with Paul Wöllner, Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design, Prof. Bettina Kraus, AM Sophie Kotter The project originates from the observation of a tree struck by lightning. The immense force of the impact, which violently fractures and splinters the wood, is translated into a sculptural object that freezes this fleeting moment of extreme weather. The work investigates the relationship between natural forces and material transformation, using the lightning strike as both conceptual point of departure and formal generator.
The design process is grounded in an open-ended and exploratory engagement with the material. Through iterative experimentation, unexpected phenomena are identified, systematically examined, and progressively refined. Rather than imposing predetermined forms, the resulting objects emerge through an active dialogue with the material itself, amplifying its inherent properties and pushing its aesthetic potential to the extreme.Fluid geometries evolve along linear guiding elements as surfaces stretch, fold, and define spatial enclosures. The resulting surfaces display a dynamic relief that records the direction of material flow, making the fabrication process legible within the final artefact. An underlying structural network provides opportunities for deliberate compositional intervention while simultaneously accommodating material spontaneity.
The project explores the productive tension between mass and void, order and apparent disorder, precision and unpredictability. By embracing the interaction between material behaviour and design intention, the work demonstrates how natural processes can inform architectural form. The resulting sculptures occupy the boundary between experiment, object, and spatial investigation, revealing how extreme environmental phenomena can be transformed into expressive material and architectural language.