The Gastrolabe: Dynamic Symmetry at the Dinner Table

Bompas & Parr initially gained international fame for their architectural jelly molds, recreating famous buildings out of gelatin. Since then, their work has pushed the boundaries of the senses. 

Their latest project, The Gastrolabe, is "very much inspired by dynamic symmetry and the links between many disciplines", says co-founder Sam Bompas. Sam first heard of dynamic symmetry theory (DST) from his friend Linda Rodriguez McRobbie, then a features editor at New Scientist.

DST asks why so many systems work best when they are neither too rigid nor too chaotic. The question, in principle, applies almost anywhere: to cells, cities and markets, and even to a dinner party.

The Gastrolabe puts that idea on the table. Guests sit at a monumental table made of three sections that turn independently. Every so often a section moves, and guests find themselves beside new neighbours.

Order comes from the set menu, the fixed table, the steady rhythm of its turns and the familiar rituals of a shared meal. Chance comes from the movement. Each rotation breaks up conversations and brings strangers together.

Without the structure, the evening would fall apart. Without the movement, it would be an ordinary dinner. The Gastrolabe works in the space between: there is enough order to hold the evening together and enough chance to let it change.

Find out more about The Gastrolabe.