De-RAILING

De-RAILING:

Traditionally in the most basic sense the railing does support itself from the floor whether bracketed directly to it on the floor surface, or to the edge of the floor surface if it looks out onto an open space of some kind- like the mezzanine to the TDR if inside or a cliffside view to the ocean if outside for example.

But-- what of the railing along the freeway?

The idea of a suspended railing?

A railing that does not absorb all the force that an individual exerts on it-- rather gives just a little- whether vertically or laterally.

A railing that is friction fit and meets two vertical walls or posts rather than floor?

A railiing that is mediates what can and can't come through?

A railing that is mobile-- whilst the view is fixed.

A railing that is intended for the automobile that drives along its edge and is the constant rythym beating to a California vista.

A railing made of recycled bike forks, bike chains and sprockets from a BIKE GRAVEYARD poking at the idea of what's the use of a bike in California? Especially if the bike parts are placed inside and out of context?

These are the primary considerations I am making whilst designing this railing.

SUCCESSES thus far:

-acquiring junked free BIKES which I can take apart. I took two with shocks on their bike forks thinking about how BIKE FORKS at the floor of my railing could give in when a little when pressure was exerted on its handrail. This would be unexpected and breaking the convention of a stabilizing railing-- thankfully of metal too. I was thankful and happy to know that once the fork was sanded-- it was weldable to the metal angles and such in the shop which creates more flexibility in design possibilities.

I ordered a bunch of used GO KART CHAINS today for a sketch I did which I will bring to crits tomorrow. This integrates the design of bike forks meeting the floor in an interior mezzanine space whilst now introducing ways in which I can recycle more of the bike and translate the roles of the parts into an integrated moving railing system in a system of pulleys (bike sprockets with ball bearings) and bike link chains? The idea is ambitious and absurd-- and as such could be exactly what Rubins would explore for the excitement of new possibilities.

So-- I will need to explore where I could get 5 good ball bearings of the same size ideally-- (the bike ones won't serve this purpose i don't think). Hmmm. Ideas anybody?

And THE MERRICKVILLE FOUNDRY:
The entire process of sand casting an object-- from the intricate steps of pattern making to the actual pour was shown to us yesterday. And lucky for me, the iron is cents a pound.

Can't wait for the California Metal Shops now!