One particular area of concern has been the design and construction of the eight ‘bell posts’… and with budget tightening and schedule contracting we were keen to make sure this was one aspect of the project that didn’t get squeezed too far. The bell posts are the main physical manifestation of PEAL – the sculptural and physical elements of the piece that the audience interact with ‘up close and personal’ – and so we want to make sure they have the design aesthetic and quality of build we’re aiming for with the project overall.

Nick and I approached several designers and fabricators through out mutual networks and have now engaged with Duncan Fitzsimons – a graduate of the MA. Industrial Design Engineering, Royal College of Art and a member of Vitamins design – a multi-disciplinary design collaborative based in London.

Duncan has since produced a “Proposal for tower designs” and Nick and I have been discussing the various options… general agreement so far being:

• we like the aluminium extrusion most – ideally with the vertical pole a circular Cleanroom Profile and thicker than the horizontal spines (possibly made from Series 25 square profile cut to length and machined at each end to a radius to fit the pole and acrylic pot);
• definitely want two contact points per tube;
• the Muji clear acrylic pots at the ends for component mount seem OK;
• looking for a design in kit form – so that we can have something which bolts together easily;
• we’re going to prioritise building the frames and mounting the electronics – the choice of material and construction for the diffuser can wait since whatever the solution it’ll be mounted somehow between the acrylic pots;
• diffusers – budget allowing we prefer the acrylic tube – not very keen on the Muji translucent cups or the fabric – and specifically the spinnaker nylon – but perhaps lycra under tension might create the clean line effect we’re looking for;
• the details of how the electronics are fitted within the acrylic pots is important for the final visual aesthetic… choosing to ‘reveal’ the electronics… an idea we still like…  means they have to look good too.