Event 1: Gerald De Jong


Me, Professor Vesna and Gerald De Jong

I had a great time attending the Zoom event with Gerald De Jong, who was in his studio in Holland, and Professor Vesna. I enjoyed it as I did not know anything about tensegrity. I appreciated that we had the opportunity to get to know De Jong, tell him our majors, and ask questions before the recorded event began.

De Jong is a freelance software builder with a background in computer science, and he created Elastic Interval Geometry, a software model, in order to work with tensegrity and spatial geometry (David). He uses Elastic Interval Geometry to produce tensegrity objects, which could not have been made without his software (Vesna). He was originally influenced by sculpture, and these new objects are art, connecting to week two’s theme of the convergence of math and art. Many scientists and mathematicians have influenced art and taken it to new levels (Vesna).

A sphere De Jong produced using his software

It was very interesting to learn about his various works. In tensegrity, each object works from the compression of the bars and the tension of the cables, with the balls mediating between the two. He started by showing us one of his minimal towers, where each level is almost a flat hexagon and with only three chords at each connection point. He then moved to his more advanced works. In one piece, he showed us how he could take it apart and that there are “six compression bars and a bag of tension.” For his larger, more complicated models, since he could not draw them on paper or organize them in his mind, he had to use his software model. He showed them to us from many different angles, so we could see the intricacies of each.

De Jong showing us how can can take apart his pieces

Other examples included “Headless Hug,” one that was in the shape of a sphere, and “Halo by Crane,” which was the first one he created with his software. We were able to scan a QR code from the Zoom, which led us to his app and website called Pretenst to see how it was generated. He calls his website Pretenst because each piece is pre-tensed, through the tension between the cords.

"Halo by Crane" from Pretenst (“Pretenst Tensegrity Design")

I learned so much and had a great experience attending this event,  so I would definitely recommend it. It was very engaging, and I liked being able to make connections to the class material!


A sphere from Pretenst (“Pretenst Tensegrity Design")

My Zoom Registration


Works Cited

David, Tom. “How to Design and Understand Unusual Tensegrity Structures.” Ansys, 28 April 2020, https://www.ansys.com/blog/design-floating-structures-tensegrity. Accessed 8 April 2022.

Pretenst: Welcome!, https://pretenst.com/. Accessed 8 April 2022.

“Pretenst Tensegrity Design.” Pretenst, https://pretenst.com/app/#construction;Halo-by-Crane. Accessed 8 April 2022.

“Pretenst Tensegrity Design.” Pretenst, https://pretenst.com/app/#sphere;4. Accessed 8 April 2022.

Vesna, Victoria. (2022). “Mathematics, Perspective, Time, Space.” DESMA 9. Class lecture at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, April 4, 2022.

Vesna, Victoria. “Victoria Vesna responds in turn.” http://vv.arts.ucla.edu/publications/newarchive/electronicbookreview/bioidea.html. Accessed 8 April 2022.

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