Lead Designer & Team Principal: Khoa Vu
Technical Design & Fabrication Leads: Tim Wright, Vy Mitnik
Specializing in: Base Engineering, Joint Systems, and Material Strategy
Structural Assembly: Nathan Jang, Peter Won, William Ellsworth
Fabrication Support: Jesus Perez, Yura Oh
Precision Engineering & Modular Design
The success of Dynamic Walk lies in its highly adaptive foundation and innovative assembly methods.
CNC-Machined Foundation: To navigate unpredictable terrains, the base was engineered as a series of interlocking sections. Each component was CNC-machined from birch plywood to fit together with puzzle-like precision, ensuring structural stability across any landscape.
Bespoke Stainless Joinery: Moving away from distracting traditional fasteners, I designed a sleek, modern joint system using reclaimed stainless steel tubing. This choice provided a high-contrast, professional finish when paired with the organic texture of the Baltic Birch plywood.
Acclaimed Exhibition: Following its competition success, the installation was showcased at the Lancaster Museum of Art and History and featured in film as a study in modern collaborative design.
The architectural challenge for Dynamic Walk was creating a foundation capable of reconciling a rigid modular structure with unpredictable, sloped terrains. My solution was a segmented, interlocking base engineered for high mobility and rapid deployment. By utilizing CNC-machined Plywood, we achieved a level of precision that allowed the foundation to behave like a three-dimensional puzzle—ensuring a perfectly leveled platform regardless of site-specific irregularities.
In June 2014, it was exhibited at Lanscaster Art and History Museum and showcased in Mana Film featuring Professor/Advisor/Designer Steve Fuchs.
In a project defined by its intricate geometry, the joinery needed to be as functional as it was visually seamless. I developed a custom connection system using reclaimed stainless steel tubing—repurposed from the OCC Construction Department—to marry industrial precision with the organic warmth of the Baltic Birch plywood. While traditional fasteners might have been more expedient, this bespoke approach preserves the structural purity of the installation, ensuring the hardware never distracts from the project’s rhythmic silhouette
