With the design aspects nearing finalization, I had to explore construction methods. Initially I wanted a very sleek final product, and looked towards plastic paneling. After consulting a few studio members, someone suggested I use the process of vacuforming, in which sheets of plastic are heated until pliable, placed over a mold, and then the air between the form mold and sheet is vacuumed out, sucking the plastic to the mold. I set out to vacuform scaled polystyrene sheets I scaveneged. In a few nights I had created the vacuform bed, frame, and CNC routed a mold out of MDF. Unfortunately, the process of heating the plastic to it's pliable state proved to be a greater challenge than I was equipped for, and my final product (as shown in the pictures) was unacceptable.

Next I explored the possibility of casting the wall in plaster. Using the same form, I made a cast and poured plaster into it. Unfortunately, the displacement of the form required more plaster to be poured than could dry within a reasonable timeframe. Although not a failure in terms of end product, logistically plaster was unsuitable.

In my race to create the scale model in time, I decided to use paper mache as a model material. The success of the paper mache, and working properties discovered during construction led me to consider it as a large scale material. The more research I did, the more paper mache appealed to me. Further light, finish, aperture, and technique studies led me to decide upon paper mache for the final construction. 

Before embarking on the paper mache, I installed the lighting system. The frame was painted white to grant optical neutrality, and three flourescent tubes were installed, two 48" T8 lamps vertically, and one 24" T8 horizontally across the top member. The top lamp was wired directly to the main power switch so it would remain on so long as power was on. The side lamps were wired to a motion sensor switch placed at the bottom of the frame. This meant that whenever someone approached the frame, the sensor switch would power the side lamps, changing the color of the lighting coming through the paper mache. This is the method by which I allowed the user to manipulate space as an expansion on the manipulation of data in a phone. All that was left was to make the paper mache face.

Paper mache however, required a structural frame for support. I finalized my face geometry, and cut out MDF studs which matched the geometry in profile. These studs were then braced horizontally with strips of flexible fiber reinforce panel (FRP). The decision to use FRP came from several factors, including ease of access, flexibility, white color, and impact resistence. Once the framework was finished, I began the paper mache process. 

The paper used was acid-free archival quality tissue paper. The use of this paper was to help prevent yellowing over time, and to allow greater control over opacity and light transfer through the paper. Adhesive used was wall paper paste, which was economical, and included fungicide to prevent mold growth over time. Multiple layers built over time softened the curves of the geometry, and controlled both lighting and structural properties. I was amazed at how little paper it took to create a strong surface!