Lovegrove for Barrisol

For Barrisol’s installation at Interieur Lovegrove has focused on amplifying the values of acoustic dampening, reflectivity, elasticity, diffusion and lightness of the stretched ceilings.

This installation developed by Ross Lovegrove for Barrisol at Biennale Interieur 2014 opens up an aesthetic territory that lies between the deep ocean and deep space, to create a dialogue for the 21st century between aquatic biomorphism and Nasa-like intelligent systems.

The material used by Barrisol for its stretched ceilings has an inherent capacity to appear illuminated and attached to buildings while providing acoustic dampening. It is mainly used for ordinary interior spaces as a flat, horizontal sheet that offers a lightweight and easy-to-install alternative to other hung ceiling systems.

By intensively studying the stretch behaviour of the material, Lovegrove Studio found that it had an ability to take the form of minimal surfaces, as they are known in mathematical terms. This means that while the sheet itself is flat, when it is cut out with precision and mounted in a highly controlled way, it can create three-dimensional volumetric shapes.

The goal of this project is to illustrate the inherent value of this material by using advanced manufacturing technology, such as numerically controlled cutting and digitally controlled threedimensional bending machines to achieve a high level of precision on an architectural scale.

Together with the stretch behaviour of the material, seen in the first iteration of the design, this results in beautiful large-scale lighting objects, which illuminate and enhance the acoustic quality of the spaces that they inhabit. The Barrisol stretch foil and the tubular three-dimensional framework form a coherent entity.

Ross Lovegrove Studio for Barrisol's stand ant Biennale Interieur 2014 — Ross Lovegrove Studio for Barrisol's stand at Biennale Interieur 2014

Manta creates a perfect synergy between material and structure. In this light, Barrisol foils with different intensities of stretch provide highly layered acoustic dampening and uniform lighting. This slim framework forms a rhomboid, which allows for many different large modular arrangements. In doing so, it offers a lightweight alternative for hung ceilings in large spaces, as seen in airports, halls and factories.

The infinite loop is a highly volumetric, three-dimensional light, created from a perfect synergy between the stretch material, LED lighting and metal framework. The aluminium frame is built out of a single continuous metal loop, which holds the LED strip light source. The surrounding Barrisol skin forms a moebiustype volumetric object.

Three different types of loops, ranging from horizontal to vertical structures, have potential for customization. This makes them adaptable for a wide variety of architectural spaces, including hotel lobbies, halls and high-rise atriums.