Lighthouse – Fabrication

Lighthouse Structure The Lighthouse was modeled by Sabetta Matsumoto using Mathematica and Rhinoceros 3D software; one of the principles in the design was inspired by the Zip-Form system by Edmund Harriss and Emily Baker, which eases the production of complex curving forms made from flat sheets, in this case steel.  It was CNC cut out of mild steel andContinue reading “Lighthouse – Fabrication”

Lighthouse – Through the Mathemalchemy Looking Glass

Like lighthouses everywhere, the one in the Mathemalchemy installation illuminates the world around it, and guides seafarers on their way, or to a safe port if they have reached the end of a voyage.  Its beautiful red and yellow beacon is a familiar and welcome sight to the fleet of boats that sail or turbineContinue reading “Lighthouse – Through the Mathemalchemy Looking Glass”

Spotlight on Stereographic Projections

Watch Henry Segerman’s video chronicle.

One of the mathematical scenes that I’ve been involved with is the lighthouse. The top of the lighthouse will have two lights – one projecting horizontally from within a stained glass dodecahedron made by Bronna Butler, and the other projecting up on the the ceiling.

This will repurpose an old project of mine illustrating something called stereographic projection. Stereographic projection is a map from the sphere to the plane. So just like the Mercator map is a way of getting the continents of the globe on a flat piece of paper, stereographic projection is another way to do that.

Dodecahedral Trajectory

Mathemalchemy’s beacon reflects a 2020 breakthrough of mathematicians Jayadev Athreya, David Aulicino and Patrick Hooper.

Bronna Butler, professional artist, math lover and Mathemalchemy team member, demonstrates how her stained glass creation illustrates one of the infinitely many dodecahedral trajectories.

The Maquette’s Creation Process

Bringing together twenty-three mathematical artists and artistic mathematicians to create a large multimedia art installation requires planning . . . and a detailed maquette (aka, preliminary model).

Dominique Ehrmann introduced the Mathemalchemy team members to her Maquette Creation Process. See how the three maquettes helped to create, discuss, question, structure, validate and inspire them.