Cytocast

In Fall 2018, the LAB Anti-Mall in Costa Mesa commissioned Form Found Design in collaboration with Orange Coast College Architecture to build a pavilion celebrating the LAB's 25 year anniversary and commitment to showcasing the design community. Named "Cytocast", referring to a group of cells pertaining to the modularity of the structure, while ‘cast’ refers to the process of casting concrete.”Cytocast sought to highlight the impact of social media and "selfie culture" on design, where a project's success is based on its "Instagrammability".  The geometry forms an arch that directs the public into the main "ARTery" of the mall. 

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The project was a showcase of Southern California design and fabrication expertise in both academic and private institutions. CTS Rapid Set donated Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC)  which is 7X stronger and cures 24X faster than traditional Concrete. Walter P. Moore Engineering ran preliminary structural analyses to ensure proper structural performance. Helix Steel  provided their Helix Steel Micro-Rebar product, adding to the tensile and compressive strength of the pavilion. Compression tests revealed a  strength of nearly 20,000 PSI. 

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Orange Coast College Architecture students led by Joseph Sarafian designed, fabricated, and assembled the pavilion over a 6 month period. The OCC Welding Technology Division welded all steel connectors and the OCC Machine Technology Division fabricated the robot end arm tools. The OCC Fashion Department sewed the fabric formwork for each wishbone shape, and OCC Construction aided in transportation of raw material.