considerations of space

and form

the work of stuart fingerhut

Copyright 2009 by Stuart Fingerhut. The book author retains
cole copyright to his contribution to this book.

Additional work samples and information on Stuart Fingerhut

can be found at www.stuartfingerhut.com
Considerations of Space and Form
Spaces Environmental Design

Forms Furniture and Product Design

Environmental Solar Powered Sanctuary | 2009

Design Metro Speed | 2009

From Nature to Structure | 2008

Solar Powered Sanctuary
San Pedro, California | 2009

The goal of the San Pedro Sanctuary is two-fold: provide a shaded area
for beach visitors to use when the sun’s intensity is at its fullest, and
incorporate a sustainable power source to drive it.

With Southern California’s abundance of sun days, using solar power was
an obvious choice. When the sun’s rays are at their peak, the photovol-
taic cells generate the power neccesary to engage the motor and raise
the canopy. When dusk comes and the sun is unable to fully power the
motor, the canopy retracts to the beach.

Morphological investigations were instrumental in the development

of this project. with morphology refering to the form, structure and
configuration of an organism. Explorations of the area’s tide pools and
the inhabiting biology were the key source of inspiration for the overall
design of the canopy.
location
For most residents of Los Angeles, the San Pedro community is a hidden gem
just waiting to be discovered. Home to the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, San Pedro
is a community build on a bluff overlooking the ocean. The Aquarium engages
visitors in education, recreation and research to promote knowledge, appreciation
and conservation of the marine life of Southern California.
The tide pools located along the coast of San Pedro are another world
unto themselves. These rocky pools are filled with seawater from the
ocean, forming as separate entities at low tide.
The constantly changing tide pools provide a home to a myriad of
marine organisms. Inhabitants must be able to cope with a fluctuations
in water temperature, salinity, and oxygen content. Huge waves, strong
currents, exposure to midday sun and predators are also hazards thet
tide pools inhabitants must endure to survive. Inhabitants also struggle
to avoid being washed away into the ocean, being dried up by the sun,
or getting eaten all while being dependent on the tide pool’s constant
changes for food.
technology employed
solar power
With the goal of maximizing available natural
resources, solar power is employed to power the
canopy’s mechanics. With the sun’s power being
near infinite, using solar power as the generating
source was an ideal fit. Within one hour, enough
sunlight strikes the Earth to provide the entire
planet’s energy needs for one year.

Most solar cells are made of the semiconductor materi-
als silicon. This thin semiconductor wafer is specially
treated to form an electric field, positive on one side and
negative on the other. When light energy strikes the solar
cell, electrons are knocked loose from the atoms in the
semiconductor material. Electrical con-
ductors are attached to the positive and negative sides,
so the lose electrons are captured and tranformed into
electricity.
Several solar cells connected to each other are
called a photovoltaic module. Modules are de-
signed to supply electricity at a constant voltage,
such as a 12 volts system. Multiple PV modules
can be wired together to form an array. The larger
the area of an array, the more electricity that will
produced.

solar power advantages

No Pollution - Solar power generates no emissions (carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide).

Budget Friendly - After the initial investment utility bills will be much lower and often times there won’t be an
amount due at all.

No Noise or Yearly Maintenance Free - Panels are silent and have no moving parts. Most carry a 20 year war-
ranty.

It’s Sustainable - Solar energy will never run out.

biological influence
form & behavior
Form and behavior have an intricate relationship:
o The form of an organism affects its behavior in the
environment.
o A particular behavior will produce different results in
different environments, or if performed by different
forms in the same environment.
o Behavior is non-linear and context specific.
In natural systems, most sensing, decision making and
reactions are behaviors that are locally geneated within
discrete organisms. Global behaviors are the combined
product of these local actions.
References
Scott Camazine, Self-organizing In Biological Systems; Princeton University
Press, 2003
Atri Joshi, Emergence in Architecture, School of Architecture and Planning
gooseneck barnacles
Goose barnacles are filter-feeding crustaceans that live
attached to hard surfaces of rocks in the ocean intertidal
zone. Unlike most other types of barnacles, intertidal
goose barnacles depend on water motion rather than the
movement of their cirri for feeding, and are therefore only
found on exposed or moderately exposed coasts.
self-organization
Self-organization is a process whereby pattern at the global level of a system emerges solely from
interactions among the lower-level components of the system. The rules specifying the interactions
among the system’s components are executed using only local information, without reference to
the global pattern.
Examples of self-organization found in physical systems include pattern formation on sea shells,
and fish swimming in coordinated schools in biological systems.
Pattern is used here in a broad sense to refer not only to a particular arrangement of objects in
space, but also to structure and organization in time. In self-organizing systems, pattern and orga-
nization develop through interactions internal to the system, that is, without the intervention of
external influences, such as a leader who directs or oversees the process. The pattern is an emer-
gent property of the system itself, rather than a property imposed upon the system by an external
supervisory influence.
inspirations

the work of Elena Manferdini

previous investigations in non-linear folding

morphological process

macro view

micro view
self-organized technorganic
pattern applied to canopy

combine and allow self-organization to develop

technorganic pattern derivatives

mechanical process

3 cable pulls membrane

4 fabric membrane expands

sun’s rays hit PV
1 cells, providing
power to motor

motor spins spool,

2 winding cable

display of canopy pattern

from overhead illumination
 2 cable tensions membrane

3 fabric membrane expanded

sun’s rays

PV cells
1 power motor

longitudinal elevation

video of the canopy in action can be viewed

at www.youtube.com/user/stufingerhut
Metro Speed
Santa Monica & Culver City, California | 2009
In collaboration with Gabriel Wartofsky

Metro Speed was an entry for the urban design competition sponsored
by SCI-Arc titled A New Infrastructure: Innovative Transit Solutions for
Los Angeles. The competition was linked to LA County Ballot Measure
R, which added a half cent sales tax in Los Angeles County and could
provide as much as $40 billion for local transit-related projects over the
next 30 years. The intent of the competition was two-fold: expand and
improve the field of ideas for transportation design and transit-driven
urban redevelopment projects within Los Angeles County, and broaden
the thinking about the relationships between transit systems, public
space and the built environment.

Our solution was Metro Speed, an integrated system of trains, buses

and bikes with a network of multi-purpose transit hubs.
 etro Speed
solutions for multi-modal public transit in Los Angeles

Metro Speed introduces a new multi-modal public transit system to the residents of Culver City and Santa
Monica. Metro Speed provides convenient, comprehensive and efficient mobility through a seamless public
commuting experience. Expanding on the upcoming Westbound Expansion Corridor, this system increases the
efficiency, safety and comfort of public transit, while preserving and enhancing the public realm.

Metro Speed integrates a system of trains, buses and bikes with a network of multi-purpose transit hubs.

project goals
o Address the public’s need for efficient first and final mile* solution in an urban environment
o Attract new public transit users to reduce the strain on LA’s current transportation infrastructure
o Eliminate pollution and motor vehicle congestion while ensuring safe mobility and access for all without com
  promising the ability to protect public health and safety
o Facilitate a reduction in automobile dependency in favor of affordable alternative, sustainable modes of
travel

  * The first and final mile is the distance of travel between home and transit hub or hub and final destination, i.e. work, movie theatre,
 measure r Proposed Rail and Rapid Transit Expansion Project Name measure r Proposed Highway Improvements
'7 Exposition Boulevard Light Rail Transit * ):
)> 138
SAN FERNANDO 'C
VALLEY 5 )<
'8 Crenshaw Transit Corridor
'C (project acceleration) * 118
5
'@ NORTH COUNTY
'9 Regional Connector: Links Local Rail Lines *
'C )A
'@ SAN FERNANDO 210

' VALLEY )7 126

'@ Westside Subway Extension * 405
ARROYO
'@ ARROYO ':
(to be opened in segments) 170 VERDUGO ):
VERDUGO
Inset Not to Scale 101

'C '; Gold Line Eastside Extension * 134

'B CENTRAL '< )B

LOS ANGELES
'< Gold Line Foothill Light Rail Transit Extension
LAS VIRGENES/MALIBU
'C )C * +:
WESTSIDE '9 '= Green Line Extension: Redondo Beach LAS VIRGENES/MALIBU WESTSIDE CENTRAL
': Station to South Bay Corridor * CITIES
CITIES LOS ANGELES
SAN GABRIEL VALLEY
'> Green Line Extension to Los Angeles
10
'7 ';
International Airport * 110
+:
'C San Fernando Valley North-South Rapidways:
'8 ' 605
'C Canoga Corridor (project acceleration) * 5
710

'> '@
San Fernando Valley East North-South
Rapidways (project acceleration) * 105 )9
+9
Proposed Metro Rail and
Rapid Transit Projects* 'A West Santa Ana Branch Corridor *
The new Expo
Capacity LineProjects
Enhancement will link the Westside to L.A.’s
405
)= )@
Interchange, Ramp and/or
Proposed Metrolink Capital Improvements '=
GATEWAY 'A San Fernando Valley I-405
growing Graderail network
Separation Improvements and open recreational,
); educa- 91 )8
Existing Metro Rail and 'B GATEWAY
Rapid Transit System
CITIES Corridor Connection *
tional,Area
10
and Operational Improvements
cultural opportunities for Culver CityCITIES
Existing Highways
and
Metrolink Capital Improvement Projects 405

SOUTH BAY
'C
(Los Angeles County) Santa Monica residents. With over SOUTH800,000
BAY people
CITIES CITIES

* Speci>c routing to be determined

living* within 2 miles of the Expo line, no other
Speci>c routing to be determined

4
community is better suited for a comprehensive
mobility system.

projected reach of the Metro Speed network

Centrally located between the beach and down-
town Los Angeles, Culver City is a progressive com-
munity of urban achievers. The area combines a
unique shopping environment with a rich entertain-
ment history and a rapidly expanding multimedia
hub.

Santa Monica is known as one of the leading

sustainable cities in all of the US. In addition, Santa
Monica is committed to promoting an active life-
styles for the health and well being of its residents.
The city features miles of beaches, community
gardens, and an extensive bus system.
the Metro Speed system incorporates

an electric bikeshare network
o Access to bicycles at bus stops and transit hubs
o Rider pays based on frequency of use only
o Promotes and supports a healthy physical life-
style via daily excercise
a multi-function transit hub network
o Two tier system of pick-up points for travelers: bus stops
and transit hubs located along the subway route
o Supplies travel information such as schedules and
routes as well as providing inforrmation on activities
and sites at any destination along the route
o Charges the buses while passengers board
o Charges and stores the bikes for commuters
o Serves as architectural icons for the Metro system
an electric bus network
o Picks up and distributes electric bikes through
out its route of travel
o Double decker design enhances the rider expr
ience for both short and long trips
o Large panoramic windows enhance views for
residents and visitors

design & technology

With the Speed system envisioned to be located on the west side of Los Angeles, design inspiration was drawn
from both the ocean and its inhabitants. The Speed bus features titanium-dioxide “gills” which breakdown
smog causing ozone into oxygen.

The roof panels of the stops and hubs utilize Spherical Photovoltaic Solar Cells manufactutred by Kyosemi
Corporation. Sphelar cells captures light from all directions, including reflected light and diffused light. The
spherical, light-receiving surfaces achieve unprecedented high generation efficiency enabling the buses and
bikes to be charged. Sphelars are an environmentally-friendly product, both in terms of performance and also
during the production phase.

The design of the bus stops relate to their the location along the Speed bus route. The closer the stop is to the
Pacific Ocean, the more the “gills” on the roof open up.

sphelar solar cells

 The Metro Speed bike is an electric-assist collaps-
ible vehicle designed to address the needs of first
and final mile transit in Los Angeles

Metro Speed bicycle’s transformation features include

o Electric-assist to widen the user base
o Once collapsed the bike easily locks for storage at
home or work
o Batteries charge while stored at transit hub or at
user destination

The new Metro Speed card is a universal farecard

used for bikeshare leasing, bus fare and subway fare

i’m going green with speed

Metro Speed
how the Metro Speed system works
Spherical photovoltaic solar cells capture light from all directions,
the most efficient way to power the buses, bikes and transit hubs

sun
’s ra
ys

leaving home with riding bike to collapse and

charged bike transit hub return bike

the final mile

why is the final mile important? issues around final mile transit

Short and longterm environmental issues the One mile is an akward distance to travel in LA. The scale
world is facing include dwindling resources, and autocentric nature of LA makes walking and biking
environmental pollution, and global warming. problematic. People depend on private mobility, whether
These all spell the end of the auto-centric city it be biking, skating, driving or getting a ride to a public
as we know it. In the context of LA, a weakened transit hub.
economy and higher fuel prices have encouraged
Due to poor integration between private and public
commuters to use public transport. Designing a
vehicles, it’s easier to just drive to your destination.
way to make public tranport an attractive alterna-
tive to private transport will greatly benefit the
city for years to come.
 Metro Speed commuter

Metro Local rider

Metro Rapid rider

commute to work
via bus or subway

swipe the Speed care to receive ride bike collapse bike and
a new bike at arrival stop to work bring to work. . .

[ reverse steps for

commute home]

public transit issues

problems facing LA public transit cars as avatars

LA is designed around the automobile, which compli- Often cars serve as avatars, representing their
cates the use and practical applications of any alternative driver’s sensibilities and individual character. This
transit. Simply put, the scale and sprawl of LA makes form of self expression is often absent within the
multi-modal public transit problematic. more democratic public transit. system.

Current state legislation ensures that owning and operat-
ing a car in LA is cheap, minimaly taxed and encouraged.
Due to this preference for cars, the benefits of private
transportaion are often overlooked.
inefficient transitions & hubs
In general, the Metro system and its facilities are
adequately effective and competent. The bulk of in-
efficiency rests within the transition points between
personal and public mobility.
To signify their relationship to the ocean, the bus stop’s “gills”
become larger as commuters travel from east to west

santa monica stop palms stop culver city stop

Bikes seamlessly circulate through the system via transit hubs and buses.
Transit hubs store and charge the bikes while communicating with buses
to disburse them on a need-based basis throughout the city

5th street transit hub

ideation sketches
From Nature to Structure
Takifuji Design Competition Entry | 2008

A public botanic garden inspired by the Nature to Artifact work-

shop led by Dutch Artist Jan Hendrix, and photographic research
conducted at the Huntington Library in San Marino, CA.

Landscape based photographs of flora were used to redefine the

concept of a garden with a structure that mimics and is inspired
by the plants that inhabit it.

Explorations of pattern and texture were conducted using

tools such as laser cutters and CNC routers to create models
reminiscent of images or particular elements within the various
photographs.
The growth pattern of the San Pedro cactus
(Trichocereus Pachanoi) was used as the starting
point for the orientation of the botanical garden.
The cactus grows in a radial fashion out from
the center of its stalk, pushing older pods farther
away from it’s center.
This growth pattern became the basis for the arrangment
of the garden habitats. The center tiers are at the highest
position and those farthest away from the center make
up the lowest position. This layout provides an ideal op-
portunity for a walkway up and through the garden.
Visitors are encoraged to wander through the
garden, stopping for a picnic or to pause and
read, thus providing a retreat within the urban
landscape.
high low
Forms La Tulipe | 2009

Gun Rack Organizer | 2008

Furniture | 2007 - Present

Cell Dishes | 2009

La Tulipe
Super Premium Confection for Nestlé | 2009

In the world of chocolate, there is a growing awareness of what

is considered ‘Super Premium’. Nestlé, the world’s foremost
Nutrition, Health, and Wellness company, challenged us to look
at this trend and determine how Nestlé can launch a new ‘Super
Premium Chocolate’ confection for the Easter selling season.

Using the changing of seasons as an inspiration, La Tulipe rede-

fines the Easter “super premium gifting experience” with iconic
product and packaging solutions.

The design took into account criteria such as a chocolate weight

requirement of 250g, sustainability and ecological soundness,
and the ability to be mass produced using existing manufactur-
ing technology.

Dimensions:
6” wide x 3” tall x 3” deep
 inspirations
Spring brings the changing of the seasons, the
blooming of flowers, the return of color. As this
project began to take shape, the colors and forms
found in nature were drawn upon for inspiration.
Spring

Murakami Technorganics
concept development

The initial idea for the packaging’s design was to

mimic a flower box. This actual form went through a
few iterations before a final design was decided on
which addressed shipping and display objectives.
form finding studies

cut and folded foam digitized tulip

The tulip’s form was abstracted and digitized,

allowing production molds to be created and
the confection to be produced at scale.

sustainability
Including sustainability elements in the project was a major goal from the start.

Starting with the concept of the flower box, turning the packaging into an actual flower box when
the chocolates are eaten will make for a memorable user experience. By embedding seeds in the bot-
tom of the packaging, the user simply waters the box and waits for the flowers to bloom. This gives a
second life to La Tulipe and expands the user’s experience from consumption to cultivation.
what makes La Tulipe special
• packaging exhibits a premium product • small enough to be carried or shipped
• easily recognized by children and adults • easily adapted for different flavors or fillings
• can be eaten alone or as a shared experience • independent research indicates that it’s irresistable

product specs

2.25”

1.5”

• three individually wrapped pieces of solid chocolate

• each piece wrapped in red metallic foil
• total weight of 250 grams
POP display

• POP display reinforces La Tulipe’s design

• four sided display for 360˚ viewing
• easily restockable for high turnover
final logo and packaging
Gun Rack Organizer
Planar Rapid Prototyping | 2008

The GRO was designed as a flat-pack shippable unit. The rack

holds keys and mail/netflix/etc and is envisioned to be mounted
by the door. Keys hang off the birds, gun or girl swinging and mail
fits between the bird panels. The unit’s pieces can be arranged for
more or less shelf space, as required.

The girl swinging from the barrel of the machine gun with a flock
of birds off in the distance is a visual metaphor for the serenity of
our daily lives despite the ever present violence in society.

Dimensions:
18” wide x 10.5” tall x 1.25” deep
print and
online press
Furniture
2007 - Present

A collection of furniture designed for limited run production

utilizing rapid prototyping manufacturing techniques.
crème
The taste of comfort has never been smoother!
Crème is a refreshing change from uncomfortable
seating found in most workplaces.

Crème’s soft curves and flowing form invite you to

sit and stay a while. Found at hotels and resorts
all around the world, you can’t help but melt into
Crème.

Studies show that relaxing poolside two to three

days a week can dramatically improve your health
and well-being.
Crème features a smooth matte white body
with a contrast accent of rosewood.

Crème took 3rd place at the 2008 Billes Prod-

ucts International Design Contest, held in New
Orleans.
technical specs

36” high

38” deep 80” wide

left view ortho view right view top view

crème deux
An evolution of the original Crème. Further inves-
tigations of the overall form allowed for more com-
plex curvature while producing smother transitions
from end to end.

36” high

38” deep 80” wide

left view ortho view right view top view

crème chairs
With the Crème Duex as the point of departure,
single person chairs were created which share a
similar form language, expanding the Crème
collection to a greater range of environments.

33” high

39” deep 45.5” wide

left view ortho view right view top view

Cell Dishes
2009

A collection of dish sets designed for limited run production

utilizing rapid prototyping manufacturing techniques.
cell dishes
The form and configuration of the Cell Dishes was
inspired by the structure of plant cells.

18” long

1.25” deep

9.25” wide

19.75” long

2” deep

9.6” wide