Bridges Conference Helsinki, 2022 – Stefano Arrighi x Phillip C. Reiner

Sea Stellation is a speculative study of polyhedral deformation under pressure, developed in the Advanced Geometries Department with Stefano Arrighi. A rhombic triacontahedron stellation deforms as if collapsing under deep ocean pressure: the result is a geometric visualization of a late stage of pressure-induced collapse. The deformation model preserves recognizable polyhedral structure while conveying uniform compressive force. Finite-element analysis related the pressure field to vertex displacement and determined a single deformation state for fabrication. The final form was 3d printed in plaster for the 2022 Bridges Conference in Helsinki.

Research:
The initial geometry is a rhombic triacontahedron stellation. Uniform pressure drives vertex displacement according to a deformation model that was tested in several variations. Selection criteria required that the deformed geometry remain identifiable as a stellation while registering visible structural stress. The chosen snapshot balances geometric legibility against the degree of collapse, producing a form that reads as a solid under load rather than an arbitrary distortion.