We came up with the design of Water prism to create a flower vase with a cylindrical hole in a clear, slim, rectangular glass. Once the size was determined for this extremely simple shape, the drawings and specifications quickly followed. The problem was how to actually make such a vase.
When we first decided to make the vase with glass, we consulted with an optical glass manufacturer and a maker of glass trophies and plaques. However, it was difficult to achieve the finish we wanted and offer it at a realistic price, so we changed the material to acrylic. Although we asked several acrylic processing companies for advice, they all suggested cutting an acrylic square stick and drilling a hole. However, drilling would create frosty cutting marks inside the hole, and it was not possible to polish the inside of such a narrow aperture to make it transparent. For this simple flower vase, overall transparency was crucial.
We then met with two acrylic processing artisans who wanted to work with us to address this issue, and tried several different methods with their help. The first was to insert a glass tube inside the acrylic. Although the resulting prototype came close to our ideal of transparency on the inside, there was one other outstanding issue. While both acrylic and glass are transparent, the difference in their optical refractive indexes renders their interface visible even when there are no gaps in the cast molding. In the end, the vase had to be made entirely of acrylic to achieve our original objective. The only remaining solution was to pour liquid acrylic into a mold, so we did this with a round stick inserted in a rectangular mold. However, the thin stick got moved sideways by the flow of the acrylic, and the surface was roughened by removal of the stick. We also tried different materials for the mold and different fixing methods. The two acrylic artisans seemed to enjoy working on these problems and tried many creative solutions. Although Water prism had an extremely simple shape compared to other Time & Style products, the process was full of twists and turns. The final design is thus the product of these artisans’ passion. With a rectangular glass cylinder, all edges must be thoroughly chamfered to prevent chipping. By using acrylic, we were able to keep the chamfering to a minimum, thereby eliminating extraneous elements and maintaining the austere appearance of the vase.
When flowers or plants are placed in this acrylic vase, its superior transparency to glass effectively reduces the presence of the vase itself. The plants appear to be floating in the air, adding a poetic touch to their surroundings.
