AUGUST 2014 COMPETITION
The Dancing Ceiling ///
Ceilings are arguably the least adorned surface in contemporary buildings. Humans' tendency toward viewing space laterally means that ceilings are usually utilitarian white planes of sheetrock, plaster, or acoustic tile. Other than the occasional light fixture, vent, or structural member, ceilings are essentially static surfaces. What if sound could activate ceilings by dynamically affecting form, texture, and/or color? How might a ceiling react differently to footsteps, conversations, or music? What happens when a ceiling starts to dance?
Participants are asked to design a surface that has an inactive state of a flat white surface that is activated by different sounds. Submissions may be technical, conceptual, practical, and/or artistic
Nicholas Paley
Banff, Alberta, Canada
RESULTS ///
Nicholas Paley
Banff, Alberta, Canada
Jacob Pfahl
Dayton, Ohio, United States
Aryan Ron
Rasht, Guilan, Iran
Federico Pellegrini
Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
Marcello Schiffino
Brooklyn, New York, United States
Eric Lee
Hong Kong, China
Tom Arleo
Ithaca, New York, United States
JURORS ///
Allison Carafa
Washington D.C., United States
M.S. in Critical, Curatorial, and Conceptual Practices in Architecture - Columbia University
Ryan Edwards
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
M.Arch, Wentworth Institute of Technology
Firm: Helicon Design Group
Paul Sheaffer
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
B.Arch Temple University
Firm: A K Architecture
ENTRIES ///
35 entries from 13 countries.
JURY COMMENTS ///
"This is a technically curious and graphically beautiful response. I imagine this system could work as a whimsical bus stop, dynamically up-lighted dance floor ceiling, or a public early warning system for seismically vulnerable cities. Whimsical and versatile."
"This entry is exceptionally creative, graphically rigorous, and unique in its interpretation of both sound and physical manipulation of the ceiling plane. Very well done."
"I really like the graphic style of this entry. I enjoy that the mechanics of how the ceiling is manipulated as well as how it creates its own documentation of its movements."
Jacob Pfahl
Dayton, Ohio, United States
JURY COMMENTS ///
"This entry is graphically simple yet provides a dynamic, believable, and elegant solution to the brief's call for a "surface that is activated by different sounds." Unlike some of the other entries which had similar parametric forms, this entry succeeds in its dynamism where others fail in their seemingly dynamic, but ultimately stagnant forms on the surface of the ceiling."
Aryan Ron
Rasht, Guilan, Iran
JURY COMMENTS ///
"Well executed concept and presentation. I can easily picture the movement of this ceiling along with music and would love it to be a reality."
"Although I would have liked to see this entry's solution respond directly to the sound of the music as it is created as opposed to one that pre-conforms, a nonetheless well thought out and aesthetically pleasing proposal, one that is certainly far more beautiful than a flat white plane."
Federico Pellegrini
Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
JURY COMMENTS ///
"Interesting take on the brief, the ceiling is not activated by anything within the space but remains static and acts as a prompt for movement. In a traditionally adorned library / study dependent upon natural light, these simple sculptural skylights will dramatically shape the character of the space throughout the day with dancing light."
Marcello Schiffino
Brooklyn, New York, United States
JURY COMMENTS ///
"I would love to see something like this brightening up our subways and ceilings in general. A nice way of making information seen that is not usually seen."
Eric Lee
Hong Kong, China
JURY COMMENTS ///
"Apart from floating unprotected in the cosmos, I'd like to occupy this space. Imagine how much could be added to the musical experience if a ceiling were made of gossamer ribbons sensitive to the pressure of the piano keys or the music they produce, while simultaneously affecting the acoustics of the room."
Tom Arleo
Ithaca, New York, United States
Bennett Oh
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Anders Tversted
Copenhagen, Denmark
Dinesh Ashok Lohar
Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Ada Erdem
New York City, New York, United States
Tony Manero
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Will Ogburn
Arlington, Texas, United States
Tuan Nguyen
Arlington, Texas, United States
Shubham Chaudhary
Sonepat, Haryana, India
Felix Sieker
Cologne, Northrhine Westphalia, Germany
Alejandra Aviles
Arlington, Texas, United States
Bologea Raoul Sebastian
Resita, Caras-Severin, Romania
Jessie Couture
Wilmington, Vermont, United States
Mabel Loh Sheu Whye
Sungai Petani, Kedah, Malaysia
Christopher Box
Arlington, Texas, United States
Astrid Sukur
Grand Prairie, Texas, United States
Mabel Loh Sheu Whye
Sungai Petani, Kedah, Malaysia
Nikos Vandoros
Piraeus, Greece
Olakunle Oni
Arlington, Texas, United States
Mabel Loh Sheu Whye
Sungai Petani, Kedah, Malaysia
Will Ogburn
Arlington, Texas, United States
Ayman Yassir Ahmed
Khartoum, Sudan
Christopher Box
Arlington, Texas, United States
David Jasinski
Fort Worth, Texas, United States
Mabel Loh Sheu Whye
Sungai Petani, Kedah, Malaysia
Sanya Bolia
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Christopher Box
Arlington, Texas, United States
Will Ogburn
Arlington, Texas, United States
