Theo Jansen - The Art of Creating Creatures

Theo Jansen’s clip is based on a project detailing ways of creating new life. His designs are created using electricity tube and take the form of ‘animals’. These animals eventually need to be able to sustain themselves in a beach location.

This clip outlines the stages of development of Theo Jansen’s animals. It demonstrates how the animals get their energy from the wind. The energy from the wind allows the animals to be able to walk. It is amazing to watch the animals move. The intricate design of the animals allows them to move in a smooth and steady process on a sand surface. He likens the development of the movement to that of the invention of the wheel. The animals are able to move heavy loads easily across the beach. Each new generation of animal progressed in design. The next stage involved storing wind to use as energy later in small bouts when the animal faces a dangerous situation. Theo discusses some of the important design elements in creating these animals such as the proportions of the tubes in making the animal walk. The animals have feelers to sense obstacles and adjust their travel direction to avoid collisions. They also have noses that allow them to recognise when they have approached the water. I found this clip intriguing to watch. An amazing design concept!