intern architect JAC CORNELIUS john.adams.cornelius@gmail 708.927.7797 In order to frame the Sublime Machine exhibit, I created a faux playbill in the Art Deco style popular during the early days of the theremin. It reflects the theatrical and mysterious nature of the device, whose mechanisms are mostly invisible and whose sound is unmistakably otherworldly. CONCEPT Sublime Machine ACADEMIC SAMPLE The use of human form and symbolism is designed to attract and engage viewers from afar. When a viewer comes “in range” of the machine, it generates an audible tone. This would ideally create an environment of realization and experimentation My initial concept resembled a hollow human hand made of wire, which would serve as the magnetic coil. Early tests confirmed that the magnetic field generated in such an asymmetrical volume was not ideal. However, my initial concept of using an evocative human symbol progressed into pair of angular eyes, with the coils located at their respective centers. A theremin is an instrument which translates electromagnetic interference into an audio signal. A typical circuit board is engineered to be compact, but without being constrained by size, I reorganized the theremin’s existing circuit board design into a radial layout. The machine seeks to attract viewers from a distance and then respond to their presence with a continuous note whose pitch and volume is proportional to the viewer’s proximity. However, the function of the Sublime Machine is not confined to the realm of utility. Charles Eames famously raised the question, “Is beauty not useful?”. My goal is to cause a realization in the audience about the complex nature of our world and how we experience it.