Event Blog: The Hammer Museum

On an overcast, chilly day in Westwood, there is nothing to do than to visit the Hammer Museum. Upon entry, I saw a few young girls spinning in odd shaped chairs, so naturally I went to join them. I had never been to the Hammer before so I was not aware that these specific chairs were a part of the collection that I had come to see, Provocations: The Architecture and Design of Heatherwick Studio.

These special chairs are rotationally symmetrical and are not supposed to tip over, though at some points it sure feels like it will. This makes the chair a functional seat at every angle. I highly recommend these chairs if you are in need of releasing your inner child or an unusually comfortable spot to do some creative thinking.  

Beside the chairs, my other favorite piece from the collection was the design of a bus for London that uses less fuel and produces less pollution than the older double-decker buses that are so iconic. The Heatherwick Studio has designed a bus that is more aerodynamic and lighter which uses approximately 40% less fuel while being equally as durable. The design features a red exterior with rounded edges to remove some of the bulk and seats made form steel, wool, nylon, and foam.

It is wonderful to see art and science working together to nurture and conserve our environment. These buses will be available in 2016 and hopefully start a world wide movement toward eco-friendly mass transportation. I also hope to see these spinning chairs in schools across the globe to inspire creativity and prove that math can be fun because after all, it takes a little bit of math to calculate the balancing points so no one tips over.

Sources

"Hammer Museum." The Hammer Museum. One Long House, n.d. Web. 23 May 2015. <http://hammer.ucla.edu/>.

"Heatherwick Studio." Heatherwick Studio. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2015. <http://www.heatherwick.com/>.

"London Tour Ticket." Big Bus London. Chameleon, n.d. Web. 23 May 2015. <http://eng.bigbustours.com/london/home.html>.

"London's Best Open Top Bus Tour." The Original London Sightseeing Tour. The Original Tour, 2015. Web. 23 May 2015. <http://www.theoriginaltour.com/>.

"Provocations: The Architecture and Design of Heatherwick Studio." The Hammer Museum. One Long House, n.d. Web. 23 May 2015. <http://hammer.ucla.edu/exhibitions/2015/provocations-the-architecture-and-design-of-heatherwick-studio/>.

"Spun Chair." Herman Miller, Inc. Herman Miller, n.d. Web. 23 May 2015. <http://www.hermanmiller.com/products/seating/lounge-seating/spun-chair.html>.