Ideation and goals

This arc was designed for my brother’s wedding with a few simple goals in mind:

  • Frame the couple without obstructing the
    expansive view in the background

  • Be constructed in a simple way with affordable materials

  • Afford disassembly and easy transport

Initial concepts explored three different paths:

  • Broken loop

  • Complete loop

  • S curve

For inspiration the unity in the form of a circle and its interaction with natural environments was an initial exploration.

A full circle however would obstruct the view if taller than the bride and groom. For this reason a shorter, partial circle was chosen.

This arc additionally showed cradling qualities with similarities to furniture objects, hands, and a crescent moon.

CAD process

Creating some simple forms to represent the officiant and couple, the radius of the arc was used as reference for a sketch.

Version 1

The initial model of the arch was unsatisfactory, lacking flow, lightness and was a bit awkward.

For the second model I went back to the initial sketches and inspiration because I got a bit lost in the CAD during my first attempt modeling.

Version 2

augmented reality client testing

Using Fusion 360’s USDZ exporting abilities I was able to send AR files to my clients for at scale evaluation of the design in a real world environment.

on location Render

Design for transport

Portability was essential so the arch was designed to be disassembled and assembled easily while each piece maintained an easily carriable form factor.

The final product is cut with a CNC router out of 3/4” birch plywood to keep costs down.