In 2007 I started doing some experiments with making ceramic volumes that tessellate 3 dimensionally -- with the goal of using repeating units to aggregate into large compositions/sculptures. One of the first forms I started working with was the Truncated Octahedron, an Archimedean Solid and a space filling polyhedron (meaning it tessellates in 3 dimensional space). I came upon this shape pretty empirically: by cutting equilateral polygons out of foam core and taping them together to construct polyhedrons. I started making molds from these models and casting them in porcelain.

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• Photo Credit - EG Schempf
  
  The image above is constructed from about 250 blocks (each an aggregation of 12 truncated octahedrons) cast in a black porcelain. I'm currently working on an element for an installation that uses the same geometry to create a more visually porous volume.
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• This form was created by 'Shelling' the edges of an aggregation of truncated polyhedrons to build a porous poly-surface. (to build this form in Rhino, Grasshopper, I used a Grasshopper Definition from Luis Farraguada of Live Architecture Network GH Shelling Definition: Live Architecture Network
  
  The volume was then translated into mesh to which Catmull/Clark subdivisions were applied Weaverbird
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• This geometry was split into units using another quick grasshopper definition, with a section extracted that when cast and connected will reproduce the overall geometry.
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• Segment with geometry of Truncated Octahedron overlayed
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• Segment parted for milling
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• Mold parts CNC milled from expanded polystyrene (EPS)
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• Pouring plaster contra mold
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• 5 part plaster mold
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