How to Layout a Popcorn

This drawing project is inspired by and extends the ideas presented in the article “How to Layout a Croissant” by Miralles and Prats (link to the article on the El Croquis website). It explores the relationship between everyday objects and architectural drawing, rethinking conventional design methods.

Imagine a popcorn as a planet, and project its surface texture onto a sphere and unroll it (using the Goode homolosine projection). This process would produce a map that accurately records the geometry of the popcorn. The heights, protrusions, and indentations of the texture can be captured by measuring the distance from the projected surface to the sphere. In this way, the three-dimensional information of the popcorn can be translated onto a two-dimensional map. Interestingly, this method of projection is resembling how popcorn bursts open from a kernel, symbolizing the very process of its creation.

It explored concepts of measurement, accuracy, and the boundaries of conventional methods. The idea was to rethink an everyday object as a way to redefine the process of architectural drawing.