Totem Project

The Totem revolves around two evolutions: an external ribbon and an internal structure providing order to these ribbons. At the base, these two evolutions are structurally interdependent; however, as the ribbons get taller, they begin to loosen and eventually unravel in their own evolution. By separating from the core, the internal structure is no longer constrained and can begin to branch out. The joinery that was initially used to constrain the ribbons now becomes seams where the core can separate. Like how humans contain a tailbone, the core’s evolution contains shadows of its previous form. While the forms of both evolutions gain freedom in their independence, they lose stability. Without the support, both evolutions reach a point where they can no longer expand. The ribbons go up, then fall back down, while the core slowly fractures until it can no longer go up.