David Zacher

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Shopping Bag Pencil Cases

 

Shopping bags and newspaper upcycled into faux suede textured pencil cases.

 

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Corrugated Lounge

Cardboard Lounge Chair photographed outside on a neighborhood street

 

Playing off of the structure of cardboard, this lounge chair is made of corrugated cardboard that has been glued and folded to imitate a many times magnified version of the material itself. From this large scale corrugated cardboard, the pieces for a lounge chair were cut and assembled.

 

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500%

Tire lever scale model 5X larger

 

%500

This is a 500% scale model of a tire lever used for changing flat tires on a bike. It is sculpted out of foam using a band saw and various sanders. Text on the model was cut out by hand using exacto knives.

Presidents

In front of class showing my presidential data visualization program

 

Presidential data representation of approval rating, unemployment, deficit size, and military spending for the US presidents starting with John F. Kennedy.

The visualization was created using C++ and Openframeworks to build a program that compiles all four categories of data into a dynamically changing graphic representation.

 

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Lampshade

lampshade with diamond pattern

 

I designed this creased and folded mylar lampshade and spot welded wire hardware to fit a standard Ikea lamp. It uses as few parts and manufacturing as possible to create the functional geometric form above.

 

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S&P

Hand turned wooden salt and pepper shakers

Maple and Black Walnut Salt and Pepper set.

 

I teamed up with a Tiverton, Mass. woodturner to produce this locally sourced wooden take on the classic Salt and Pepper shaker. This set is handcrafted from hardwood Maple and Black Walnut. It's natural feel fits in the hand nicely as it provides the essential seasoning to a meal. These shakers are all natural with a food safe finish.

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Oyster Genetic Data Visualization

fan blowing styrofoam beads in a clear plastic tube up in the air

 

I collaborated with RISD D+M Graduate Student, Jack Lovell to provide oyster scientists from the University of RI with a tool for interpreting and analyzing a complex data problem they had; visualizing millions of genetic sequences and data points over different organisms, and at different time periods. We were even able to include functionality for viewing results at levels of statistical certainty that the scientists hadn't known was possible and has proven very useful.

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Hurricane Library

fan blowing styrofoam beads in a clear plastic tube up in the air

 

How would you read a historical retelling of the story of a storm? This is a data visualization of the wind speed during hurricane Irene. Data of the average wind speed for each hour around the hurricane is condensed and played with one hour represented as one second of the a fan blowing particles. The strength of the wind is reflected in the strength of the fan.

Data was loaded into an Arduino microcontoller powering fan speed.

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Pink Moon

Large lit, pink, inflatable sphere hung overhead at nightime music festival

 

Pink Moon Music Festival

In the hills of West Virginia is a place called Rock Camp. This spot is the home of the Pink Moon Music Festival each year. It incorporates puppets, creative lighting and electronics into a musical experience of over 40 bands.

I created the namesake Pink Moon; an inflated pink sphere suspended over the audience.

The home of all adventures and expeditions of D. Zacher - copyright 2011