83 Bi

O N - G O I N G 2 0 2 5

A self-initiated exploration into the geometry of mineral growth, this project examines the formation of bismuth crystals through procedural modelling techniques. Bismuth is a brittle metal known since ancient times, being one of the first ten metals to have been discovered. It is renowned for its distinctive spiral, stair-stepped crystal structure. This unique form results from a higher growth rate along the outer edges compared to the inner edges, a process known as hoppering. By studying this natural phenomenon, the project developed a procedural script that digitally captures the mineral’s architectural complexity. Given bismuth’s brittleness, the conceptual jewelry collection reinterprets these intricate structures to be cast from alternative, more durable materials. The project serves both as a technical exercise in procedural design and as a visual investigation into the intersection of natural formation and digital craft.

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

The design development focused on creating a procedural script that visualizes the crystallization pattern of bismuth in motion. Rather than merely replicating the final form, the script captures the dynamic growth process, translating a phenomenon that naturally unfolds over millions of years into a timescale accessible to human perception. While bismuth can be synthesized in a lab within minutes to hours, the natural formation within the earth’s crust spans geological timescales. Developed in Houdini and rendered using Redshift, the visualizations deepen the understanding of this intricate natural process by bringing its temporal evolution to life.