The catchall is an object most people have in their homes. It can take the form of a chair, a basket or a side table. It's that one chair where we gradually pile our dirty clothes.
I decided to design a catchall that moderates the mess.
The Pythagorean cup is a vessel which forces an individual to drink in moderation. Upon filling the cup with too much wine, the cup will spill its contents.
Damn, that cup is clever. I was inspired by this concept to create a catchall which could be similarly clever. This catchall also had to hide the mess in an elegant way, a sort of experimental interpretation of Mary Poppins’ bag.
I was intrigued by the comical idea of creating a catchall with a sudden trigger. Much like an alarm clock, or a trap
without warning. You may be able to slowly and calmly accumulate 17 pairs of dirty socks, but that 18th pair will unleash an explosive jolt of discipline! Realistically, I had to abandon this comedy
for more prudent solutions.
I chose to create a responsive structure. My fascination with intricate and overly complex mechanisms became central to the development of the catchall. I drew inspiration from the hypnotizing kinetic sculptures of Bob Potts, the outrageous mechanical contraptions of Rob Higgs and the very extravagant Fletcher Capstan table. The result was a dynamic spherical sculpture.
The catchall acts as a regulator โ as it fills with objects, it closes on itself. The overlapping of six petals results in a three dimensional aperture-like closing of the catchall. This movement of the petals is driven by a spring-loaded platform inside the bowl. The platform acts as a scale; the weight of the contents drives the petals to gradually lift.
