Jansen considers himself both an engineer and an artist all rolled into one. For the last decade or so, along the windy beaches of the Netherlands Theo constructs large strandbeests (beach beasts) that are capable of moving on their own. The lightweight construction, built mainly from PVC piping allows for Jansen's creations to move under the power of the wind alone. In an interview with the BBC Jansen stated that building his wind-powered creatures was akin to building successful life-forms and the problems they face. The most successful traits of each generation are passed on to the next. Its interesting to see human solutions to some of life's fundamental problems and Jansen is clearly a leader in the field of bio-mimicry.
Video:
If you'd like to find out more about Theo Jansen you ought to check out his website, there is an 8-minute long TED talk available on his works along with numerous examples of his various 'creatures'.
References:
Theo Jansen's Website
Theo Jansen
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