Vana - A Nature-inspired Structure That Grows Like A Tree

Vana - A Nature-inspired Structure That Grows Like A Tree
© Sumedh Prasad / Orproject

Vana
A NATURE-INSPIRED STRUCTURE THAT GROWS LIKE A TREE

Orproject

ARCHITECTS
Orproject

PHOTOGRAPHS
Sumedh Prasad / Orproject

LOCATION
New Delhi, India

CATEGORY
The Brick House

Orproject, a London-based architecture practice, completed a room-sized, nature-inspired canopy titled, 'Vana,' for the India Design Forum exhibited in The Brick House in New Delhi.

Vana - A Nature-inspired Structure That Grows Like A Tree
© Sumedh Prasad / Orproject
Vana - A Nature-inspired Structure That Grows Like A Tree
© Sumedh Prasad / Orproject

FROM THE ARCHITECT

"Orproject developed a series of algorithms that digitally generate open and closed venation patterns, which can be used to simulate the growth of topiaries.

The systems consist of a set of seed points that grow and branch towards target points in order to maximize exposure to light for each leaf. 

Vana - A Nature-inspired Structure That Grows Like A Tree
© Sumedh Prasad / Orproject
Vana - A Nature-inspired Structure That Grows Like A Tree
© Sumedh Prasad / Orproject

The resulting geometries fulfill these requirements and provide a suitable structural and circulatory system for the plant."

"The structural system of topiaries acts mainly in compression and bending. Reversing this, the geometry that performs as a tensile system."

"The installation Vana is designed as a single surface in tension that hangs from the ceiling and descends into the space as four columns of light.

Vana - A Nature-inspired Structure That Grows Like A Tree
© Sumedh Prasad / Orproject
Vana - A Nature-inspired Structure That Grows Like A Tree
© Sumedh Prasad / Orproject
Vana - A Nature-inspired Structure That Grows Like A Tree
© Sumedh Prasad / Orproject

The surface is tessellated into triangular segments which are connected by stitched joints."

"Back lit with LEDs, light shines through the gaps and illuminates the space below with an immersive glow."

"As the prototype for a large scale canopy construction, Vana has been developed as an iso-surface around an anastomotic network diagram, as the cortex around the venation system."

Vana - A Nature-inspired Structure That Grows Like A Tree
© Sumedh Prasad / Orproject
Vana - A Nature-inspired Structure That Grows Like A Tree
© Sumedh Prasad / Orproject

"In a continuous transformation, nature merges into architecture, columns merge into the sky and solid merges into the ephemeral.

Vana appears to grow as tree-like branches blending into a continuous canopy that floats above the visitor."

Vana - A Nature-inspired Structure That Grows Like A Tree
© Sumedh Prasad / Orproject


Vana - A Nature-inspired Structure That Grows Like A Tree
© Sumedh Prasad / Orproject