Nadine Shaker- AUC - ARCH 473/3522

PORTFOLIO

The American University in Cairo (AUC)

School of Sciences and Engineering - Department of Architecture

ARCH 473/3522 - Digital Design Studio and Workshop (Fall 2022)

Student portfolio documenting samples of work submitted along the course, including research, experimentation, 3D modeling, digital fabrication, parametric design and modeling, physical model realisation and analysis.

Student name: Nadine Shaker Student ID: 900192101

© The American University in Cairo (AUC), May 2019

Nadine Shaker Architecture Student

Student in the American University in Cairo Senior Student in Architecture

This course is about exploring, experimenting & finding ways to serve our designs. Not only is it a tool but it can serve to design on its own. A new way of expression is for us as student is a journey of ups and downs. The most certain thing is it will never be a linear journey. As we go, we experience more things that enlarges our scope in the field & helps us to have a deeper understanding of Parametric design. This jouney which outlines my stream of thought is depicted in this portfolio. Here is a glimpse of it.

Furthermore, it is important to point out the major role that the tools learnt has impacted us in our architectural life. It has majorly helped us model things that weren’t possible before. Additionally, environmental analysis were conducted for optimization and for the best evaluation possible.

Nadine Shaker

Nature is all around us, we see it everyday, touch it , feel it, hear it. It is what keeps us alive. Therefore, I was inspired by sea corals.

LEARNING FROM MATERIALITY

Nadine Shaker

MATERIAL EXPLORATION I-01

Material Experimentation Approach

APPROACH 1: POURING ON FORMWORK Materials Steps Reflection

1- Inspiration picture: corals 2-Creating the shaped object 3-Creating the right ratio of gypsum water (for every cup of water 2 cups of gypsum) 4-Pouring the mixture on top 5-Leaving it to dry

Reflecting on this approach there were multiple mistakes: 1-Pouring into the object itself will not create any kind of mold 2-The ratio of water to gypsum may varie

A second approach by creating a mold for the gypsum might be intersting.

APPROACH 2: POURING INSIDE A MOLD Materials Steps Reflection

1-Creating the shape of the mold & attaching it very attentively 2-Creating the right ratio of gypsum water (for every cup of water 2 cups of gypsum) 3-Pouring the mixture inside the mold.

4-Leaving it to dry 5-Take the gypsum out of the mold.

Reflecting on this approach there were multiple comments. Benefits of this approach: 1-Gypsum will carry itself 2-It is shaped like the interior of the mold which is very interesting.

Drawbacks of this approach: 1-Easily breakable if the thickness is not evenly distributed

Nadine

Portfolio 14

INSPIRATION PICTURE FOAM BALLS & WIRES PLASTIC PLATE WITH PATTERN (TWISTED)

ZIPLOCK WITH CUP PLASTIC & A CUP

THE WAFFLE EFFECT

DIPPING THEM IN = FALSE ATTEMPT VERY INTERESTING PATTERN BUT BROKEN

Diagram explaining the different molds & their construction, the pouring of the gypsum & the final outcome. PLASTIC CUP & THREADS

During the first material phase, we were asked to experiment with gypsum. We used all that we could to create a composition. We experimented with patterns and shapes to understand the materiality. The outcomes of this ex-

I-02

EXPLORATION II

Material Experimentation II Approach

APPROACH : FIXED CONSTANTS

Materials Constant Reflection VARIABLE CHANGE

1-Materials (left images) 2- Amount of gypsum poured which means that ratio water to gypsum is the same 3-Fixation of glue & angles

Reflecting on this progression is essential to understand what happened and to explain what let to that.

Fixing elements as constants while changing one single variable allows us to understand the correlation between both.

Materials Variables Reflection

1-Material of the bag 2-Size of the bag

The variable here in our case was the plastic bag and was a great deal because of:

1-Variety of textures (smoothness vs roughness of the bag)

2-Sizes of the bags

3-Thickness of the bag

4-Closure from the top or not

Comparaison of the different bags used

Nadine

Developped Material Experimentation Summary

VERY COMPACT & SOLID MORE GOING ON ON THE TOP = VERY FLAKY BUT INTERESTING

FLAKINESS AT ITS BEST

VERTICAL GROWTH COMPACT AND TEXTURE DIFFERENT

FLAKINESS

PLAYFULLNESS

Nadine Shaker

PARAMETRIC SYSTEM I-03

Nadine Shaker

Translation to Grasshopper FIRST

ATTEMPT

RHINO MODELS

GEOMETRY + AGRREGATION = RANDOMNESS IN REPITION OF THE HEXAGON GEOMETRY

RANDOM GEOMETRY

HEXAGONAL SHAPE DOES NOT WORK WITH THE CONCEPT

Translation to Grasshopper

FINAL PANEL

RHINO MODEL

Translation to Grasshopper PANEL ITERATIONS

POPULATION

CHOSEN PANEL

DIVIDING

The smaller the range is the smaller the distance gets, the more dense it is.

The smaller the count is the more dense it gets.

PARAMETRIC CLUSTER I-04

Cluster

OLD CLUSTER

CLUSTER THAT REPRESENTS THE INITIAL CONCEPT OF BRANCHING & NETWORKING

REPETITION = NOT GOOD, STATIC AND NOT DYNAMIC, NO SPREADING EFFECT

Nadine

VARIABLES

Nadine Shaker

Transparent rendered image of the office building facade of Bank El-Ahly

Rendered image of the office building facade of Bank El-Ahly

During this last project, we were asked to design a building facade for an office building: Bank El-Ahly. Each student was asked to design this facade depending on the last project. Because of the idea of densification i decided to be insipired in terms of cones.

II-01

SKIN FACADE RESEARCH

Image of the double skin facade concept.

Bitatem se consequi assitaq uiatus diciet faccuptatur accabo. Beaque voluptatum eatur represt quas evel ium quossecus quistio. Et quatur, que provite ctusdaecus rest, consernati desti bus moluptiurem sam verio. Ehendam anda nullatiam fuga. Bis sed moditi reratente ex exerspe ratibus cum, sitae parchil ibustios mint endae vit, ipita si dipsam fugia dolestiis aut lamus enducip saerro blauten ducipsumquam dolupti debis estis dolorempore voluptate magnist otatus expliqu atecest is simusciendis consent.

Upti voluptas quid est labora seque vernatendi sed quistrum quatur sus ento te volupta tectaquodi dolupta spelest iberum fugit volupti aut aut ipsunt, ut undicil itiorepere quibus ant prem si blamet quuntist, iumquam ut harum vit repelenis escilitiatur simagnat

Ne sant. Pa cum estium, quiat et voles volum ut in re plictur, is sus si ut ipit rent.

Delibusam si tem facillandi dem est, sam, opta veliae nonsequate re cum eiciliqui consendus sus nitaeperspe cum quo ex explici dempore ptatur, totatio rrovid ut doluptas aruntiaes aperehe nisquamet ventiassit occus.

Ucit, simus quam, tem faceaquunte nulluptaque non es des cus, occus debis aditior ectorrum dent quiatur

Nadine

Double skin facade

Double skin facade is the name of “facade consisting of 2 layers, usually glass where air flows through the intermediate cavity.” (Souza, 2019).

DEFENITION

Intermediate cavity range: 20cm- few meters acts as insulation from extreme temperatures, sound & winds.

The concept of Airflow & Extreme weather

Airflow can be naturally or controlled mechanically.

Sun heated air is trapped inside & can heat people from inside

Cold climate

Excess heat is drained by density: “chimney effect” Benefit: cold breeze & Hot climate

CLASSIFICATIONS

Types of DSF

Types of airflow

EXIT OF AIR

ENTRANCE OF AIR

Open natural convection effect of buoyance: air is circulated in the middle cavity entrance of air in the lower part of the outer skin the exit is in the upper part of the outer skin = thermal resistance between the inner and outer = CAN USE WINDOWS OF THE INNER PART TO LET HEATED AIR IN

Closed natural convection natural convection= air is trapped in the INTERMIDIATE CAVITY. THERMAL FLOWS ARE DIFFERENT IN THE INNER AND OUTER SKIN. NO NATURAL VENTILATION

Forced convection air heated in middle gap sent to the room space or building entrance with a fan.

PARAMETRIC DESIGN STRATEGY & MODELLING II-02

From what we learnt during the double skin facade presentation is that it was primordial to understand our site in terms of context & environmnetal aspects in order to be able to achieve the level of successfullness. Here we have two different sketches: one 3 dimensional and the other environmental. The 3dimensional

SPACE DISTRIBUTION

SLIGHLTY CLOSED UNIT

COMPLETLYCLOSED UNIT

OFFICES (NORMAL & PRIVATE) + MEETING ROOMS

TECHNICAL ROOMS THAT DO’T NEED TO BE SEEN

PUBLIC SPACES

COMPLETLYOPENED UNIT

Sketches

VR EXPLORATION II-03

Nadine Shaker

The VR exploration was a very interesting experience. For the first time, i was able to be inside my building. What was the most interesting is the fact that the vr allows you to take pictures but not only that but you can fix mistakes instantinuously. I was very happy with the outcome and was excited to fix the mistakes.

VR Experience BEFORE

SLAB NOT ALIGNED WITH THE FACADE

SLABS NOT PROPERLY CUT

Nadine Shaker

II-04

FINAL PROJECT

Nadine Shaker

FIRST ATTEMPT OF SOLAR ANALYSIS

Nadine Shaker

Section of the building with functions.

Nadine Shaker

Glazed

Nadine Shaker

OFFSET

FABRICATION FILE II-05

Nadine Shaker

Biblography

WORK CITED

Massey, Jonathan. “The Gherkin: How London’s Famous Tower Leveraged Risk and Became an Icon “ 05 Nov 2013. ArchDaily. Accessed 25 Oct 2022. <https://www.archdaily.com/445413/thegherkin-how-london-s-famous-tower-leveraged-risk-and-becamean-icon> ISSN 0719-8884

Souza, Eduardo. “How Do Double-Skin Façades Work? “ [Como funcionam as fachadas duplas ventiladas?] 20 Aug 2019. ArchDaily. Accessed 25 Oct 2022. <https://www.archdaily.com/922897/ how-do-double-skin-facades-work> ISSN 0719-8884

SOURCES

https://architizer.com/projects/al-bahr-towers/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/double-skin-facade https://www.brikbase.org/sites/default/files/ARCC2017_Session5B_ Aksamija.pdf

©All rights reserved, American University in Cairo (AUC) May 2019

Nadine Shaker

©All rights reserved, American University in Cairo (AUC) May 2019