[PEER REVIEW] GROUP 43

Sharkitecture Peer Review - 2 Vehichles

Sharkitecture, having just completed the vehichles workshop; presented us with a seaweed-covered glider and a modified paper lantern. These were accompanied by renders of the docking systems that have been posted to their  blog.

The balloon was made using non-renewable energy sources as this tied in closely with a dystpoic view of the city hotel. Butane was used to inflate the balloon with hot air, using a burner, whilst solid parafin was used as a fuel when in-flight. This was a good approach to the issue of a long launching time which all groups experienced with lantern flight.

We found out how the dystopic balloon concept had been developed further into making the journey itself a 'show', as when the balloon reaches the waiheke site, it ignites. This sends the passenger basket crashing into the water and free to get washed up on the shore. This reckless, unsustainable behavior represents a core idea in of the metropolis, and as an act of showmanship; creates an impressive entrance for those arriving.

The glider had been developed as a close replica of Halloway’s aircraft in the Ultimate City story using the dimensions that were available. The frame was constructed from balsa wood, with seaweed applied as a brittle membrane to form a curved surface that can direct wind flow. The application of seaweed was a tricky part of the process as it was very hard to form a thin continuous layer without breaks. Further down the track, the perforated nature of the outer shell was embraced as an aesthetic and possibly functional quality after flight testing proved that the glider was capable in practice.

The construction of the glider was one of the most impressive and clean-cut moments upon looking around at the room of work during the crit. It  was clear that considerable time and craft had been dedicated to correctly proportioning glider parts, with guidance taken from real aircraft when the story lacked in accurate information

A journey map of Auckland accompanied the work and showed the potential flight paths of the two vehicles. This took into consideration the known permanent weather conditions of the sea crossing and land area, and also started to display the experience of the passenger through imagery.

Overall we felt that the team had resolved the design challenges well, and that J.G.Ballard’s story was deeply considered throughout the workshop production. This culminated in a clean and viable set of vehicles for travel between hotels.