PROJECT :: Light Screen :: Conclusion

After stringing the cardboard tubes for my light screen project with a heavier gauge fishing line, the project, for my intent, was complete. The heavier gauge fishing line was much more sturdy and allowed for the tubes to stand up as well as bend and undulate with ease. 
 
In conclusion, the project yielded the result for which I was hoping: a transportable room dividing screen with an ambient light source for when guests or visitors want privacy while staying in a living or common room area. In terms of design, a multitude of other materials for the tubes as well as various other light sources could be chosen for the project that would provide a higher quality feel than the ones to which I had access.

The height of the wall is 75" and the span of the mock-up is approximately 36". If more tubes were available the effect of a larger mock-up could have been more visually impacting. Without high quality machining, the light revealing slits of the tubes, I realize, aren't as well spaced as they potentially could have been. Also, the amount of these slits could have been fewer, for the light that was ultimately given off was pretty substantial.

By reimagining materials available and utilizing some engineering and architecture skills, this project was a relative success. This project required approximately 50 hours of design, development and construction and ultimately cost appoximately $30.

PROJECT :: Light Screen :: Part 2

After some trials and tribulation with my first attempts at my light screen project, I had much headway over the past weekend.

Using a saw to cut reveals out of the tubes created the clean lines I was looking for in my aesthetic. These clean lines would allow for better light distribution as well.

All the slits were approximately 1 1/2" in length and placed at 2" intervals along the pole. This is how the screen looked after all the slits had been cut. I appreciated the subtle look of the slits and felt as though it corresponded well with  the material. After the poles had been arranged in their proper order, the next step was to run the string lights through all of the tubes.

After the string lights were strung through each of the tubes, I then had to use the connection method I had previously described in order to connect all the tubes to form a malleable screen.

Unfortunately, all I had available was light gauge fishing wire which proved to not be sturdy enough for transport. However, I was able to tie all of the tubes together, stand up the screen wall and plug it in!

The final look of the project was pleasing but not without reservations. I enjoyed how the light from the slits played onto the other tubes, as seen below. I also appreciated the randomness in the patterning of light that the string light distribution provided. I do believe the tubes could have used less light reveals, perhaps the slits could have been cut at 4" spacing, for instance. I also feel that the concept of alternating the angle of the slits in respect to the tube could have been an interesting.

The photos of the illuminated screen wall were only taken from my iPhone camera and are of poor contrast and quality. I will post some photos shortly of the screen wall with my SLR that will hopefully show more of the wall's character as well as write a final conclusion to this project.

PROJECT :: Light Screen :: Part 1

I've begun work on another portfolio project for submission to the masters of architectural lighting in Wismar, Germany. This project was inspired by a material I've come into contact with in high frequency while working at John Levy Lighting Productions. Printing as often as we do in large format, we are left with many cardboard tubes around which the drafting paper is rolled.
These tubes, as shown here above, measure 30" high and approximately 2" in diameter, have a clean appearance and the color of the unbleached brown paper provides a soft and organic look. I decided it would be possible to make a room divider or screen out of stacking several of these and attaching them together, as seen on the right. In order to make this a lighting project, I thought it could be interesting to illuminate the screen by cutting holes within the tubes and running string lights through each of the tubes.

Here are my initial sketches and notes for the project.
Some experimenting of course had to be done, and I was initially confused as to how I would connect all the tubes, allowing for the tubes to still be flexible and be attached well enough to stack upon each other. I found that after some review, the above connection method listed in my notes would be too bulky and cumbersome. I did a practice run on arranging the tubes using a flexible and partially-elastic synthetic leather rope and tied the tubes together. These are photos of the result.
That connection method proved effective. The partial screen had flexibility and rigidity. I shortened the middle section by cutting one tube in half. The total height of the screen now felt more applicable at 75". The next step was to illuminate the members. This step proved to be a little trickier than expected.

My initial design intent were to create random holes throughout the tube that would let out light when the string lights were passed through each tube. After some thought, I decided it would be interesting to have the holes only run along the edges of the tubes where the tubes met one another. This would create an interesting play with the light on either end of the tube.

However, the material made it difficult to create this aesthetic. When using a drill or various tools, the paper would shred, causing a rough edge around the holes that wasn't very pleasing. These rough edges around the holes also caused an interference with the light, producing an ill-wanted effect onto the other tubes. I had hoped for a clean line of light as interplay onto the other tubes. As seen below, it was hardly the case.


As can be seen from above, the light pattern onto the other tube appears erratic and not uniformly distributed. This is due to the shredding of the paper at the ends of the holes. I decided to go back to the drawing board before continuing the project in order to fix that problem. The intent would be to ensure uniformly distributed bands of light onto the other pole by cutting a clean edge into the soft paper tube.

Here are some new notes on the project, shedding new light into the concept.