TUBULAR

About the Work

Tubular is an interactive installation built around a large vertical tube that functions like a futuristic “well.” Light travels through the structure and is transformed by diffraction gratings, creating shifting spectral patterns that feel both cosmic and confined. At the base of the tube, digital screens introduce a communicative element — the structure doesn’t just emit light, it responds, suggesting a presence within.

The project explores themes of echo chambers, artificial intelligence, depth perception, and confinement. Looking down into the tube becomes an act of searching for meaning in a closed system. The viewer peers into a glowing depth that feels infinite but is physically contained, mirroring how digital environments can feel vast while quietly limiting perspective.

Originally, the piece involved fog and a prism to create volumetric light, but those materials proved difficult to control. The design shifted toward diffraction gratings, which produced richer and more reliable light patterns. The project now combines a large physical tube, polycarbonate sheets layered with diffraction material, controlled lighting, and Arduino-driven digital screens to create an environment that blends physical optics with responsive media.

Process & Development

$Diffraction grating tests$ Tube structure and materials

Development Timeline

Weeks 2–3

Ordered prism and began early light experiments. Discovered the prism setup was not working as expected. Fog effects were also removed from the plan.

Week 4

Switched direction and began testing diffraction gratings. Found them more forgiving and visually dynamic.

Week 5

Continued diffraction experiments and began integrating an Arduino for future interactive components.

Week 6

Acquired main structural materials including the large tube and polycarbonate sheets. Began experimenting with diffraction materials and screen placement.

Week 7

Got digital screens working and started experimenting with different arrangements of the components inside the tube to create interesting light patterns and visual effects.

Week 8

Pivoted away from the screens. Second guessed system, restarted research to work towards a more simplified lighting design. Started to explore alternative approaches.

Week 9

Still figuring things out.. Continued learning how to program things with the new Arduino. Started thinking through motion and sensors to make it dynamic. Struggled to settle on an overall concept.

Week 10

Experimented with colors and layouts of various elements. Behind schedule but a new, finalized idea that I feel confident about is in works.

Upcoming Development

Spring Break

Since I am behind intended schedule, Spring break will be a critical time to experiment with the physical arrangement of the components within the tube and to explore different lighting configurations.

March 23-28th: Full force experimentation with various components. Need to have a concrete design and layout by the end of the break to move forward with the final product. Hard deliverables include: settling on the finalized casing for the components, a clear plan for the physical arrangement of the components, a clear plan for the lighting design, and a rough prototype of the Arduino logic as well as the necessary circuits that will drive the interactivity of the piece. By the end, I need to feel confident in the final form of this work as well as the overall concept.

Spring Timeline

Running out of time. Spring will shift away from experimentation and more toward the final product with a focus on interactivity, refinement, and expansion of the system as well as the overall internal system and external presentation of the piece. Things need to get done sooner than later.

Create transparancies and housing for components.
Create means of movement and integrate sensors.
Place components strategically in the housing.
Make the Arduino logic smarter and more adaptive.
Explore how it will look in the gallery space and make adjustments as necessary.