratic by Swedish architects Norell/Rodhe playfully explores the tension between precise design intent and materials that behave erratically. The spheroid, floating massing of the installation echoes an erratic block that has been tumbled by glacier-ice."

"Its irregular, meandering surface is designed as a battle of forces between a thick surface and a rigid, inner armature. Simultaneously strange and familiar, Erratic seeks to evoke a multitude of ambiguous associations that range from rock to cloud, from solid to ephemeral."

"Larger than furniture, but smaller than a house, Erratic measures approximately 3 x 3 x 3 meters and is situated in ADD’s double height gallery and café. It is constructed from a thick, custom made sack that has been constrained in hundreds of points."

"The excess material created by this move makes the surface bend and furl in an unpredictable manner, as if its surface was experiencing sudden bursts of noise. At 50 square meters and 100+ kilos, the sack had to be hoisted onto the armature using ADD’s overhead crane."

"Due to the sheer size of the installation, some of the design work was carried out in animation software that simulates the behavior of cloth. The location of each constraining point was then translated to a precise armature."

"The analog installation is accompanied by an exhibition of 3D-printed models and drawings that showcase variations of the piece. These studies were carried out in the digital realm, but thanks to simulation they still feature the lively and unwieldy character of the installation."

Project details

Architects: Norell/Rodhe – Daniel Norell and Einar Rodhe
Team: Hseng Tai Lintner, Stefan Svedberg and Axel Wolgers
Fabrication: Emballageteknik AB
Hosted by: ADD – The Aalto University Digital Design Laboratory
ADD Team: Kivi Sotamaa, Director
Supported by: Architecture in the Making

Images courtesy of Norell/Rodhe