Wei Zhang

About

Wei’s work explores the endless potential of fabrication techniques when combined with unique materials and the consideration of craftsmanship. Through studying material limitations, he has gained an acute insight into how to design and prototype with non-traditional materials. By expanding the possibilities of applications in his project, Wei presents innovative methods of processing and transforming unconventional materials.


Relevant experience

Product and fabrication designer, Resting Reef, London, 2023

Semi-finalist, Mayor's Entrepreneur, London, 2023 - The Biochar Tile

Exhibit, WantedDesign Exhibition, New York, 2023 - The Biochar Tile

Exhibit, Great Exhibition Road Festival, London, 2023 - Interactive Cardboard


Education

MA/MSc Global Innovation Design - Royal College of Art and Imperial College London, 2021-2023

International exchanges at Keio University, 2022, and Pratt Institute, 2022.

BFA in Industrial Design / Ceramics  - Rhode Island School of Design, 2016-2021




Contact

Degree Details

Statement

My area of interest and focus lies in the design, fabrication, and manufacture of novel materials. I want to encourage interaction between humans, machines, and materials to achieve Co-fabrication.  

My past works incorporate furniture design, material studies, and fabrication skills. With a primary focus on how human interaction enhances the 3D printing experience, I continually develop my design and art by utilising new tools and methods. 

In my recent projects, I explore the method of enhancing material performance through employing digital adaptation in fabrication techniques. I am testing different combinations of fabrication techniques to realise specific and unique outcomes. Understanding how to approach and breach fabrication limitations, I design with the freedom of creativity.

Root Link

In growing design, the growing result is typically harvested and considered the final product. In this project, the use of earthen material as a growing medium for plant organisms presents a fascinating opportunity to co-create with nature, which aligns with the bio-design objective of reimagining production paradigms.
Transitory nature of living material
Transitory nature of living material — As I incorporated natural materials into the fabrication process, these materials followed an observable life cycle. Throughout my experimentation, I monitored the changes in each stage and evaluated the impact of various interventions. Interestingly, despite these manipulations, the material consistently adhered to this cycle. Changes in root behaviour started to emerge during the growth stage, and by the stabilisation stage, the effects of my interventions became particularly evident.
Efficacy of biomass in gap filling
Efficacy of biomass in gap filling — By day 7, small gaps were populated, followed by medium-sized ones by day 8, and the larger gaps were filled by day 10.
Root reinforcement on structures, Root binding ability
Root reinforcement on structures, Root binding ability — Two bricks were able to bind to each other by root in 9 days. Regardless of whether they started with a loose growing medium, the roots aggregated the substance into a denser, stronger form over time. 
Root reinforcement on structures, root self-supporting structures
Root reinforcement on structures, root self-supporting structures — The soil initially appeared crumbly, but roots provided substantial support, allowing the structure to stand on its own without scaffolding.
Nature augmented structure
Nature augmented structure — The research demonstrated that roots can bind structures, adapt to different configurations, and contribute to overall stability. These results pave the way for future investigations to optimise growing mediums and investigate complex structures. The findings present an exciting opportunity for the creation of sustainable, living architectural structures, with implications for material science and environmental conservation.
Broadening the horizons of bio-construction
Broadening the horizons of bio-construction — This project provides a valuable blueprint for the development of sustainable, living architecture by presenting a novel approach to directing plant root growth for vertical structures.

Root Link - a dive into nature augmented construction.

Root Link investigates the potential of bio-integrated structures in the context of future construction and urban greening, with a particular emphasis on utilising plant root systems to improve the structural integrity of living soil structures.

With expanding cities and urbanisation, there is a greater need for green infrastructure, while spaces are decreasing. The concept of constructing urban structures out of self-regenerating living elements such as soil with growing organisms offers a potential opportunity for the construction industry to maximise green areas with limited space under unique conditions.

Using a material-driven design methodology, this study investigates the interaction of plant roots with various structural forms, analysing how these interactions can be manipulated to improve structural stability and functionality. Important findings demonstrate the potential for plant roots to perform critical construction tasks such as bind structures, adapt to different configurations, and contribute to overall stability.

This project provides a valuable blueprint for the creation of sustainable, living architectural structures, with implications for material science and environmental conservation.

The Biochar Tile

A tile made of carbon which filters the air in subway stations. This project aims to improve the subway environment while also storing carbon emissions from the atmosphere. By providing a system that utilises biochar, the project aims to encourage industries and authorities to turn their organic waste into biochar.
Biochar tiles installation scenario 1
Biochar tiles installation scenario 1 — The Biochar Tile panel at the center of the platform can better enhance the air filtration functionality.
Bio-material tile prototypes and iterations.
Bio-material experiments and form exploration allows us to pick a sample that has high durability, low flexibility, quick drying, and great detail-capturing abilities.
The Biochar Tile design diagram and illustrations.
The Biochar Tile installation scenario two. Tiles installed in the middle of the platform facing the incoming air flow.

A tile made of carbon which filters the air in subway stations.

The subway system is a universally popular mode of transport. The concentration levels of pollution in subway systems are increasingly high, exceeding outdoor environment levels and the World Health Organization air quality guidelines. Exposure to these high pollution levels has been linked to numerous health risks. 

The Biochar Tile is a tile which uses organic waste from wastewater systems to create carbon-rich biochar, which is used as the main material to make the tiles. In addition to storing carbon, the material used can also passively filter pollution, contributing to the purification of subway stations. Our tile has the potential to reduce odorous and hazardous gases, carbon emissions, and air pollution particles in polluted places such as subway stations. The Biochar Tile aims to provide a healthier environment whilst simultaneously storing carbon emissions from our atmosphere.

VISIVE

We aim to bring a new way of generating boundless intangible art to the world through real-time interaction with a 3D printer. We set goals to achieve Co-fabrication between humans and machines, using machines as collaborators. The 3D printer prototype is focused on interactive modelling during print with light as printing material.
VISIVE light printer printing in process.
VISIVE light printer components and mechanical overview. Printer’s delta structure ensure a higher speed and stability. Systematically altering the printing path while printing is one example of how to enhance the 3D printing art creation experience.
The generated art only exists in the digital realm, enabling playful interaction without the boundaries of a 3D printer that extrudes physical material. VISIVE allows the user to interact with the printer in real time in order to distort, alter, and play with the light sculptures printed.
VISIVE Light Sculpture 1.
VISIVE Light Sculpture 1 - after human interaction input.
VISIVE Light Sculpture 2.
VISIVE Light Sculpture 2 - after human interaction input.

Visive is a 3D printer that prints light.

The 3D printer enables the creation of mesmerizing intangible light sculptures printed in the physical space of a 3D printer. The light sculptures printed are captured whilst the 3D printer is in motion through a long exposure camera. Although the creation of the final product happens in the physical space, the final light products only exist in the digital realm, enabling a playful interaction without the boundaries of a 3D printer that extrudes physical material.

Visive allows the user to interact with the printer in real-time to distort and alter the printed light sculptures. Visive works similarly to a delta 3D printer, enabling the extrusion point of the printer to move smoothly along the x, y, and z coordinate system. This motion allows the printer to run the motion of boundless shapes and forms.

Intuitive Making

Vision Intuitive Making project poster.
Participant 1 Jahan – Making process and behavior analyzation.
Participant 2 Yu – Making process and behavior analyzation.
The extraordinary creativity displayed in each creation was striking, and the majority of participants achieved the functional artifact they wanted to make. Conversations with each participant revealed a strong link between their making methods and their thinking processes. 

Investigating fabrication through behavior mapping

I composed this workshop for people to build functional structures with pre-treated materials. Provided with an intricate amount of freedom & limitations, participants can trust their intuition and find creative solutions toward their goals. With a combination of video and audio recording documentation, I gained a holistic understanding of participants’ decision-making processes, iteration steps, and fabrication procedures. 

Each participant is unique in their making methods due to different understandings of structural assembly and materiality. Despite this, several behavior patterns emerged: re-apply found mechanisms, develop main features, and build from sub-parts. Moving forward, along with the research, I will compare process maps and conclude multiple intuitive-making frameworks.