Adam Najia Stage 3 Architectural Design Portfolio - Newcastle University 2015/16

ARCHITECTURAL

PORTFOLIO

ADAM NAJIA NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY

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PHASE - PRIMER Reflective Summary Document

- TITLE PAGE 6 - INITITAL MECHANICAL WORKSHOP 8

This is a brief overview on how I felt the various exercises have influenced me and my work throughout this year.

PRIMER The primer was not a strictly architectural design project however it did relate to directly to architecture as we developed architectural design components. I found the prime phase of this year to be extremely helpful and it certainly influenced the main project this year. It helped me gain knowledge of a new material and also an insight into mechanisms and using forces to actuate architectural components.

STAGING The staging part of this project began by analysing a fragment of the book ‘Invisible Cities’ by Italo Calvino. Various other members within my studio group used this story to inspire their brief and concept however for me this exercise proved to be strictly a method of site selection. The site visit to Venice proved to be an extremely useful one as it heavily influenced my brief and concept. The staging process was an extremely useful one.

FINAL DESIGN PHASE The design phase of this project began by researching the potential technologies that may need to be applied to my building to make it a realistic scheme. This involved me adapting a lot of technology designed by Boyan Slat to be functional at smaller scale. This part of the project was slightly less structured than the previous phases as we were left more to develop our own design techniques.

After the initial phase of using physical models to develop a volumetric form I began to use CAD models to produce design work. This was due to the fact my designs were becoming quite intricate I was often designing a structural frame. Much of my initial sketching was done in plan as I developed my site strategy, this was logical as the wide open space of my site was one that I needed to utilise and the constraints were not in the horizontal plane. After using precedents to inspire my design process it began to head in much clearer direction and my final design form began to emerge.

I have used the final crit to develop my design further and represent a series of images showing the potential speculative outputs my building could produce upon completion.

Technology Coursework ARC3013 The technology coursework was an extremely useful one for me as it forced me to research the filtration technology that my concept was based around. Although I did not excel on the mark sheet due to my lack of sticking to clearly brief this allowed me to spend time researching useful topics that influenced my design.

Professional Practice and Management ARC3014 This exercise was useful and developed my knowledge into the workings of architecture in practice.

Principle and Theories ARC3015 The principle and theories essay helped me to define a clear set of the inspirations that influenced the design project and this has positively influenced my design portfolio.

Dissertation ARC3060 I felt the dissertation helped to inspire my interest in various forms of architecture and it showed me the direct effect architecture can have on people. By analysing various case studies it has improved my ability to critically assess architectural design. The niche topic of micro-homes was inspired by my time at university as many of the topics I addressed were relevant to people in a similar situation as myself. It also inspired a small part of my design work as in the final chapter I mention micro-housing in a brief way.

- INITIAL MECHANICAL PROTOTYPES 10 - PROTOTYPE DEVELOPMENT 20 - LABORATORY DOCUMENTATION 28 - FINAL PROTOTYPE 34 - EXHIBITION VIDEO SEQUENCE 40 - EXHIBITION 42 - DEVELOPED PROTOTYPE 46

PHASE - STAGING - TITLE PAGE 50 - SITE PLACEMENT 52 - SITE VISIT 60 - SITE ANALYSIS VIDEO SEQUENCE 74

PHASE - GRADUATION PROJECT - TITLE PAGE 76 - DESIGN BRIEF 78 - RATIONALISING THE TECHNOLOGY 80 - PLASTIC PROCESSING METHOD 90 - VOLUMETRIC MODELLING 92 - STRUCTURAL EXPLORATION 100 - ITERATIVE DESIGN PROCESS 108 - INTERIM CRIT 118 - EQUIPMENT STUDIES 126 - FINAL FORM DEVELOPMENT 130 - FINAL CRIT 144 - FURTHER DESIGN POTENTIAL 162

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Any work that has been added subsequent to the assessment will be displayed by using a red bar in the centre of the page spread. An example of this can be seen below.

If the bar crosses onto both pages, as it does below then the new work is spanning accross the full spread.

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DESIGN PHASE 1 PRIMER

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Phase Summary During the first or ‘primer’ phase of the project I was experimenting with using a new technology. This technology was based around a new type of bacteria, bacillus subtilis. This combined with a polythene sheet can create an actuating strip which reacts to the humidity of the air.

Combine these strips in a series and you can create a ‘hydra’ which can produce a pulling force. I aimed to harness this force to create a kinetic façade panel that would react to humidity, powered using this new technology.

This design phase was heavily based around model making, developing many different prototypes with aims to refine a mechanism that could actuate efficiently. I was aiming to reduce the amount of force needed to actuate to a minimum.

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INITIAL MECHANISM WORKSHOP A WORKSHOP DEDICATED TO GIVE A SIMPLE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW MECHANISMS WORK.

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During the first week of the primer I participated in an initial mechanical workshop. During this workshop I assembled a simple gear mechanism actuated via rotating a disk on the back. I also constructed a simple aperture mechanism which was actuated with a toggle on the outer rim. This began my thinking towards how mechanisms were actuated and I took this forward into the project.

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MECHANICAL PROTOTYPES DOCUMENTATION OF MY PROTOTYPE MODELS PRODUCED DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF THE PRIMER PROJECT. THEY ARE PHOTOGRAPHED IN THEIR ACTUATED AND NONE ACTUATED STATES.

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This prototype is a series of folding panels actuated by a simple pulling force. This could be used in a roof or façade to provide both visual and physical change. When the panel begins to be actuated it folds allowing air to travel both in-between the folds and through the opening hole, infiltrating indirectly and directly.

This prototype shares similarity’s to the previous one but breaks it down more simply. The grated panel allows air to infiltrate indirectly with the lightest of movements but as the panels actuates more the air will be able to infiltrate directly. The lack of contact and simple hinge mechanism will allow for low friction during the movement, meaning less force is needed to actuate.

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This prototype is inspired by origami. I developed a folding panel that forms a spike and allows air to flow around the sides. This drastic visual change could allow a building to change its aesthetic vastly depending on the weather. This is actuated with a pulling force in the two diagonal planes. A lightweight material and low friction runners would be necessary here to realistically actuate the mechanism.

A different material set was used to create this prototype. A soft felt was used to form a tunnel that was pinned at one side and free to rotate at the other. As the free side rotates it twists the felt, blocking air to flow through. The mechanism behind this needs work as a simple pulling force would not be effective here. This design allows for large variation in the amount of airflow with little movement needed.

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This curved panel could be applied at a variety of scales as the prototype could form a skin around the building with each panel being very small or it could be larger and provide a different aesthetic letting more direct light through.

This is actuated by a simple pulling force. A thin piece of flexible wood could be used here to form the panel in reality as it is a lightweight visually pleasing material.

Another design using an origami folding system based on a simple fan. This dual fan mechanism relies on a pulling force from either side of the panel. As the fans are pulled they splay out closing the aperture. The square shape of the panel would allow an easy implementation into a simple facade. The fans would be elasticated so they reopen themselves. The design could be developed so the pulling force is directly attached to the fans to simplify the panel.

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With this prototype I wanted to test a mechanism that pulled into the faรงade rather than extruding out. The mechanism is simple, a dual panelled sheet gets pulled in the centre pulling the sheet back into the building. This could be developed into a subtle way to actuate with one simple pull force. With more hinges this could become a more refined mechanism and allow more air to pass through it.

This prototype was different to all the rest as it works at a different scale. It was imagined that the spores would be applied directly to the material. This idea was inspired by a flower opening when it blossoms and it mimics this movement.

These could be used in series to form a malleable skin of a building that breathes. They would not allow much light to pass through yet plenty of airflow both direct and indirect.

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PROTOTYPE DEVELOPMENT THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO RELATE MY DESIGN TO OPERATE SUCCESSFULLY WITH THE HYDRAS WITH AN AIM TO KEEP THE FORCE NEEDED TO ACTUATE TO A MINUMUM

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I decided to develop the rotating mechanism as I felt it had the most potential to become an interesting and functional design. I began by trying to work out how the rotating part would be actuated and I made a model to try and develop the mechanism further. I realised as the top rotates the distance between the corners of the base and certain points on the rotating part become shorter. I attached string to see if it could be actuated by converting the downwards pulling force into a lateral movement. I needed to develop this further to become a functioning mechanism.

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The sketches on the left show how the hydras would be attached. The system needs to turn approximately 45 degrees for the material to close and stop airflow. The inner material and the hydras will almost swap forms as the hydras straighten and the material begins to twist. I will use an elasticated material so as the hydras begin to relax the top will relax back to its open state.

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DEVELOPED PROTOTYPE I began the development towards a final prototype. This model consisted of various sized disks to create the internals of the mechanism. The rotating part is slightly raised to reduce the contact and the friction created. I used an elasticated material in the centre to create the spring back which is necessary so no external elastic force is needed.

I realised the design needed bracing as I didn’t create any groves for the pillars to sit in. They stopped the lateral force from warping the prototype and made it very stable. As I used MDF the friction still higher than I would have liked and I discovered an acrylic model would be more effective due its smoother surface finish.

The ball bearing mechanism also needs refinement as when the material tightened the inner part of the ring began to be pulled down and started to rub causing friction to be increased. This could be countered with two runners as then the top would only make contact with the friction free balls. I planned to test using a different material with an aim to reduced the levels of friction during actuation.

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LABORATORY DOCUMENTATION For two days of the primer project we visited a level 2 containment lab within the University. There we were using the bacteria, bacillus subtilis, and testing its properties. This bacteria can be applied to a material so that when the air is humid the bacteria thrive and the material relaxes and extends but when the humidity drops and the air becomes dry the bacteria begins to recess back into its spore state causing the material to contract along with it. Our aim was to create strips to then form a part of hydra that reacted to the change in humidity. We then planned to perform various experiments using the hydras to test their ability to actuate relating to our designs.

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The first part of my time in the lab was spent preparing the strips by gluing the end connectors to the yellow polyimide strips. This means that I could attatch the strips within the humidity chamber by hanging them onto a frame. We had attached the strips using glue and tweezers.

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The next stage was to apply a substance called lysine to the strips. This substance was applied to the strips in the same positions the spores would be added later. Using my pipette I applied 2 microliters to each spot. This helps to ensure the spores bond with the material so the strips will contract as much as possible.

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After the lysine was applied I then applied the spores. I used 5 microliters of spores and 10 microliters of water mixed in with glue.

We then pipetted the mixture onto the strips in 2 microliter drops. As we left them to dry they began to contract within room’s atmosphere. This crinkling is photographed on the left. I then put the strips within the humidity chamber to fully relax. The humidity within this chamber was around 90%. The strips were then transferred into the dry chamber with humidity around 25%. The strips began to contract quite quickly and there was an obvious change within minutes. My strips all contracted quite drastically and evenly.

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I then began preparing my individual models and strips for experiment. I decided to increase the density of the droplets by two times and analyse the change in contraction. I also created a frame to see if the strips could pull a small washer along an acrylic dowel. This would show if the hydras could contract and produce a lateral movement. Neither experiment proved successful nor I did not have time to improve them and repeat.

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FINAL PROTOTYPE DOCUMENTATION OF MY FINAL PROTOTYPE AND CONCEPTS, SHOWING HOW TO TAKE THE DESIGN FURTHER.

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I produced two different sizes of final prototype to show how the design can be repeated but at different scales to create rotating modules for different purposes. I used the elasticated material again in the core of the modules as this worked well on the development model to spring the mechanism back to an open state as the hydras relax.

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I produced a system of actuation where a simple piece of wire needed pulling away from the module. This more accurately acts as the hydras as the wire is attached at the two points the hydras would be. I was extremely pleased with the final outcome of the model and I believe with some development in the hydra technology this design would be functional.

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EXHIBITION VIDEO SEQUENCE

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As a group we had to prepare an exhibition and presentation to show the school. The key part of our presentation was a video. I took on the task of editing the entire video which meant I was a key contributor to the group.

The video was composed of three parts. The first part introduced the studio and set the scene for experimental architecture and biological systems being utilised within architecture.

The second part of the video was showing the process of working within the laboratory and what exactly was happening within this environment. This part of the video was filmed by one of my tutors.

The final part of the video displays the whole group’s prototype development showing how the prototypes actuate and the design process behind them.

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EXHIBITION AN IMAGE SHOWING OUR WALL EXHIBITION

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DEVELOPED PROTOTYPE AXO MOUNTING PLATE (Lightweight Polymer)

ACTUATING HYDRA (Polythene with Spores applied)

ELASTICATED CORE (Rubber Type Polymer)

BALL BEARING MECHANISM (Aluminium Bearings - Polymer Surrounds)

ROTATING TOP PLATE (Lightweight Polymer)

After the exhibition it became apparent my prototype panel needed more refinement of how it could be implemented within a facade or internal wall.

I adapted the design to incorporate a squared base that would allow for the panel to be slotted on a grid-like space easily and quickly. This means panels could be removed and replaced easily and effectively by hand. This is useful as the hydras that create the actuation have a relatively short life span and would need replacing after a few years.

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PROTOTYPE IN CONTEXT

I also needed to show the model in a wall form more clearly and so I developed this render. It shows the different uses of scale and how the modules could appear in series. The large modules could be used to allow for certain views to be framed and the smaller ones would be more specifically suited for allowing airflow as the humidity increases.

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DEVELOPED MODEL

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I developed a 1:1 model of this showing how the panel would attach to a sub frame using a simple screw and nut. This sub frame could then be attached to the primary frame to allow for adaption in the future.

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DESIGN PHASE 2 STAGING

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Phase Summary The next phase of the project was the ‘Staging’ phase.

To locate a site each member of our studio group was given a short story from the book ‘Invisible Cities’ by Italo Calvino.

Our aim was to analyse the text and develop a method which we would use to locate a site. This was to ensure that our site selection was varied and was not in the regularly visited areas within Venice.

After locating a site I visited Venice to perform site analysis. I brought a large range of equipment to ensure I could perform the correct site analysis.

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SITE PLACEMENT USING ITALO CALVINOS INVISIBLE CITIES FRAGMENT TO LOCATE A SITE PERFORMING A SITE VISIT AND ANALYIS

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Trude “If on arriving at Trude I had not read the city’s name written in big letters, I would have thought I was landing at the same airport from which I had The use of the word ‘they’ implies that he was being shown around the city by a guide on a tour.

taken off. The suburbs they drove me through were no different from the others, with the same greenish and yellowish houses. Following the same signs we swung around the same flower beds in the same squares. The downtown streets displayed goods, packages, signs that had not changed

A reference to how most hotel experiences around the world are extremely similar as soon as you step foot in the lobby.

The description of the airport being unrecognizable from the one he left sets the tone for the rest of the story.

at all. This was the first time I had come to Trude, but I already knew the

I believe this is a description of chain shops that advertise the same stores and logos in cities all over the world.

hotel where I happened to be lodged; I had already heard and spoken my dialogues with the buyers and sellers of hardware; I had ended other days identically, looking through the same goblets at the same swaying navels.

Why come to Trude? I asked myself. And I already wanted to leave.

“You can resume your flight whenever you like,” they said to me, “but you

This shows that he did not want to spend any time exploring the city and planned to leave as soon as he had arrived.

will arrive at another Trude, absolutely the same, detail by detail. The world He connects trude to the rest of the world describing this city that repeats accross the globe.

is covered by a sole Trude which does not begin and does not end. Only the name of the airport changes.”

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Trude After performing analysis and research I decided the story was making reference to all the ‘none places’ such as airports, chain shops/restaurants and chain hotels.

Venice is void from many traditional none places and so I looked for a different meaning. I began treating the most visited places within Venice as the cities own version of none places and looked to perform analysis to show me the areas within Venice that were iconised the least.

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I began to map all of the none places within the city to see if I could notice a trend. The main none places come in the form of travel as the cruise ship docking station and the train station. These take up huge areas of Venice without providing any sort of interesting experience.

The other trend I noticed is many of the none places seemed to stem from the main water ways and follow the Grand Canal. This fits with the theme of transport none places as the story Trude did.

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I began to expand the concept of transport being one of the key reasons for none places. as many of the places associated with it such as airports and train stations are none places.

One of the largest forms of transport into Venice is via cruise ship. The cruise ship is arguably the largest form of none place there as it allows people to travel around the world in the comfort of familar surroundings. Once you have been on one cruise ship you may as well have been on them all. This seemed like a perfect place to move to in terms of mapping none places within Venice.

I mapped the entrance of the ships that enter into Venice. This shows how the tourists will be entering the city and what they will be able to see upon entry. This includes Saint Marcos Basilica.

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When the cruise ship passengers arrive in Venice they pass through a passport control system as if they were at a country’s border.

After leaving the docks they will then begin moving into the city. I have tried to predict their movements based on the normal activity of tourists within Venice.

Using the knowledge that many people coming on the excursions from cruises do not have much time to explore the city I have mapped people’s routes into the various tourist hot spots within the city. This is including a water taxi all the way from outside the train station to Saint Marcos Square and Gondola rides in some of the smaller canals.

In doing this mapping I am almost treating the iconic places within Venice to be the none places as they are so tourist driven. There are many parts of the city left undiscovered and one of these areas maybe a good place to site my building. This is almost acting against this idea of Trude.

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After mapping the tourist activity within Venice I began to notice a trend. It seems the entire focus within Venice is towards the south east of the main part of the city towards Saint Marks Square. Even the line of site from cruise ships entering the city is of this area.

The Grand Canal is one of the main areas for transport within the cities and all the routes lead you to the square south through the city.

I plan to find the opposite places in Venice and site my project in the north eastern quarter where far less people tend to visit.

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I began to look closely at this area and chose the most northerly point accessible on public road to be my site location. This would force tourists through areas they would never have discovered otherwise, allowing people to explore different areas of the city which so famous for its particular iconic area.

I believe this is in line with the idea behind the writing of Trude. To inspire for a brighter more varied future within cities, breaking away from the branded none place cities that may lie ahead.

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SITE VISIT THE KEY PARTS OF THE SITE VISIT TO VENICE, DOCUMENTING MY ANALYSIS PROCESS

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SITE VISIT

As I arrived in Venice I began to explore the city. I began photographing various materials and textures. I was intrigued to see the decaying stone and brick and how they reacted differently to various weathering conditions.

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As I journeyed to my site it became clear the areas I was travelling through were often deserted and there was a lack of life which was dissimilar to the other areas within Venice.

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SITE VISIT

The site is situated on a water bus stop which seemed to be the only key function of the area as people travelled to and from the water bus stop.

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This area was again fairly deserted most of the time and most of the buildings surrounding the area were residential. There seemed to be a clear lack of tourists within the area and many of the tourists that did access the area arrived by boat.

A key feature of the area was the pebble beach to the right of the water bus stop. This was a rarity in Venice so spent a lot of time analysing the beach.

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SITE VISIT

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Once on the beach I immediately realised the entire area was covered in rubbish being deposited from the water. After spending half a day on the beach analysing the patterns of the water and the types of rubbish it became clear that much of the rubbish deposited were polymers. This is due to the fact many polymers will float.

The reason there was so much rubbish being deposited was due to the constant current produced by the constant stream of boats and water busses passing within the area.

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SITE VISIT

I recorded timelapses to show the levels of activity within the area. The boat stop was highly active compared to every other part of the area and there was a water bus stopping every 5-10 minutes. At times large groups of people would get on or off the boats. This seemed to be the only draw to the area.

I used the waterproof case to record timelapses of the water and how it behaved over a longer period of time. During the time lapse waste was shown washing up on the beach even during my short stay there.

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I was feeling confident in my theory of plastic washing up to the beach and so I devised a test to explore it. I used my camera with a water proof casing on and attached it to a bottle I found on the beach using a plastic string that was also deposited there. After throwing the bottle out into the water I waited patiently. The video showed the pattern of the currents under the water and how the wake was causing a mean natural current towards the shore and the bottle did return.

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SITE VISIT

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Finally I performed a series of tests that were devised to test the water qualities within the areas surrounding the site. The first was a humidity recording within the areas close to the water and the algae surrounding the area and how it changed moving further away from the surface.

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I also recorded water temperature at various points along the coastline with an aim to test for heat pollution within the water as a difference of two degrees Celsius would have indicated a high level of pollution.

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Testing the PH showed a normal acidity level within the water.

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I also took samples from the beach to keep a record of the different types of more natural materials naturally deposited there.

None of these tests proved to be overly conclusive.

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PUBLIC FLOW MAPPING

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SITE ANALYSIS VIDEO SEQUENCE

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This is a very brief video that I prepared to show the nature of the site and how the water reacts to the constant passing of boats.

It also shows the levels of activity on the site and how people used the water bus stop.

I have provided a QR code in the top right hand corner of the page for viewing.

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DESIGN PHASE 3 GRADUATION PROJECT

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Phase Summary This is the final phase of the year where we use the information acquired in the previous two project phases to devise a brief, develop a concept and design a building.

I used the information gained within my site visit to heavily influence my concept and design brief.

I particularly wanted to find developing technologies that I could implement into my design. I looked for a passive filtration method that would be realistic to implement within Venice without affecting the marine biology.

The recycling process needed to be clearly defined and declared and the building needed to be structurally realistic and displayed.

I then developed my building form and how it would integrate this technology using both physical models and CAD models to create many different iterations of my design.

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BRIEFING DOCUMENT

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PROGRAMME The building will be a waste collection system and recycling research centre. It will aim to collect waste from the waters of Venice, process the waste and recycle it to produce useful constructional elements. It will be integrated with the Venice water taxi system as a water bus stop with an aim to educate the public into waste management and recycling.

The main components of the building programme will be:

What technologies maybe developed?

What equipment maybe needed?

Design Studio including PC suite 3D Printing area Size of 3D printers?

8-10 People

PRIVATE

300 sq m

A recycling and waste management centre A recycled material research centre A water bus stop with visual intergration to the other building functions.

CONCEPT The project aims to filter both the waters and metaphorically filter the tourists of Venice with an attempt to decrease the amount of waste deposited in the waters of Venice. It is located on a water taxi stop so the tourists of Venice have the option to walk through the building before entering the city. The recycling centre will look to develop technologies and uses for recycled materials.

What type/size of systems are needed for recycling?

Sorting Cleaning Can it be automatic?

System for collecting waste Toilets 8-10 People 400 sq m

Open space for constructionial experiments.

Options for different types of experiment Toilets

KEY DESIGN STRATEGY The building will be almost fully situated in the water and therefore the design will need to respond to this. There also needs to be a design response to the water bus stop to naturally integrate it without it seeming forced.

TECHNICHAL SPECIFICATION Applying a filtration system based around the venice waterways in order to collect plastics for recycling. The workshop will aim to use the recycled material to develop new constructional techniques. It will both solve the waste issue within Venice and create more sustainable constructional methods e.g. creating 3D printer filament to print building components.

500 sq m

Boat docking system Seating Area Integral connecting space to workshop and recycling center Seperate entrance and exit for boat system

300 sq m

PUBLIC

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RATIONALISING THE TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH TO SHOW THE POTENTIAL TECHNOLOGIES TO BE ABLE TO APPLY A FILTRATION SYSTEM WITHIN THE WATERS OF VENICE.

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Within this part of the portfolio I will be displaying the relevant research that Boyan Slat has performed into plastic filtration technology for his Ocean Cleanup project.

I will aim to adapt this technology to be functional within Venice on a smaller scale. It will show how the filtration system functions and how the plastic is removed and collected from the water.

I have aimed to show why the plastic is being pushed towards venice from the water and how the plastic could be filtered out of the water.

All of the drawings of the array within the section are taken from Boyan Slats feasability study.

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THE OCEAN CLEANUP - BOYAN SLAT

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The array is connected at each end to the seabed and a trawl net in the middle allows the boom to maintain its shape as the current pushes it backwards. The current this was designed for was a mean current produced in the sub-tropical gyres within the oceans. The array’s size was designed to be around 1.4 km wide; it would have to be a smaller scale of boom to be utilized within my design. The boom depth is designed to be around 3 meters deep but within the shallow waters of Venice a boom depth much shorter would be suitable. The current pushes the plastic towards the centre of the boom.

The image on the far right shows the collection tower. The whole tower is powered by a solar panel which charges a battery within the base. This powers a conveyor belt which sucks the plastic up into the tower to be stored, awaiting extraction. This tower is solid on the seabed and can be emptied by a collection boat. The shape of the boom pushes plastics towards the tower as the current is pushed through. As the plastics are pushed towards the center of the boom they are condensed which allows this tower to extract them easily.

The image on the bottom right shows how the plastics are filtered by the boom but marine biology is allowed to pass below. It also shows the flow of plastics to the center of the boom as described within the previous paragraph.

If the current strength is too high the boom becomes rigid and stops filtering the plastics. I do not believe the current within the waters of Venice would be strong enough to cause this bridging to happen.

On the previous page there are representations of how the booms would look at a large scale within the ocean.

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THE VENICE CLEANUP - ADAM NAJIA

On the previous page there are representations of how the booms would look at a large scale within the ocean.

After researching Boyan Slats technology I looked to see how it could be implemented within Venice and mapped the routes of the water busses. This gave me a clear idea of where the arrays could be placed.

The placement was dependant on the route of the water busses and they needed to be in areas that would not affect the boat infrastructure within Venice.

To the right is a map of the area surrounding my site displaying the places these arrays could be suitably placed.

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This spread of arrays could branch even further and surround the entire city. This would allow my project to become the epicentre of the scheme and all of the plastics collected would be brought to my design to be processed and re-used. This would ensure that a large amount of plastics could be brought to the centre ensuring that there would be enough plastics to perform adequate experiments with.

The project could also utilise the existing recycling infrastructure to collect the plastic from the recycling bins and homes around Venice

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- Main Filatration Point/Site

Full Strategy Map

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The scale could be even further expanded. After analysing the mean currents of the waters surrounding the Venice lagoon on a calm day. I have devised two places where large scale arrays could be placed to collect plastics from these waters. Within my technology report produced for the ARC3013 module I discovered research showing evidence of plastics found within these waters.

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PLASTIC PROCESSING METHOD Before designing my building I designed the process of plastic collection, recycling and reuse within my building.

The plastic is filtered out of the water using the passive filtration array. The arrary is an adapted small scale version of Boyan Slats Ocean Cleanup design.

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The waste plastic is collected and stored automatically within an array tower to be collected. This tower will then be emptied and brought to the recycling facility by boat.

The plastic is first bailed straight from the boat. It is then compressed and inspected both magnetically and visually. Much of this process will happen automatically by the processing line.

The plastic is then cleaned to rid of any impurities so it can be further processed within the facility. This can be done automatically.

The shredded plastic can be processed into 3d printer filament using a machine such as a protocycler.

The plastic is then shredded so it can be processed into a usable state.

More conventional methods of processing maybe required to create more standard polymer building components.

Other forms of production maybe required as depending on the needs of the workshop. This means the system will need to be adaptable to as it may need to evolve relatively often.

Once the plastic is processed it can be used within the workshop and constructional experiments can be performed using the recycled polymer.

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VOLUMETRIC MODELING WORKING AT A 1:500 SCALE DEVELOPING OPTIONS OF VOLUMETRIC FORMS. AFTER THINKING VERY TECHNICHALLY I DECIDED TO TRY AND DEVELOP A RANGE OF DESIGNS.

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This model aimed to extrapolate the natural form of the beach and represent it as an architectural form.

I was attempting to integrate the 3 main masses of the building in a clear way. This was a simple massing method which integrates the public into the workshop briefly in the furthest right mass as they used the water bus stop.

Another similar model that integrated the public with a walkway passing through the centre of the building with the design/ workshop space on one side and the recycling centre on the opposite side so the public could get a visual connection into both spaces.

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This model separated the different spaces along a pier style structure. This was not a good design choice as the spaces didn’t connect at all.

This model again uses the public path cutting through the centre of the spaces. I tried to adapt the form into a more organic form with the design studio latching onto the side of the workshop space.

This was another variation of a similar form but the studio space was placed much closer to the land.

By integrating the route of the boat between the spaces an experience could be provided for everyone using the water bus route which could generate an interest into the function of the building.

This mass aimed to connect the recycling centre to the workshop with a clear bridge. This workshop and studio space was placed on the space available on the land allowing for people to pass underneath as the mass of the building doesn’t start until the first floor.

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This idea placed the spaces into a small campus that had access walkways throughout to allow for a great level of public integration. This was almost a mini Venice that could educate the public to the benefits of recycling plastics. This could help to encourage recycling.

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SKETCH showing floating idea

The filtration arrays could be connected to the various arms that spread out into the water. These arrays could then have been viewed very clearly from boat and land which is a concept I believe is strong. This is what I took forward from this design.

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This was one of the more influential concepts I produced as it showed a clear process through the building. The filtration arms are visible and sprouting out into the sea acting almost like a web for the building. This visual representation of the filtration is something I will be taking forward and developing further.

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This concept showed a clear process and this character had potential for adaptation. Each module is designed to be a self floating unit that can be replaced and swapped around easily. This allowed the processing line to be changed and adapted easilydepending on the output of the workshop.

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STRUCTURAL EXPLORATION A BRIEF EXPLORATION INTO POTENTIAL STRUCTURAL OPTIONS. THIS WAS AN EXCERCISE TO ENSURE I WAS DESIGNING WITH A STRUCTURE IN MIND

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SKETCHED SECTION A potential structural material that would be suitable to be used with some of my concepts is a steel trussed frame. This is more suitable for a more static structure with a less regular or a curved form. This would allow for the attatchement of sub frames and constructional components for experimentation I have included the hygromorphic panel as an internal component. The external membrane would act as a rain screen. The internal panels would be able to react to the internal humidity to allow for greater airflow meaning the building can adapt to different levels of activity.

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STRUCTURAL MODEL DEVELOPMENT

I developed this structural form into a design and how it might look in the context of my site. I began working at a 1:200 scale with an attempt to increase the level of detail I was achieving within my design.

The second image shows the view from the main access street. The far right image shows the view from the waterbus stop and how the arm could be used to frame a view and show the array technology.

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FLOATING STRUCTURAL DESIGN

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This was a brief look into the potential for using a lightweight aluminium frame and a polycarbonate deck to produce various floating modules that could be used to create an adaptable processing line.

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ITERATIVE DESIGN PROCESS A BRIEF EXPLORATION INTO POTENTIAL STRUCTURAL OPTIONS.

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The volumetric and structural exploration informed me of the key design concepts to take forward into the next stage of design. A clear process needs to be shown within the building and a level of adaption needs to be included as the output of the workshop maybe changing and different spaces maybe required to produce the required modules necessary.

Using this knowledge I needed to take my design to the next level of detail and develop clear iterations that I can begin to refine and reflect upon.

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PRECEDENT STUDIES Before I began the next stage in the design process I looked to find some precedents that would inspire me. A key precedent I researched was from the architects Morphosis.

All of the images on this page were taken from the Morphosis website or the ‘Morphopedia’ This is the Berlin Wall Competition project which was aimed to inspire human interaction with the wall. It was designed so part of the wall was exposed and would allow the public to see through exposing various views whereas the other part was closed off allowing for a different perception of the same city.

The architectural language of this wall was something that inspired me and I took this forward into the next phase of design. I will also be using the integration of public interaction as inspiration.

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PLAN GEOMETRY DEVELOPMENT

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I began to produce different variations of a rational plan geometry, integrating the filtration arrays in the most efficient way possible to maximise the amount of plastics collected without hindering the local boat routes. I began to declare a spacial diagram.

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DEVELOPMENT RENDERS

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I developed a model that contained two main volumes: a canopy which would house both the design and the workshop spaces, and a pier which would act as both the water bus stop and the processing recycling line. This connects the public to the process very intimately and they will be able to see the process of plastics being collected and recycled.

The recycling line contains a series of floating pods that utilises the floating aluminium structure that I designed within the structural exploration chapter. This allows for the pods to be easily interchanged and swapped depending on the specific process required.

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DEVELOPMENT RENDERS

This is a developed form of the previous design iteration. I have designed a more clear connection between the processing line and the workshop with a boundary wall between the public and private spaces. I have designed a door which could open to allow for a swift equipment delivery into the pods.

Most of the development at this stage was happening within the pier.

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INTERIM CRIT REPRESENTATION OF THE DESIGN I HAD RESOLVED AT THE INTERIM CRIT STAGE

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DEVELOPMENT RENDERS

This is a series of renders that show both the internal and external design of the pier with an exploration into materials.

The public walkway and processing line is separated by a series of steel pillars that create an intriguing space both internally and externally for workers and members of the public alike.

The pod mechanism is still in place with the doors that can open to allow for machine delivery and reorganisation by boat.

At this stage the canopy structure needed to be declared a lot more clearly and a lot of development needed doing within this area.

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PRECEDENT STUDIES After the interim crit I needed to critically assess my design. I began look again to precedents for a source of inspiration to drive my design forward. Although I had developed my design as a series of volumes, the spaces within the volumes needed more clear declaration and intricate design.

I looked to Renzo Piano for this inspiration particularly with his Ferrari wind tunnel. This piece of architecture allows the machinery to become the form of the building rather than housing the machinery within a separate space. This was a concept I planned to take onwards.

To develop the canopy structure I looked to more of Renzo Pianos work including the Pompidou Centre. The design of this building thoroughly intergrates the public within the architecture using a series of walkways that frame views of the city and allow you to explore the structure.

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MACHINERY REQUIRED

Taking note from my precedent study I researched the exact machinery required and their average dimensions. This list included, at base level: plastic bailing machine, a compression machine, a magnetic inspection machine, a plastic cleaning machine and a shredding machine.

This is the order the plastic would need to be processed in, a long with various manual inspections points along the way.

I drew a rough section to show how the activity within the spaces might appear and what height of walkway would be needed to appropriately inspect the plastics at all stages of the recycling process.

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SECTION OF SPACE OCCUPIED

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MODULAR MODULAR MODULAR MODULAR MODULAR MODULAR PROCESSING EQUIPMENT PROCESSING EQUIPMENT PROCESSING PROCESSING EQUIPMENT PROCESSING EQUIPMENT PROCESSING EQUIPMENT EQUIPMENT

After producing a rough section I began to model a very accurate process line and how it might look in 3d space. This included the pods at the end for the inclusion of equipment that may need to be replaced and reshuffled dependant on the output of the workshop similar to our earlier design iterations.

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SHREDDING CLEA SHREDDING C

ANING/INSPECTION CLEANING/INSPECTION

MAGNETIC INSPECTION COMPRESSION MAGNETIC INSPECTION

VISUAL INSPECTION COMPRESSION

BAILING VISUAL INSPECTION

BAILING

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FINAL FORM DEVELOPMENT THE DEVELOPMENT WORK OF DEVISING A FINAL SPACIAL AND VOLUMETRIC FORM

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Internal and External Perspective Sketches

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JUSTIFICATION OF PLAN GEOMETRY

Using various diagrams I began to finalise a site plan geometry that would be the most efficient for both the filtration and the processing of plastics. The diagram shows the justification for the angle of the pier which is justified by the need for access to the processing line to allow for deliveries and machinery repairs via boat. This angle has been repeated within the public viewing area walkway.

At this stage I began to develop an idea for the workshop having a fully exposed frame that would allow for all the experiments performed within the space to be fully visible to the public. However, the form of the entire canopy area was still not declared.

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Water Bus Route

Average Wake of boats Insertion Points

Processing Line

Public Routes

Plastic Collection Route Modular Machinery Pods Plastic Collection Array

Viewing Platform

1:400 Site Plan Process Diagram

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DESIGN PROCESS/SPACIAL DIAGRAM To determine the exact spacial layout and external form of the main body of the design I created this diagram depicting the internal process of the building and the different spaces that may be needed to accommodate these processes.

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FORM DEVELOPMENT DIAGRAM This diagram shows how I developed the form of the main body of the building. From taking the two spaces and creating one mass. Extrapolating the mass on the two sides to increase the slope of the roof dependant on the level of display the spaces will allow.

Then seperating the mass to allow for the public intergration route. Reconnecting the mass using the bridge and finally spanning the roof canopy above the masses.

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DEVELOPING THE ROOF CANOPY

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POLYMER RAIN SCREEN

ALUMINIUM CANOPY STRUCTURE

After developing the final form of the main mass of my building I needed to resolve it structurally as much of the frame would be exposed and to be accessible for constructional experiments to be performed on. I began by rationalising the roof structure and modelling a real form which I then created a real structure from. This structure would be a lightweight aluminium structure with some form of polymer rain screen.

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SPACIAL EXPLODED ISO By using a isometric exploded diagrams I have clearly categorised the different spaces within my building and how they connect to form the overall mass.

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STRUCTURAL EXPLODED ISO

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FINAL CRIT WORK PRESENTED AT THE FINAL CRIT IN A STYLE INSPIRED BY MORPHOSIS

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Final Wall Presentation

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The ground floor plan on the left shows the lower studio space which is organised in a traditional studio layout. There is no direct sunlight into the space as all of the light will be diffused, this is due to the material choice of using frosted plastic panels which is preferred to direct sunlight in a studio environment. In this space designs will be incepted and prototyped using a series of desktop 3D printers and one larger scale 3D printer for larger prototypes. There is a storage shelving unit on the right hand wall for model and design work to be stored. There are two toilets each with showers. The space is accessed from the public walkway on the southern side.

This space connects to an upper studio space which leads onto a connecting bridge.

The bridge leads into a final presentation space. This presentation space will be where ideas are presented and discussed by the studio group before they go into production within the recycling centre and workshop. This space visually connects to both the workshop and the recycling centre as the walls are a transparent glass with the steel frame exposed. This allows for an quick visual connection into the workshop space from the studio space to check on an experiments progress.

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STUDIO/WORKSHOP SECTION

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WORKSHOP The plastic that has been manufactured into various forms will then be assembled and experimented on within the workshop. These experiments will include testing both visual and structural uses of recycled plastics within architecture.

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FINAL PROCESSING The plastic will then be manufactured into its final form.

Its currently beeing represented as plastic tiles being produced to create experimental recycled facade panels but the process here will change as the experiments being performed within the workshop change.

SPOOLING The initial set up of the processing line and workshop is to produce 3D printer filament. The plastic will be heated and extruded to acheive this.

CLEANING AND SHREDDING The plastic will then be soaked to clean any unwanted dirt from the plastics. This will also provide a point to remove any denser plastics which may require a different processing technique.

The clean useable plastic will now be shredded to allow for easy processing into its final form.

MAGNETIC INSPECTION The compressed plastic bails will then be inspected using a magnetic field to highlight any metallic bodies. The waste found during this stage can be deposited within the centre trough.

COMPRESSION

DROP OFF AND BAILING

The plastic is further compressed to ensure it can be processed efficiently. Visual inspection will be occurring before during and after this process.

The plastic that has been collected will be roughly inspected within the boat and brought into the building to begin the processing.

The plastic is bailed as soon as it is brought into the facility automatically.

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This render shows the integration of the filtration array and collection tower. The collection tower conveyor belt can clearly be seen. The faรงade on the workshop is also displayed as a series of translucent black polymer panels. This may be to shield an architectural experiment from the external elements and create an internal environment.

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This external render shows the view that the public will be seeing as they exit the water bus stop. It shows the level of visual integration that the public would have with the recycling line. It also shows the stairs up to the public viewing platform and how it would be accessed by the public. As this needs to be a functioning water bus stop the level of forced integration is limited as this would be a great inconvenience to the local citizens.

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A view from the small square which shows the aesthetic of the building from the far side of the building.

Much of the activity of the water bus stop from locals was accessed from this side. The connecting bridge and plastic faรงade panel material choice can be seen. From this angle a glimpse of the workshop can be seen so this could generate an interest.

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This was the final site plan produced for the final crit. It has a wake diagram showing how the constant stream of boats produce wake, pushing plastics into the filtration array. It also shows the route of the plastic collection boat that will be travelling around Venice collecting plastics from the various arrays that may be installed. This was information highlighted earlier in the portfolio.

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FURTHER DESIGN POTENTIAL A SPECULATIVE LOOK TO THE FUTURE AND HOW THIS PROJECT COULD PROGRESS AFTER COMPLETION

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The concept driving this project was inspired by my primer project, as using plastics to create a lightweight faรงade panel inspired me to utilise polymers and combine this inspiration with the issue of plastic waste within Venice. Within this final part of the portfolio I have created speculative scenarios for potential outputs of this project and how new technologies may develop. By representing them at these various time frames it is clear how different experimental processes can affect the aesthetic of the building and what is displayed to the public.

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1 YEAR’S TIME? I have based this scenario in one years’ time, using technology that is currently available. The workshop has been tasked to developing sculptural structures using robot armed 3D printers attached to a railed mechanism to allow for the arm to change height and location easily. The filament will be being produced using the recycled plastic collected from the waters surrounding Venice.

Due to the type of electronic machinery being used a rain screen has been fitted to the external frame of the workshop providing a lot of shelter to the machinery. These rain screens could be transparent acrylic panels that allow for views to be framed. When this phase of experiments is over the panels can be recycled in house or they can be stored to be used at a later date.

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3 YEAR’S TIME? Within this scenario, set three years in the future, the workshop is experimenting with polymer membranes and their functions. Resin mixture has been applied to the internals of the membrane with an aim to make it set itself in a certain form. The cords attached to the now exposed frame are holding the membrane up to allow it to fix itself to this form.

This is with an aim to create super lightweight self-structured shelters that could be deployed to areas that are in need of a durable shelter at short notice.

All of the panelling has been removed from both the roof structure and the wall. This allows for the weathering properties of the membrane to be tested in a real world environment.

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10 YEARS’ TIME? he scenario, In ten years’ time, is based on a housing crisis within reached a bleak point. Many younger people are finding it impossible to find homes mainly within city environments. The studio has been tasked to produce a 3D printable micro-home that can be attached to a simple steel frame that can be copied within cities around the world. These can be designed at 1:1 and maybe entirely 3D printed. This would allow for the design to be shared around the world quickly and new designs could be updated to provide new features to homes around the world. This is based on work I have researched within my dissertation studies.

These micro-homes have taken the form of pods sitting within the workshops frame where some of the studio members have taken temporary residence to experience life in an extremely small space to further improve the designs.

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20 YEAR’S TIME? Within this scenario the studio has developed a new form of polymer construction that combins a very small amount of steel within the polymer structure with in a similar way to a metal alloy. This has allowed an essentially fully polymer load bearing structure to be created for the first time.

They have utilised the hexagon shape due to its modular nature and parts of the structure can be removed and replaced to allow for windows and openings to be quickly created.

This project has helped to boost the construction industry within Venice allowing for a new form of trade within the city.

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