I've been experimenting with membrane hinge and different kinds of folds.
Membrane hinge is a brilliant way of building shapes. My model is made out of plexiglass pieces angled at 15 degrees on the sides. The outcome is a half-circle that can be laid flat or folded to save space.
it could be a roof structure, a shelter...
I had this idea of making membrane hinge chair where the shape would be determined by the angles of individual components.
Could be used as a reception table etc
Sheets of plexiglass are joined together to form solid see-through walls. The table top could be made from CNC-cut thick sheet of plywood (ca 50mm, could be 2 sheets joined together).
It is a simple concept - old cardboard covered in liquid latex to reinforce. The outcome is really cool - it is big enough to keep my whole drawing kit, so far it doesn't seem to fall apart anywhere (I've been using it for couple of months now) and I really like its rugged looks. Latex doesn't get dirty and there's no problem in case you spill a drink over it. It still needs two pieces of velcro to close the lid properly.
I have recently developed the idea of compact slrcamera case. I have noticed that there are no compact camera cases that would b It should be:
rugged - cardboard + latex is a good idea (have a look at the pencil pouch)
compact - in a shape of the camera, foldable (flat) so that we can save some space while the case is empty
perhaps even waterproof
Thinking about the shape - I really like the idea of the orishiki suitcase. It is sleek, stiff and can be stored flat.
The camera case could be made using the same principle.
Here is a really nice kinetic sculpture by studio lab[au]. It reminds me of some sort of membrane hinge surface. i think it is a good concept for creating the shape of my camera case.
panelling idea:
I also had this mad idea of creating a camera cage. It would provide maximum possible protection for the camera. Perhaps it could be an addition to the camera case. The case provides protection from dust, dirt and water and the camera cage protects it from everything else - being squashed, stood on, dropped etc. I imagine it would be a part of travellers kit, perhaps the camera could even be used while staying in the cage.
Here are some pictures of a prototype I've made:
