Designed as a companion piece to Concretopia, the general aim was to provide viewers with a direct reference that would further their appreciation for concrete as a material. I liked the idea of delivering the finished film on a flash drive inside a mini brutalist sculpture. I wanted something that would make sharing the project, which is effectively just a file on my computer, a more tangible experience. Above all, it needed to look attractive when connected to to a laptop on your desk.
It was surprisingly tricky to settle on a design. Initially my impulse was to develop an abstract sculpture roughly the size of an egg, albeit not oval, but geometric. I sculpted over 20 prototypes as I explored the form, and ultimately scaled up to the final design which is roughly the size of a tennis ball.
Material tests were a chance to experiment with the mix, and finish of the object. I poured, sanded and sealed a dozen cubes for reference before landing on a sanded cement mix with a matte finish.
Maintaining material consistency was a challenge, but in the end this proved to be a blessing as every casting became unique in a subtle way. Lastly, a small cork mat was affixed to the bottom of each drive to prevent the concrete from scratching the surface on which it was placed.
Packing materials were selected to compliment the honesty of raw concrete, while the packaging design was tailored to mirror the drive’s basic geometry.
Available for purchase upon request.
-WL