Yowalah, Urban Commissions 2021
in response to the Urban Commission competition, we created YOWALAH – a configurable place-making mega-toolkit for sports and gardening.
Location: Dubai, UAE
Year: 2021
Size: N/A
Program: Public Installation
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us into isolation, cutting ties from one another and from the cities we dwell in. As such, in response to the Urban Commission competition, we created YOWALAH – a configurable place-making mega-toolkit for sports and gardening. Taking cue from the Emirati traditional group dance, the installation is almost entirely made of 3D-printed recycled plastic beams (using the 6-axis robot), connected to form a continuous curved spaceframe.
Yowalah, Al Ayala, Farandole, are all social dances that bring people together in lines or circles, those dances are a distinctive point of human societies. They are the expression of our need to move, share the joy of interacting together. The colourful headscarf or clothes representing everyone’s difference, showing the richness of human society.
Move together, share, compete, have fun, are important binding activities for an healthy society.
3D printed from recycled plastic,
The fabrication system is making use of robotic 3D printing at large scale in order to produce quality parts from recycled plastic. Polycarbonate is a UV resistant material, with a very high impact resistance. It is used for war planes hulls as well as helmet glass for astronauts but the one we recycle comes from CDs, DVDs and water gallons, therefore it is also food safe. The parts are drawn directly by the robot in molten plastic that hardens when cooling. The connecting flanges are inserted into the plastic while the part is being printed. This creates a very strong bond (resistant to several tons) and allows a very easy connection between elements.
Plug and play activities,
From the frame system with its spatial truss, a very large range of equipment can be suspended, ac- cording to the needs of the neighbourhood. They can be exchanged to match the feedback of the community of users. On one side the urban gardening bins, planters and pots, with the structure to support climbers and creepers; on the other side: a wide range of outdoor sport, starting with hammocks and swings and end- ing with Olympic grade gymnast rings.
Bring life to any ground,
Versatile, the equipment can be quickly installed, modified, adjusted to a peculiar site or crowd. It’s spatial structure makes it both very resistant and visually light.
Under the canopies,
The 3D printed canopies create a supporting plane for the climbing vegetation, reinforcing the notion of place and place-making through green activities that involve plantation and play.
3Dprinted pots, planters and raised beds,
A variety of planters would allow to have climbing plants to populate the pergola system and shade further the users, but also to give some ground for popular shared gardening for elders and youngsters.
