Designer Spotlight Sunday: Kinetic Artist Theo Jansen

THEO JANSEN

I am still gasping for air! The collision of physics and art has emerged from an imaginative, kinetic artist named Theo Jansen. Jansen who lives in Deft, near the North Sea has to be some kind of genius!! For the past 21 years, he has devoted himself to constructing wind powered animals called ‘Strandbeests,’ creatures composed of mundane materials such as stiff plastic yellow tubes and batwing-like sails set on a central crankshaft. The plastic tubes are the key element and Jansen says,” the number of tubes and the length of each tube determines the genetic code of each Strandbeest dictating how it will move and interact with the environment.” By capturing and storing wind, these creatures are set into motion down the beach in a herd-like manner. They have an uncanny ability to self-preserve: they can avoid getting stuck in the ocean and can anchor themselves in the sand when they are threatened to be blown away. Impressive! How will these critters evolve and what can they be used for? The future architectural potential is very intriguing! See this video and you will be amazed! Click: THEO JANSEN VIDEO

YELLOW PLASTIC TUBES

STUDY OF MECHANICS

STRANDBEEST

STRANDBEEST

Inspiring!!!!