Architectural Form in Sugar: Glass Curtain Wall Aug. 28- Sept. 1

Exploration into caramel led me to testing the liquid qualities it had in its molten form. One of the first concepts I worked on was to try to make a model based upon an architectural concept that a specific architecture firm expressed well in their built works.

I began researching architectural examples of glass curtain walls. Originally, I was fascinated with how this element might be represented in a dessert. The concept in the architecture world, is to surround a building's outer layer with a non-structural frame filled with panels of glass. This provides protection from the elements and brings in large amounts of light. This element in buildings can make very attractive facades as well as create interior spaces that feel larger and connected to the outside world.

For a dessert, I decided the best way to represent the positive attributes of the curtain wall was to think about how I could create something with a striking translucent facade protecting an interior mass from the 'elements' or outer world, and separate from the structure of the cake center. The wall should be free-standing.

With these concepts in mind I set about designing forms that would take on the characteristics of a glass curtain wall. I began by pouring the molten 300 degree caramel over objects at a scale in which would be reasonable for a personal dessert. The only barrier between the caramel and the object was a thin piece of parchment paper. Then I began curling and manipulating the paper as the caramel cooled. Being a liquid, the caramel took whatever shape it was allowed to and ran down surfaces like lava. Once completely cooled the form was solid and very brittle. With each trial I aimed to create a complex shape which could surround a cake.

My first design was a circular cake with a caramel half dome draped on top. The form dipped down slightly to meet the cake and rested just above the center cut out. This design was created by pouring caramel over a ball of twine. The cake was cut out using a circular cookie cutter from a larger rectangle cake.

This form was intriguing to me as it put me in mind of the cascading water that comes out of fountains. The gradual dome, with its intentional dip in the center and rippling caramel curves, made me think of mushroom tops. The fountain/mushroom form could be the center of a more complex dessert than just two parts.

Next I made a rising mountain form by pouring the caramel over an interestingly shaped rock I found while out hiking a few years ago. While working with the hot liquid I noted just how quickly that the substance cooled to a state that could be touched and not leave a fingerprint, but could not be held for longer than a few seconds without burning your hands. This realization gave me an idea that I could form the caramel in more ways than only by letting it flow to find the path of least resistance.

For the mountain form, I worked the edges of the parchment paper where the caramel had been poured to manipulate it as it cooled. As I thought about the dips and valleys created by lifting edges of the paper I began to think of how the caramel could be a container to hold other elements of a dessert. This put me in mind of bowls and elegantly formed spoons that create spaces for liquids or other materials to rest. Possibly the caramel provided a flavoring to these components of the dessert, and the two combined to create harmonious flavors. And this idea of connection of flavors brought my thinking back around to a connection on the physical level as well, specifically how to connect the caramel forms to other dessert elements and how to potentially connect caramel to caramel.

The caramel creating a surrounding roof over a small cake mass

This week I also established a personal constraint of trying to have 3-5 elements per dessert as I thought this was a good place to begin having more complete desserts.

Sketches from the past week: