Form can often take various subjective outcomes, but what might appear “beautiful” to terrestrial organisms might not necessarily be beneficial for aquatic ones. Form must also follow the symbiotic nature of the observed ecosystem by accommodating a multitude of aquatic organisms. These hanging prototypes were designed to hang from the experimental floating research facility, Buoyant Ecologies Float Lab, in the San Francisco Bay.

Similar to the observation of the symbiotic relationship between coral polyps and zooxanthellae algae, the intention in form was to accommodate a multitude of aquatic organisms. The typical biofouling ecosystem, often seen as a nuesance which grows under ships and floating vessels, provides a radically diverse ecosystem to marine life - one of which being to small fish. While algaes and other aquatic fouling organisms are accommodate through surface, smaller fish often seek refuge within these grassy areas from predators required consideration as well.

These particular pieces are computationally designed to provide spatial alcoves as refuge for small fish and other marine life that hide within underwater forests. By utilizing Coral Carbonate, 3D printed calcium carbonate, an endlessly imaginable combination of forms can be created on demand to accommodate any situation.

Computational algorithms were chosen to accommodate variation in volume while maintaining structure through complex archs and surface area for easy application of material surface application on its smooth minimal surface. A series of studies were performed to identify a pseudo randomized set of points with a varying distance domain as identified by size of small fish to accommodate. This lead to the generation of an iso surface with a desired variation in volumetric space as defined by the domain of fish sizes.