For the third and final project of the semester the topic was 
„ELEMENTS“. We were asked to create a connection system consisting of individual pieces that would result in a plausible geometric shape while maintaining the ability to be further extended simply by adding more pieces.

But in order to save on time and material, the number of pieces was reduced to 80.

We began by trying to get a better understanding of how we might want our system to look like. This was done by some simple paper constructions which helped to pick a main shape for the small pieces and see what geometric body they would result in, once joined together. 

I quickly decided on the triangle as I could envision a possible look for the project. Even though the first sketch looks a lot different from the final result, it was a helpful step to get into a work flow. 

So the plan was a connectoin system consisting of triangular pieces that would be joined together by a slit-connection and would be stable enough to function without an additional adhesive.

To move further away from the plain paper attempts and slightly more towards the wooden pieces we had to create a model using the 3D-Platform Rhino 8. 

After we learned the basic ways of the program it was time to get more comfortable with it and make the first prototype. In this case i chose about 4 cm per side with six slits cut in as possible connection spots, the slits being 3 mm wide corresponding to the material thickness. 

However, after the first laser cut parts came along and after listening to some feedback it became clear what corrections needed to be done in order to improve the object: 

1st: Too many slits of the same measurements might be confusing             in the building process later on. 

2nd: With the current sizing of the pieces it would be difficult to                  change the shape and add some aesthetic elements while
        maintaining a certian stability that would allow the parts to be            reusable.

3rd: Sharp edges might not be the most pleasent to the touch and             are at higher risk to break off easily. Therefore, they should be               rounded a bit if it works well with the overall design idea.

After analyzing the flaws of the first idea we were able to go into detail now. The first step for me was to scale up the pieces to about 6 cm of length. However it was important to make sure the slits would not be changed as they are connected to the thickness of the material. 
Since we gained a lot more space in between the openings this way, it allowed more freedom when it came to the optical aspects of the parts. 

For the design I picked a round floral pattern that would stand out against the triangluar shape and create a nice contrast. However, to make it appear more harmonic I also included some rounded edges on the actual piece as well as concave sides which would make the piece look lighter. The pattern consists of two different sizes of petals that are each aligned in an 120° distance and thus including the triangle motive once again. Smaller rounded triangles are made to close the gaps in between and give the pattern a round, completed look, alsmost like the patterns you would see in a church window.

Der Designvorschlag (Entwurf, Prototyp) wird erklärt. Dabei können grafische Darstellungen, Visualisierungen oder auch Links zu funktionsfähigen Prototypen mit aufgenommen werden.

The last step for this project was to create a rendered 3D view of the elements that would show the system as well as its components. 

To go with it, we were also asked to provide a technical drawing of the individual piece. This would make it easier for others to recreate this project or simply have a base to start with to bring their own visions to life.

In this case, the measurements were taken in millimetres.