SHOJI

Shōji is a piece inspired by Rube Goldberg’s drawings of complicated machines completing simple tasks. The machine transports a metal bearing ball from one point to another, but not before going through a series of carefully designed, geometrical obstructions. The title, Shōji, references the simple Japanese design style of the machine. Both the a crylic glass wall and the washi paper wall offers support and a transparent viewing into the structure. This complete transparency is inspired by the traditional Japanese house, where there is typically one large room with no permanent walls. The wood dowels are interwoven to produce a sturdy structure that will support a multi-leveled design. The elegant, simplistic design is meant to evoke a sensation of being weightless.