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Making Computation Tangible

Date
2026-10-15
Author
Bairui Su
Labels
FabricationWoodworkingLaser CuttingMechanical Computation
Links
A group of six fabrication projects: a wooden box, shuttlecock, engraved tree panel, APack stamp, cellular structure, and marble-machine prototypes

Overview

How can computation become something we can hold, see, and set in motion? These six projects from Introduction to Fabrication at NYU ITP explore materials and making, from a wooden box and shuttlecock to laser-engraved trees, an APack stamp, cellular structures, and marble-driven mechanisms. The later experiments give computational forms and processes a tangible presence.

Box

A small wooden box with a pivoting lid, made to hold a watch. An introduction to cutting, shaping, and working with shop tools. Read the blog post ↗

Box

5 × 1 — Shuttlecock

Five identical wooden feathers come together as a shuttlecock. An exercise in repetition, curved cuts on the band saw, and drilling the base. Read the blog post ↗

5 × 1 — Shuttlecock

Name2Tree Frame

A tree generated from a name becomes a laser-engraved wooden panel, with two simple feet that let it stand on its own. Read the blog post ↗

Name2Tree Frame

APack Stamp

A wooden stamp turns an APack name glyph into a physical object, paired with a square wooden holder. Read the blog post ↗

APack Stamp

Cellular Architecture

A branching structure assembled from wooden blocks, bringing a computational exploration of cellular architecture into physical form. Read the blog post ↗

Cellular Architecture

WIP: Ternary Marble Adding Machine (T-MAM)

Two prototypes made from discarded wood explore how marbles and rockers can represent states and perform computation, toward a ternary marble adding machine inspired by Matthias Wandel. Read the blog post ↗

Ternary Marble Adding Machine (T-MAM)