Components
- Synthetic Rope
- Eucalyptus Poles
- Willow Panels
Challenge
The client wanted to get away from the traditional Tiki Hut look and do something different, something eye-catching and exotic for a ceiling treatment within the Tiki Hut. When we saw the design it was all of that and more! Making a crisscross structure with a wooden hanging light funnel took some careful craftsmanship
- In order to find out if our design idea was plausible, we needed to create a mockup of the ceiling, so we made a mini version with kebab skewers first.
- The finished light structure was 10 feet tall and weighed 350 pounds. If the light funnel was hung with traditional methods, the light would be ripped out of the ceiling with the first strong winds. Therefore, the funnel had to be free-floating, up in the air, move in any direction, above people’s heads. We got this!
Strategy
Once the mock-up was designed, we realized that some alterations were needed to support the enormous weight of the structure. Changes were made to the center ring sitting at the top of the hut to carry the weight.
After the structure was determined to be solid, we attached the eucalyptus poles one by one, with exact precision for spacing going around the structure. In order to obtain the unique weave of the poles, they had to adhere one way and then the other in an alternating fashion. This made the eucalyptus poles look woven together.
Results
We created the light funnel using the same design as the larger ceiling treatment but on a much smaller and more vertical scale. We also used rope to support the funnel giving it movement but not allowing it to sway to damage the structure itself.
The customer was elated with the way the ceiling and light funnel turned out. It certainly achieved the exotic look they were looking for. We hope you like it too!
