Barrisol Infinite Loop

2014, Ross Lovegrove

We worked with Barrisol, leading manufacturer of suspended stretch ceilings. The intent of the collaboration was to find a new market share of medium scale ‘out of the box’ products, expanding their offering of large acoustic and lighting installations. Studying in depth the stretch properties of the material, we found the interesting potential of taking the form of minimal surfaces, as they are called in the field of mathematics. This meant for us achieving a three-dimensional volumetric object with a bi-dimensional material and the most minimal frame. Given the known stretch value, we simulated and generated the 2D cutting pattern as well.

The aim of this project is to illustrate the inherent value of the material using contemporary manufacturing technologies, such as digital cutting or digitally controlled three- dimensional bending machines, for a high level of accuracy on an architectural scale. The result is an uniformly lit object. An optional micro perforated acoustic membrane absorbs the intensity of the sound waves as they reflect within a room, enhancing the acoustic qualities of the spaces they inhabit.

The aluminium frame is built out of a single continuous metal loop, which holds the LED strip light source. The surrounding Barrisol foil creates a moebius-type form. Three different types of loops, ranging from horizontal to vertical structures, give potential for cluster arrangements and customisation. This makes them adaptable for a wide variety of architectural spaces, including hotel lobbies, halls and high-rise atrium.

Team: Ross Lovegrove, Andrea Locatelli, Christoph Hermann

Client: Barrisol Normalu