Confluence
2024, Public Infrastructure
Winner | Better Block’s Creating Connections Design Competition
Confluence is a piece of public infrastructure designed to combat the epidemic of loneliness faced by many communities today. Constructed from 6 sheets of plywood, Confluence will live within the WikiBlock library hosted by Better Block. Anyone can download the cut files, and assembly documents, then deploy this design within their community.
Confluence construction time lapse Part 1
Confluence construction time lapse Part 2
Confluence, Dallas 2024
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Confluence will live on forever as part of Better Block's WikiBlock Library. This means that the design must be constructed from no more than 6 sheets of plywood. With a team of 3, after sanding the components, assembly of the design takes 1 hour.
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As a piece of public infrastructure, Confluence offers the community a gathering place for conversation by delivering copious amounts of shade and ample seating options.
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White and colorful dots can be used to engage the community by offering up the opportunity for asynchronous communication. Questions can be posed and answers can be added culminating in a visual representation of a vibrant community conversation.
Confluence Assembly Document
Winner: Better Block's Creating Connections Design Competition, Dallas, 2024
Reference Links
Obliteration Room, Yayoi Kusama
“Lattice Hinge Design”, DefProc
“Remastering Traditional Joints”, OpenDesk
“Temporary Timber Structures”, Dana Tomić Hughes
Wander Wood Pavilion, University of Vancouver
CNC School Furniture, Heitor Lobo Campos
“How to Make a Mallet”, Michael Cullen, FineWoodworking
“Building a modern workbench using digital woodworking tools”, Tim Celeski, Popular Woodworking
Times Square Wishing Wall, Bianca Bahamondes
Timber Tectonics in the Digital Age, University of Oregon
WikiBlock Library, Better Block
Digital Wood, Viktoria Henriksson
Additional Design Inspiration:
Torii, Cairn, Visitation Stones
Acknowledgments
Thank you to Better Block for hosting the Creating Connections Design Competition. Thank you to my fellow competitors for your thoughtful design exploration in the shared pursuit of overcoming loneliness. Thank you, Brian Hoffer and David Lubensky of Humancraft for your feedback and guidance at a critical moment in the development of Confluence. Thank you Draven Pointer from Better Block for your abundant support throughout this competition from helping to prototype and test the design, fielding every possible logistical question, and ultimately fabricating Confluence for its first exhibition in Dallas, in 2024.
Thank you Victoria Radziunas for your feedback throughout the design development process, and for being a part of the Dallas assembly team. Thank you Parker Tinsley for your help in bringing Confluence to life in Dallas. Thank you, Donald Strum, Mike Toth, Alan Feltoon, Dianne Feltoon, and Stephen Moss.
Press
“Creating Connections Design Contest at Thanksgiving Square tries to tackle loneliness with design”, Noelle Walker, NBC5 DFW, June 13th, 2024
“Dallas Is Looking for Design That Can Tackle Loneliness”, Linda Poon, Bloomberg CityLab Dallas, March 24th, 2024