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Earthseed Frequencies Mound
Interactive Vibrating Seating Inspired by Parable of a Sower
SUMMARY
The Earthseed Frequencies Mound is a 14x 14' interactive plush mound with vibration that can be seamlessly disassembled for easy transport
TIMEFRAME
2024-2025
TYPE
Commission
CLIENT
Wired for Wonder, a Getty-Sponsored exhibit at the Kidspace Museum of Pasadena
SKILLS LEARNED
Rhino + Grasshopper, CNC Cam + Cutting, Woodworking, Upholstery, Sewing, Project Management
CONTEXT
WHO
Sabela Grimes invited Kia McCormick and myself to create an installation as part of his exhibit for the Kidspace Childrens Museum of Pasadena— he was looking to create a space where children could observe, listen, and reflect on projected audio-visual content.
INSPIRATION
Inspired by Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower and Lauren Olamina’s Earthseed philosophy, the piece was designed to embody the belief that “God is Change”.
This vibrating mound offers a tactile, sensory experience where vibration becomes a language of change: it invites visitors to sit with the Earth, tune in, and feel transformation from the ground up.
MINDMAP
INITIAL CONCEPTS
Concept 1: VW bus with platform seating
Concept 2: Audio-visual creature maze
Final Direction: Plush earth mound with vibration
INITIAL SKETCHES
INITIAL RENDERS
FINAL SKETCHES
FINAL RENDERS
*Bass shakers deliver a synchronized haptic experience that mirrors the audio-visual projection mapping on the surrounding walls*
bass shaker placement
3D MODEL
placement in room, ADA compliant
waffle structure made on grasshopper
broken down into 15 different sections for more manageable construction
registration holes to align top mound
utilized tight-fitting dado joints to slot pieces together
2ft x 4ft individual structure
top mound broken out
CNC & CONSTRUCTING PIECES
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each unit engineered to be able to stand independently-- tolerances fit perfectly!
CNC milling pieces
individual pieces labeled
finished piece constructed with wood glue and screws
chicken wire stapled along edge as initial layer to provide adhesion/ structure for foam
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PAPER MACHE & STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY
3 layers of recycled bedsheets used as paper mache to form structured curvature of mound
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FOAM AND FABRIC
templates for 4", 1818 foam
scored the foam for better pliability & glued to bedsheets with spray adhesive
to ensure continuous plush curvature, we sewed & stapled tight-fitting satin layer to compress foam
fabric pattern for circumference of mound
INSTALLATION
installed bass shakers underneath top plates & lifted top mound onto bottom
layer of batting to prevent seams in foam from being felt
OPENING DAY
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