To start our time in CIID and really get to know the workshops,we built a bird feeder that combined a wooden element, a bio-inspired element, a 3D-printed part and a laser-cut part.
We began by sketching possible concepts for the bird feeder and exploring how the different materials could work together. Once we had a direction we wanted to build, we decided which elements of the design would make use of each process.
For the 3D-printed part, we designed a curved base with two layers: one to hold water and another to hold bird feed. A wooden base was added underneath to provide additional support. Several laser-cut side pieces were then added around the structure to hold a wooden rod running through the centre. The rod helped connect the different parts of the feeder while also becoming a simple way to hang it.
For the bio-inspired element, we explored multiple organisms under a microscope. We were interested in the patterns and structures they could find at a microscopic scale. We then traced the pattern of a mushroom and turned it into a vector, which was then laser cut into the feeder.
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