The Bridge Test

Week Three - 3D Design and Architecture

What is around us?

There are many things around us that we take for granted; not many people take the time out to appreciate the time and physics put in today's architecture. Today's task was to take a look around and capture some stilted structures and bridges, after recording and taking the images we returned to class to receive a brief on our next task. We were then put into groups of 7 and asked to build a bridge, the bridge had to fill the criteria of being high enough for a folded table to go beneath it and smooth and stable enough for the remote control car to drive across it. The bridge also had to be both attractive and durable. The bridge also had the limitation of only two points touching the ground. Our equipment for the task consisted purely of 10 sheets of A2 cardboard, unlimited bamboo sticks and unlimited rubber bands.

We first started by building out steady points to hold the structure above the ground. We built it from bamboo sticks that we had taped together for more strength , we then tipped it upside down so that all the bamboo sticks come together to make one point by taping the bottom. we then made another alike and used it on corresponding ends of the bridge.

Group Work - Bridge Stabilizer 

After making these basics, we started exploring through the different ideas for the final piece, and how the bridge should be structured.

Group Work - Bridge Plan

We then started to build the basic structure and then started thinking about the decorations. the group had many ideas of what we could do, so we started going through the pictures we had collected earlier today and then began to have a clearer idea of what we could decorate with. 

 Group Work - Final Touch

We started to use a teamwork method of two people cutting out triangular shapes, then the next 3 people designed the triangle but cutting out different geometric shapes, finally the last two people assembles the finished triangles onto the bridge in an arching manner like a tunnel.

For the absolute finally we assembled some rubber bands like most bridges it left quite an authentic bridge feel to it. 

Group Work - Final Piece

All in all I was extremely proud of our bridge, everyone worked well as a team and the final product was admirable. It resembled a really well stable and attractive bridge that both functioned correctly and was aesthetically pleasing.

The Experiment

The remote control car test. Had a rough journey back.