Process

Kinetics in West Seattle with Jason Rudolph

Remember back before Chuck E. Cheese? Showbiz Pizza Place was the original family fun spot, with the animatronic performing band...Rock-a-fire Explosion, powered by '70s technology.

This "show", or set of pneumatic-driven band members (originally designed and manufactured by Creative Engineering) are being rebuilt and upgraded by Jason Rudolph in West Seattle, currently at a large, vacant retail space (formerly Petco). Jason is looking at new ways to control the band and to create new shows. First step is to rehabilitate the vintage band members.



Under-the-latex, all moving parts are actuated with compressed air-powered cylinders.

This is essentially a communications hub, which handles all of the switching for the pneumatic controls-currently a Tivo is sending the show controls' timing through a bundle of wires with data that tells the band how to move and when to move, so that it syncs with the music.

• By Belle & Wissell on February 19, 2012
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Exhibitions

Bellevue Arts Museum: George Nelson Exhibit

Drooling over well-designed furniture is one of our favorite after hours hobbies. So you can imagine our excitement when the Bellevue Arts Museum opened an exhibition featuring the king of sexy modern furniture; George Nelson. On loan from the Vitra Design Museum in Germany, the Seattle area is one of four lucky US stops to be able to take a peek. 

• By Sarah Faulkner on January 3, 2012
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