Providing an escape from the perpetual activity and noise generated by hundreds of design students in the trays of Gund Hall, a “teahouse” nestles itself along the glass window of the fifth floor’s elevator foyer. Inspired by the mechanical compression of a Hoberman sphere, the panels of the rigid polycarbonate shell fold in a yoshimura buckling pattern to visually isolate the user from their surroundings. Zund-cut panels were laminated with 3M adhesive between sheets of double-matte film scavenged from the plotters. The upper and lower edges were capped with gaffer’s tape for durability. The translucent veins between the panels allow the teahouse to glow in direct sunlight.
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A screen of 347 flowers filters the window light, scattering an array of geometric floral motifs across the interior of the teahouse, constantly evolving as the sun passes. Each of the forty panels of double-matte film was laser-cut. Then the petals of selected flowers were threaded and sewn together to create a three-dimensional form. Finally, the panels were sewn together.