MOS: rainbow vomit

'rainbow vomit' by MOS


american firm MOS created an experimental installation 'R.V.' (rainbow vomit) for the creators
project network. 'rainbow vomit', is a digital, interactive, computational heap of building blocks
in a constant state of near collapse. it was created with the help of custom-built software that
computes real-time physics calculations for structural equilibrium. In other words, the giant,
glittering foam blocks you see so artfully lighted in the image above are arranged to be as
close as possible to falling down without that actually happening.





this is what the architects had to say:
this is not architecture. it's an experiment. we work on experiments that lead us into
uncomfortable situations in parallel with architecture, in order to force ourselves to
rethink things. for instance, what does it mean to produce software that helps us lose
control instead of aiming for total parametric authority over everything? can we acquire
technical expertise in order to undermine it? does this liberate us from our preconceived
ideas of architecture?





in a way we are interested in an architecture vomited out, from an overindulgence in
other architectures: a recognizable other of half-digested parts and pieces. rather than
collage or hybrid mutations, we are caught between something we ate and something
we thought, located within that communicatory lag between the stomach and the brain.








this particular construction is made from cubes of glitter. we used video game physics
engines for our structural form-finding and for determining collision detection between
the blocks. they are piled up to produce a sort of semi-vaulted structure that is frozen
a moment before it completely settles and becomes stable. interactive lights
and projections are mapped onto the form, further undermining the stability of
the object.









the light installation



each block numbered



the colors changing



building the blocks with 3D software






software rendering



software rendering



drawing