An internal node of a phylogenetic tree is described as a polytomy or multifurcation if (i) it is in a rooted tree and is linked to three or more child subtrees, or (ii) it is in an unrooted tree and is attached to four or more branches. A tree that contains any multifurcations can be described as a multifurcating tree.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytomy)
Polytomies I is a featured work within one of my interactive installation series, brought to life through parametric modeling, CNC fabrication, and Arduino scripting.
The project derives its name from the biological concept of a “polytomy”—a node in a phylogenetic tree where three or more branches emerge simultaneously, leaving the ancestral relationships unresolved.
In this installation, a single form fractures into multiple emergent limbs, serving as a sculptural manifestation of this evolutionary uncertainty.
Rendered in vivid red with modular complexity, the work resists a definitive reading, existing in the liminal space between organic growth and synthetic structure.
Much like Ernst Haeckel’s historic visualizations where art met evolutionary theory, Polytomies I inhabits a zone of speculative biology. It marks the first investigation in this specific series into branching systems and multiplicity, inviting the viewer to confront the tension between a known structure and the architecture of the indeterminate.
The overall form was designed as a parametric three-dimensional model, initially developed as pure geometry without any subdivision for assembly. This base model was then unfolded into flat surfaces, with all necessary details added through a set of parametric algorithms to enable a glueless, mechanically interlocking construction.
The glueless assembly allows for complete disassembly, making it easy to maintain or replace the internal electronic components.
For the curved branching elements, a dovetail joint system was employed. This method relies on the elastic bending properties of the material, which hold the structure in tension. As the dovetailed edges are joined, the flat-cut panels naturally form the intended three-dimensional shape.
The material type, thickness, and scale of the dovetail joints were determined through a series of physical test models. For the final production, a 300 g/m² cardboard was chosen for its balance of strength, flexibility, and ease of fabrication. The components were precisely cut using a conventional cut plotter.
At the end of each branch, integrated lighting elements respond rhythmically to ambient sounds. These sounds are captured by a hidden microphone embedded in the middle of the sculpture — the “root.” All responses are processed in real time by a pre-programmed Arduino microcontroller, also discreetly embedded within the root structure.
In its synthesis of biology, design, and technology, Polytomies I is both method and metaphor. It shows how parametric thinking and material experimentation can converge with poetic intent — producing a form that is precise yet open-ended, resolved yet still asking questions.