C(oncrete) Urchin Outlet Protector   Design Prototype

Process: Rhinoceros 3D with Grasshopper, Illustrator, Photoshop, FDM 3D Printing, Painting

Power outlets are the arteries of electricity and digital communication. Computer software and operating systems have embedded fail-safe functions, but if the “plug is pulled,” unsaved data are lost or corrupted.  Exposed electrical floor boxes are especially kicked and tripped on, creating both a safety hazard to passersby and to digital files.

C.Urchin is an outlet cover which utilizes the biological mechanism of aposematic coloration to protect these vital circuitries. This anti-predator adaptation is a visual defense mechanism used by animals such as the poison dart frog which displays a range of colors which highly contrast with its environment. The textured surface amplifies the contrast against the smooth concrete floor. The grasshopper texture is based on a definition created by Formularch.