The Idea:
Our design intent in this installation is to create responsive and interactive design that humans can engage with. We strived to design a ceiling situation where the installation is kinetic in nature and its movement is initiated by a hands on physical approach by people. The Hypo-Surface in our limited installation version explores the ability of an architectural surface to respond to the stimulus of a human footstep which creates interactivity between the two. In the boader picture where our installation were to have the liberty of encompassing a much larger area it could respond to the movements of people in that paritcular area using one of a variety of different sensor media. This can not only become a visually pleasing and interesting element within the architecture of a space but it can also serve a very practical and important purpose, it would be a tool for architects, designers and anyone interested in studying a space to understand the dynamics of how people move and interact within that space. AR 821 0/ASC 755
Floor + Wall + Ceiling: Hypo Surface
The Technology: The Horsepower - Electrical Motors
With high amperage and slow rotation geared for more torque
Creation of Motion Transfering Motion - Steel Cables
Able to withstand perpetual tension and release
Pressure Sensing Pads
Sensing pressure from people walking on it
AR 821 0/ASC 755
Floor + Wall + Ceiling: Hypo Surface
Initiation of Motion
The Materials:
Spandex - Synthetic Fibre known for its elasticity
Conduit Tubes - Galvanized metal tubes - flexible and strong
MDF Boards - Tough and durable board - easy surface to fasten connections onto
AR 821 0/ASC 755
Floor + Wall + Ceiling: Hypo Surface
The Process:
Building the Frame - The challenge was to build a frame to support the hyposurface that was strong enough to withstand the tension from the frabric when it is stretched but also not have any cross bracing members that will cut through the hypo surface.
AR 821 0/ASC 755
Floor + Wall + Ceiling: Hypo Surface
The Process:
Stretching the Fabric - The Hypo Surface needed a uniformly elastic surface for the wave motions to work properly therefore it was a challenge to stretch the spandex fabric evenly from all four directions
AR 821 0/ASC 755
Floor + Wall + Ceiling: Hypo Surface
The Process:
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Floor + Wall + Ceiling: Hypo Surface
Alligning and Connecting the Tiles - Alligning and connecting the tiles for the hyposurface was a straightforward operation of spacing the tiles by balsa wood sticks and then taping them together with carpet tape and then enduring the monotonous task of doing all 171 of them!
The Process: Attaching the Tile Grid to the Frabric - There wasnt any staple in the shop short enough to not penetrate the thin MDF tiles all the way through therefore we incorporated balsa wood spacers to offset the largely available longer staples which also acted to enlarge the footprint of each connection so that the frabric wont tear
Staples Balsa Wood
Frame with Fabric Tile Grid
AR 821 0/ASC 755
Floor + Wall + Ceiling: Hypo Surface
The Process:
Building the Bracing and Armature Structure - The Hypo surface is a ceiling installation to be hung off the ledge of the upper lobby beam therefore we had to make a strong but light structure to both hold the structure onto the ledge and also act as a bracing. For this we curved conduit tubes and connected them via 3 way or 2 way conduit tube connectors. AR 821 0/ASC 755
Floor + Wall + Ceiling: Hypo Surface
The Process:
Installing the Motors and Pulling Connections - The motors were key to the movement of the Hypo Surface and we needed motors that were slow but had enough torque to overcome the tensile force of the fabric in order to make wave motions. Initially we started with high velocity motors that had little torque and these could not handle the tension. We ended up using high torque motors with gear adjusted slower speeds in the final installation AR 821 0/ASC 755
Floor + Wall + Ceiling: Hypo Surface
The Process:
Putting the Installation Up - Putting up the Hypo Surface was a fairly complex lifting and placing procedure where we wrapped the structure with ropes and two people standing on the floor above pulled the rope to lift the installation into position while others secured the blocking joints for the armature structure to be held in place around the floor beam
AR 821 0/ASC 755
Floor + Wall + Ceiling: Hypo Surface
Final Shots:
Putting the Installation Up - Putting up the Hypo Surface was a fairly complex lifting and placing procedure where we wrapped the structure with ropes and two people standing on the floor above pulled the rope to lift the installation into position while others secured the blocking joints for the armature structure to be held in place around the floor beam
AR 821 0/ASC 755
Floor + Wall + Ceiling: Hypo Surface
Final Shots:
AR 821 0/ASC 755
Floor + Wall + Ceiling: Hypo Surface
Potential Other Configurations:
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Floor + Wall + Ceiling: Hypo Surface
Floor + Wall + Ceiling: Hypo Surface Nima Amir Babak Haji Ghasemi Michael Pak Kei ASC 821 Digital Tools
Behzad Sabbaghi
Tomor Sodnompil
Sze Wong
Richard Yew Cheong
Final Shots:
THANK YOU AR 821 0/ASC 755
Floor + Wall + Ceiling: Hypo Surface