Parametric Design furniture
August 20, 2023
Michaela Crie Stone lives and works in Rockport, Maine, where she creates pieces that push the parameters of function by blurring the lines between art, craft, and design.
The Ellipsicoon
Unstudio Architecture
Sunlit and shaded, enclosed and open, the Ellipsicoon is a synthesis of inside and outside space. In its cocoon-like design, this garden pavilion extends the home into nature, creating an immediate sense of relaxation and recreation. It becomes both an inviting space for socialising, and a mindful retreat for withdrawal.
The continuous surface of this sculptural pavilion is woven from strands of high-density polyethylene (HDPE – 100% recyclable).
Its curved sides taper inwards as they rise, creating a hollow knot-like structure with differently proportioned openings and a sunken seating area that follows the pavilion’s winding contours.
Inside and outside spaces intertwine through these elliptical loops, opening the user to nature while being enclosed by the structure’s soft curves.[1]
the project forms part of the revolution precrafted pavilion series, a collection of structures whose wide variety of functions are designed to complement existing spaces. constructed from strands of 100% recyclable high-density polyethylene (HDPE), the project was designed and developed digitally, before being handwoven by highly skilled craftsmen.
‘I have long been interested in exploring spaces which extend function to replace the reality of the everyday with the potential for more nuanced, reflective experiences,’ explains ben van berkel, founder and principal architect of UNStudio.
‘the ellipsicoon offers a place of temporary disengagement, where the practicalities, duties and interruptions of daily life can momentarily fade and the imagination can take over.’[2]
Upon crossing the threshold the user stands slightly above ground level, after which a sunken seating area offers enclosed and semi-enclosed space, with built in seating that follows the fluid contours of the space. Here differently proportioned elliptical openings frame views to the surroundings whilst providing daylight to the interior.[3]
The Ellipsicoon / Manila, The Philippines, 2015 / https://www.unstudio.com/en/page/11744/the-ellipsicoon ↑- UNStudio creates woven ‘ellipsicoon’ pavilion for revolution precrafted / https://www.designboom.com/architecture/unstudio-ellispsicoon-pavilion-revolution-precrafted-05-22-2018/ ↑
- Ellipsicoon Pavilion / https://www.e-architect.com/concept/ellipsicoon-pavilion-by-unstudio ↑
