Dreambangle Play Set by Allie Looney at Coroflot.com

Dreambangle Play Set

3D Printed in glass-filled nylon and photopolymer
8" x 8" x 4" opened
2013

For this assignment, we were directed to consider the term "attachment" in the objects we were creating. I took both a literal and a symbolic interpretation in this piece: not only does the play set physically attach itself to the user, it also demonstrates in its formal language ideas that I feel a strong attachment to. The rooms on the interior are heavily influenced by Japanese culture and design, while the exterior patterning and the overall shape of the object are inspired by Russian culture and Faberge eggs. I often feel conflicted by the extent to which I am attracted to Japan in spite of the fact that my heritage is European (my grandmother is from the Ukraine). The tension that I feel between the severity of these two interests is represented by the interior-exterior relationship of this piece.

Photograph of the printed piece in its opened position, featuring the little ball-and-socket bendable character. All of the petals (the individual rooms) are held upright by a track that runs inside the top flower button (pictured in the foreground of the following renderings). They are only released one at a time when the button is turned to reveal and opening in the track through which the top of each petal is designed to fall. In its opened form, the hinged petals are designed to break their fall in a horizontal position, revealing 5 different miniature rooms in what becomes a wearable play set house. At this point, the removable bridges are plugged into their fitted placements between the petals, preventing them from flopping around during play. The bottom of the bangle has a flat, level surface that allows the play set to stand on its own as well.