Love Hulten writes, “The Echo Observatory is a handcrafted tribute to fractals and self-similar patterns. It’s a mysterious artifact that both generates and visualizes complex mathematical formations, in real-time.”
Fancy formulas are not for everyone, and even the most curious minds will struggle finding revelation in algebra. Fractals are often portrayed in digits – maths can be very excluding in that way; the outsider will rarely find beauty in equations. The Echo Observatory is fractals presented in a new context, and a stimulating introduction to the art of mathematics.
The fractal engine is embedded in a folding walnut housing adorned by a genuine pearl inlay on top of the lid. Inside runs a robust computer rigged with a custom-built program, ready to calculate and transform complex data into stunning images. A variety of physical controls, handmade from solid brass, puts you in charge. You’re now in the observers seat, with each rotary knob representing a unique parameter. While manipulating data values, the pattern mutate and transform in endless formations. The use of a circular display effectively eliminate set directions and releases an open-ended cosmos. A magnifying lens mounted on top amplifies the experience. In order to move around boundlessly, the user can zoom, pan and rotate. It’s like gazing deep into space, dissect parts of it and discover its mind blowing unintelligible wonders.
E C H O O B S E R V A T O R Y [Love Hulten]