Glasgow Sand Machine

Designed by Isabella Ong, in collaboration with WenJun, we assisted in the construction of the rotating beam that sits atop a bed of ground olivine sand, inscribing patterns into the sand beneath.

Using thin birch plywood, we utilised trusses for its main body structure—to reduce weight while retaining structural integrity—before cladding it with 3mm handmade Angsana sheets.

Scribed patterns—mirroring global records on carbon emissions, tweets on climate change and meteorological data—were created through scribes that were modified by tapering dowels. We created a rack and pinion gear system, allowing the dowel to move perpendicularly to its servos.

This way, it was less complex and reduced the chances of malfunction.