On Lightness
On Lightness
Podcast Description
a conversational podcast on the meaning of the word "lightness". Three definitions are explored by a different guests every month.
lightness¹ the quality of having little weight.
lightness² the state of being light in color or shade.
lightness³ being carefree or feeling without burden.
Engineers, Biologists, Architects, Designers, and Photographers are confronted with questions about their field and how it relates to lightness in an attempt to find the essence of the words meaning. For each episode, there will be articles published with the mentioned references and further investigations.
lllightness.substack.com
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast investigates three definitions of lightness: the quality of having little weight, the state of being light in color or shade, and being carefree or feeling without burden. Episodes delve into specific topics such as material efficiency in biology, architectural designs inspired by nature, and the emotional aspects of lightness, with examples including discussions on biomimicry and structural innovations like the FlectoLine Facade.
a conversational podcast on the meaning of the word “lightness”. Three definitions are explored by a different guests every month.
lightness¹ the quality of having little weight.
lightness² the state of being light in color or shade.
lightness³ being carefree or feeling without burden.
Engineers, Biologists, Architects, Designers, and Photographers are confronted with questions about their field and how it relates to lightness in an attempt to find the essence of the words meaning. For each episode, there will be articles published with the mentioned references and further investigations.
In this episode, I am talking to Dr. Prof. Thomas Speck about the meaning of lightness in the field of biology, exploring topics like the material efficiency of nature, biomimicry, half-timbered houses, Frei Otto, and the many projects Dr. Speck did in collaboration with Jan Knippers and Achim Menges from the IntCDC Cluster at the University of Stuttgart.
The following article is meant as an informational extension of the podcast episode:
Where it all started: An interest in the Bioacoustics of frogs
The Limited Materials of Plants: Cellulose, Lignin, Hemi-Cellulose and Pektins
The referred ingenious “Fachwerkhaus” or in english: Half-timbered House
Frei Otto was a Skeptic of biomimicry, although his structure’s form-finding was often inspired by natural principles.
mentioned livMatS Pavilion, 2021, a collaboration between Clusters of Excellence: IntCDC and livMatS as well as Fibr GmbH
And the light pattern it creates.
The mentioned reactive shading system inspired by pine cones: Solar Gate, 2023, Stuttgart. A collaboration of ICD, intCDC, livMatS, IKT.
The mentioned Project: FlectoLine Facade, 2024, Stuttgart, a collaboration of Clusters of Excellence: IntCDC and livMatS as well as ASCA GmbH. Inspired by the trap mechanism of the waterwheel plants (Aldrovanda vesiculosa)
In the end let’s get an idea of the places, that evoked an existential feeling of lightness for Dr. Speck: The first fieldwork in an undisturbed tropical rainforest.
and standing in the nothingness of snowy Spitzbergen
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lllightness.substack.com
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