20. Project development¶

project title: Rotations in Conflicting Times¶

What will it do?¶

The project is a kinetic sculpture driven by rotary capacitive touch pads and a sonic interpretation of the sea. At its most fundamental level it is an object designed for dynamic, expressive movement. Inspired by arabesque geometries, cosmological inquiry, and the rhythms of waves, the sculpture functions as both an experimental device and a deeply personal companion object — bringing together research interests, cultural memory, and poetic inquiry into a single form. The sculpture consists of two embedded dodecahedrons rotating on different axes and rotational planes, each derived directly from the natural geometry of the dodecahedron itself — a nod to arabesque sensibilities and their inherent mathematical beauty. The piece operates in two modes. In automatic mode it functions as a meditation on the present moment. Created in the context of coming to IAAC amid war, genocide, and an apartheid system in Palestine, the work carries an explicit political and emotional charge. The outer shell moves to the rhythm of waves — a longing for a sea separated from us on ethnic grounds. The inner shell moves like a clock on a different axis, rotational plane, and temporal logic altogether. The interplay between these two planes of rotation speaks to the different experiences of time felt moving in and out of Palestine. In interactive mode, one or two capacitive rotary pads allow people to directly control the two geometries — each pad corresponding to one of the rotating shells. This transforms the sculpture into a social instrument, enabling two people to interact with each other through the device, or a single person to explore both planes of movement independently. The interaction becomes its own quiet conversation — between people, between geometries, between different senses of time. At the heart of the sculpture a single constant light source shines from the center. As the two transparent dodecahedrons rotate, they cast shifting, layered patterns of light and shadow — a seemingly chaotic yet deeply ordered play of opacity and geometry.

Who has done this beforehand?¶

The project follows a rich tradition of kinetic sculpture and mechanized art, from the pioneering mobiles of Alexander Calder to the precisely engineered mechanical works of Jean Tinguely, whose explorations of motion, rhythm, and machine logic laid the conceptual groundwork for sculptures that move as a core part of their meaning. This lineage extends into contemporary computational and robotic art, where movement is increasingly driven by embedded systems, sensor input, and generative logic. Within this tradition, the work is most directly inspired by Reuben Heyday Margolin, whose wave sculptures translate natural rhythmic phenomena — particularly the motion of water — into hypnotic mechanical form through precise geometric engineering. His ability to extract the mathematics of natural movement and embed it into physical, hand-crafted objects is a direct influence on both the aesthetic and technical ambitions of this project.

The project draws on a range of open source references and tutorials across digital fabrication, electronics, and programming: Rhino / Grasshopper tutorials for simulating and designing rotational movement Bevel gear design tutorials for designing gears at specific angles matching the natural geometry of the dodecahedron Capacitive touch tutorials for designing and programming the rotary touch pad interface Stepper motor tutorials for programming controlled, precise rotational movement

The Design¶

Geometries & Structure

The two dodecahedrons will be constructed from resin-printed joints fitted to 5mm wooden rods. The joints connect the rods at the precise angles required by the dodecahedron’s natural geometry, forming two distinct skeletal shells — one nested inside the other. * The Axial System

The Axial consists of three concentric tubes. The inner shaft drives the inner geometry via stepper 1 and a gear system, with gears clamped and screwed directly onto the shaft. The middle shaft is fixed, acting as a structural spine. The outer shaft drives the outer geometry via a second stepper and an equivalent gear system. The bevel gears on both systems will be designed to match the specific rotational angles derived from the dodecahedron geometry itself.

Electronics

Two custom PCB boards will be designed and produced.

The Motherboard: is a pentagon-shaped ESP32 board capable of driving up to three stepper motors. The second is a wireless board connected to the rotary capacitive touch pads, communicating with the motherboard wirelessly.

Rotary Touch Pad:The rotary pad will be cast from a resin and sand mixture, using a silicone mold made from a milled wax positive. Seven capacitive cathodes will be cut and glued to the back of the cast pad, all connected to the wireless board.

Materials, Components and Cost¶

Almost everything will be designed and produced in-house. The only exceptions are the metal tubing and axial components, which will be purchased from a supply shop and cut to size.

Materials¶

Resin — standard SLA photopolymer resin for 3D printed joints and gear components Wood rods — 5mm standard wooden dowels for the dodecahedron frames Metal tubing — standard stock tubing for the three-shaft axial system, cut to size Stepper motors — standard bipolar stepper motors paired with Pololu A4988 driver carriers Electronics — ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 as the main microcontroller, custom-designed PCBs produced in-house Wireless communication — ESP-NOW protocol between the touch pad board and the motherboard Touch pad — resin and sand casting using a silicone mold, with copper cathodes for capacitive sensing Silicone — standard molding silicone for the touch pad mold

What processes will be used?¶

3D printing — resin printing of joints and 3D printing gear components Milling — wax milling to produce the silicone mold for the touch pad Casting — silicone molding and resin/sand casting of the touch pad PCB design and production — designed in KiCad, produced in-house Subtractive fabrication — cutting metal tubing and wooden rods to size, wax milling Embedded programming — ESP32 firmware for motor control and capacitive touch

Evaluation¶

The project will be evaluated against the questions it set out to ask. At its core this is a sculpture about movement — about different tempos, different axes, different experiences of time. Success will be measured first by whether the piece actually moves: fluidly, continuously, and with intention. Beyond the mechanical, evaluation will turn to the experiential. Does the interplay between the two rotating shells generate something felt — a tension, a rhythm, a conversation between planes? Does the light at the center breathe through the geometry in a way that feels alive rather than mechanical? The interactive element will be assessed by whether it genuinely opens the piece to others — whether two people can find themselves in dialogue through it, or whether a single person can lose themselves in it alone. Ultimately the piece will be evaluated by whether it holds together as a whole — not just as a functioning machine, but as an object with a presence. One that carries its references to wave, to geometry, to time, and to longing, lightly enough that they can be felt without needing to be explained.

The majority of components are being produced in-house, keeping costs low. The main expenses are the ESP32 modules, stepper motors, PCB fabrication materials, resin, and hardware for the axial system. All of which is offered at the shop. A paid a total of 30 Euro for the tubing;