The Godwit that Misses Its Flock

by Songee Hahn and Lutfiadi Rahmanto

Physical Interface Design and 3D Modeling/Printing | 2015

Selected in NYC Media Lab's Annual Summit 2015

1. SHOWCASE

The Godwit That Misses Its Flock is a decorative art that takes shape of a bar-tailed godwit, which has astonishing migration route between New Zealand and Alaska. Being cloistered in a room, this bird longs to join its friends. Alas, it can only rotate itself to the flight direction of its migrating flock.

2. Inspiration

The idea was conceived when Lutfi and I pondered about migratory birds, “what if Eames House Bird is a migratory bird?” That question seems irrational and would provide no meaningful answer. But we came up with several suggestions instead of an obvious answer. The Eames House Bird might reside in a warm room, a convenient space. Or, the Eames House Bird would miss its flock who are embarking on a migratory journey. we are eager to explore the poetic side of later suggestion and its relation to human activity.

3. first prototype

The form of the project itself is a bird model that would always point to the location of its migrating flock, like a bird compass. The image includes the bird's migration route and concept development sketch for programming movement of the bird based on the actual time interval and the direction. 

Here are the rendered prototype and the actual 3D printed bird.

4. rotating machanism

Above is the sketch for the wooden platform in which the bird will be placed upon. The rotating mechanism utilizes neodymium magnets that will be attached under the wings of the bird and on the custom armature. Below is the rendered 3D model of each layer of the object. 

5. Fabrication