Tensegrity structures are currently trending (at least in certain circles). I don't usually care much about such trends, but I have to admit this one intrigued me. While I understand the physical principles behind the design I still couldn't believe what I was seeing in all those pictures and videos of the models people were building. So I had to build my own.
The principle and design is really simple. The simplest models could be build with a set of common LEGO bricks. So that's what I did. Luckily we have a good selection of LEGOs available for this kind of occasions.
It took longer to find the correct pieces than building the initial prototype ( and even longer because I didn't want to settle for odd coloured pieces). The first iteration worked, but was quite unstable. So I decided to add an extra supporting string to the design. This second version was already stable enough that I was happy about the result.
Despite understanding the principles and having build one by myself, looking at it and I still can't fully process what I'm seeing. At first glance the top piece appears to float in the air (thanks to the thin threads I used). Then you notice the threads and think for a moment "of course". Until you have time for a second thought and it still appears to defy gravity.