2008 - ongoing | process | self-initiated

recorder one at the Danube, Vienna

detail recorder one

explanation movie

detail of the glue basin

locality as important factor for the final outcome

how to 'read' from the object

first set up for a 'machine' test

inspiration 1: how trees react to their surrounding

inspiration 2: machines

'The idea of  a tree' is an autonomous  production process which combines natural input with a mechanical process. It is driven by solar energy and translates the intensity of the sun through a mechanical apparatus into one object a day.
The outcome reflects the various sunshine conditions that occur during this day. Like a tree the object becomes a three dimensional recording of its process and time of creation.

The machine 'Recorder One' starts producing when the sun rises and stops when the sun settles down. After sunset, the finished object can be 'harvested'.
It slowly grows the object, by pulling threads through a colouring device, a glue basin and finally winding them around a mould.
The length/height of the resulting object depends on the sun hours of the day. The thickness of the layer and the colour is depending on the amount of sun-energy. (more sun = thicker layer and paler colour; less sun=thinner layer and darker colour)

The process is not just reacting on different weather situations, but also on shadows happening in the machine’s direct surrounding. Each cloud and each shadow becomes important for the look of the final object.

Various the 'idea of a tree' - objects are possible.

The concept of introducing natural input into a serial production process suggests a new way of looking at locality. This 'industrialized locality', is not so much about local culture, craftsmanship or resources, instead it deals with climatic and environmental factors of the process' surrounding. On a series of objects you can  tell somehow the place of production. On the equator, for example, the objects would always have the same height/length, whilst in North- and Middle Europe, the seasons help shaping the objects. In countries with a lot of rain the objects would be darker and thinner whilst in sunnier regions the objects would be paler but thicker.

For us ‘the idea of a tree’ is an idealistic vision on how machines combined with nature can produce great results, - an idea of industrial halls with daylight and manufacturing within natural rhythms.
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material: stainless steel construction on a wooden trolley; solar panels, electronic components; and various ...
dimension: 145cm x 65cm x 185cm

awards:
- Wiener Zukunftspreis 2010 (first price - newcomer/ startups), A; 2010
-Brit Insurance Designs of the year 2010 (shortlisted); GB; 2010
-Austrian experimental Design award (winner); A; 2009
-Prix Ars Electronica (honorary mention - Hybrid Arts); A; 2009
-DMY-Award (one out of three awards); Germany; 2009