Desance
2021
Desance explores the intersection of cymatics, user experience and sustainable co-design. Re-imagining nightclubs and de-centralised in house manufacturing systems, where people craft unique designs driven from their sensory experiences.
Cymatics as a Design Medium
Cymatics is the exploration of sound and vibration rendered visible, often observed on the surface of a plate, diaphragm, or membrane. It constitutes a branch of modal vibrational phenomena, revealing intricate patterns and formations shaped by sound frequencies. The emergence of diverse universal geometries, symmetries, and beauty through resonance mirrors the intricate patterns found in nature. The interplay of sound and vibration in natural phenomena offers a window into the fundamental principles governing our world.
Experimental Rig
I constructed two test rigs: one for generating cymatic patterns on a square plate and another for creating patterns within water. Minimal surfaces were generated between the square plate patterns being stacked in the z-axis at various distances and ratios, creating the initial form. The surfaces generated from the patterns in water were a lot more abstract and chaotic, setting about a challenge of how they could work in unison.
This is not an unregulated chaos; it is a dynamic but ordered pattern.
Form Finding
A playful, experimental design process allowed me to explore a range of configurations by layering generated patterns onto minimal surfaces. Through iterative prototyping, this eventually evolved into a sculptural stool form that became the core structure of the chair. The visual language of the music — including album artwork and colour palettes — was subtly woven into the form, with sonic cues influencing both the geometry and the surface aesthetics. The result is a piece that blurs the boundary between functional object and visual remix.
A new space - to dream, dance & make
Imagine gaining entry to a manufacturing nightclub not with a ticket, but with a few kilograms of discarded plastic. On-site, it's rapidly transformed into 3D printing filament and sculpted into a custom stool — a tangible, functional artefact of your night. Each piece is uniquely shaped by your experience, merging memory, material, and sustainability in one unforgettable gesture.
