Growing a Hyphae Lamp from Nervous System on Vimeo.

First, watch the video above. I just found this studio tonight, and I’m excited about their work. Why I’m excited is that Nervous System obviously spends a good deal of time thinking about the science of how things organize, grow, and end up assuming shape. This they then translate to mathematical algorithms and models that help us understand and predict similar types of growth. Further, they create models to interact and tweak shapes in applications where you can play with the design yourself!

When discussing changing the story of stuff, this is exactly the kind of work the world needs more. Understanding how a few simple rules can create form, and then enabling people to use those for design. I’m also pumped that they are nearby – I have lot’s of ideas for how they can take this approach to achieve unique functions….

Check out this next video that explains the simple rules of the growth of the lamp.

Hyphae – growth process diagram in 2D from Nervous System on Vimeo.

All of this is incredible work, that helps us understand the simple rules nature uses to create shapes. Nervous System has quite a few video’s on vimeo. But, one more video for tonight…today’s incredible TED talk fits right into this line of thinking, and I think sets a context for how rules (algorithms) already shape the world we create ourselves.