"Vox is a brass designed by architect Massimiliano Malagò that examines the structural challenges of collective decision-making through the lens of mathematics. Drawing on the work of economist Kenneth Arrow and 18th-century mathematician Nicolas de Condorcet, the project materializes logical paradoxes that arise in ranked-choice voting (RCV) systems. Using New York City's recently adopted RCV system as a case study, the design explores how electoral mechanisms intended to ensure fairness can instead produce paradoxes, dissatisfaction, and instability."
"Designer Massimiliano Malagò's Vox is constructed from 75 waterjet-cut brass panels connected by 100 custom 3D printed interlocking joints, forming a lattice that functions as both structure and ornament. Each panel's fold extends into a flange with an X-shaped cut, receiving a two-part joint that locks the elements together. The panels represent individual votes, with letters A, B, C, D, and E applied in vinyl to denote candidate rankings."
Vox is a brass sculptural object that materializes logical paradoxes inherent in ranked-choice voting systems. The work references Kenneth Arrow and Nicolas de Condorcet to reveal structural contradictions that can arise when collective preferences are aggregated. The piece uses New York City's adoption of RCV as an illustrative context to show how electoral mechanisms intended to remedy runoff costs and engagement issues can introduce instability. The sculpture comprises 75 waterjet-cut brass panels and 100 custom 3D-printed interlocking joints, with each panel representing a vote and lettered rankings denoting candidate order. Three embedded electoral scenarios demonstrate specific limitations of the system.
Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine
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