01 · Physical Design · 2026
Botanical Contours
A layered object exploring preservation, contour, transparency, and light through pressed flowers, wood, and acrylic.
Context
Created during Design Fundamentals as an exploration of contour, material, preservation, and form.
Tools
Rhino · Laser Cutting · Hand Finishing
Materials
Wood · Acrylic · Pressed Flowers
01 · Starting Point
Preserving something temporary
I began with pressed flowers collected from home and explored how they could become more than decoration. I wanted the final object to preserve their delicacy while creating a stronger relationship between the flowers, surrounding form, and changing light.
02 · Composition Development
From collection to composition
I explored different combinations of color, scale, density, and placement before settling on the final botanical arrangement. Larger flowers create a visual anchor near the base, while smaller flowers, stems, and fern fragments extend upward and outward to create a lighter, more dispersed composition.
03 · Form Development
Turning contour into structure
I developed the surrounding form digitally in Rhino, using contour sections to translate a continuous volume into a series of fabricable layers. The repeated edges create depth while framing the floral composition rather than competing with it.
04 · Fabrication
Building through layers
The surrounding form was laser cut from thin wood sheets, then assembled and hand-finished. Acrylic layers hold the pressed botanical elements while allowing the composition to interact with its environment through transparency, shadow, and backlighting.
05 · Assembly + Material
Using transparency to create depth
Stacking the wood and acrylic transformed the flat botanical arrangement into a dimensional object. The repeated wooden contour layers build depth around the perimeter, while the clear acrylic allows light, flowers, and surrounding space to overlap.
06 · Final
A preserved composition that changes with light.
Reflection
This project helped me understand how digital form development, fabrication constraints, material behavior, and composition can shape one another. It also reinforced my interest in using natural materials and preservation as starting points for physical design.