Inspired by variation and ideation, the Parametric Pendant, designed by Rhode Island School of Design student Colin Westeinde, marries opposed forms and materials with heat and pressure through its fundamentally generative design.
In a multi-step process which begins in the computer, a heuristic model of the faceted vessel form is used to create a unique iteration of the pendant’s water jet cut copper shell. This rational shell is then transformed through the introduction of a smoke gray glass bubble. As the copper and glass interact they form a single object; the glass reacting to the shape it is expanded within and the copper adopting a natural heat patina and weakening under the intense heat of the glass to the point that it moves and responds simultaneously. This system allows for a family of objects both efficiently producible and consistently unique.
The hanging structure of each pendant is custom fit to every glass bubble. The structure’s main body is identical but its hanging arms and bulb profile are chosen specifically for the form they are housed within. By loosening the top of the structure the pendant’s internal components are easily removed for bulb replacement if necessary.
The bulb used in this pendant employs a high efficiency LED filament with a warm, glowing 2200 Kelvin colour temperature. The bulb is 80% more efficient and boasts a lifespan over 6 times longer than comparable incandescents while keeping the same aesthetic quality.
