SINGULARITIES | Parametric Centerpiece

Design Computation Final Assignment

Singularities

Members: Benjamin Chong Tay Boon Kiat Lee Hsien Toong Kiang Ching Teo Shao Tian

Our Concept

Art Installation This installation aims to accentuate the spatial quality of the library without disrupting the existing layout. In the given location of the library, most people often overlook areas above head level. Thus, we aim to provide people with the opportunity to appreciate the double volume spaces in this area. Utilising strings and other materials provided, our objective is to create a web-like surface that allows visual interaction .

Initial Visualisation in Chosen Space

INTERACTION Imagining the points on the web that meet in the centre as attractor points and the ones that meet the ceiling and floor as repelling points, we started to look into processing this into a more 3 dimentional form.

3D

To aid in 3 dimensional visualisation and allow simple changes in parameters to alter the design, GRASSHOPPER was used

Development to cater to the site

Preparation of Acrylic for Fabrication

Grasshopper 3D Visualisation of attractors and repellers with partic particle spring model

Preparation of String for Fabrication

3D

To aid in 3 dimensional visualisation and allow simple changes in parameters to alter the design, GRASSHOPPER was used

Grasshopper Initial code for attractor and repeller form

MakeGrid Script

SortGrid Script

MakeGrid Script creates the list of attractor and repeller points which is further split into its individual categories with the SortGrid Script

3D

To aid in 3 dimensional visualisation and allow simple changes in parameters to alter the design, GRASSHOPPER was used

Grasshopper Initial code for attractor and repeller form GenForces Script

GenForces Script randomizes the magnitudes of the attractor and repeller points allowing the design to be different every time

With the randomized magnitudes, the points are duplicated and translated to the respective positions on the top and bottom

3D

To aid in 3 dimensional visualisation and allow simple changes in parameters to alter the design, GRASSHOPPER was used

Grasshopper Initial code for attractor and repeller form VerticalLine Script

VerticalLine Script creates vertical lines from the translated points to the top and bottom grids

Particle spring model script allows the curves to find equilibrium with the anchored points

Points and curves are then extracted to be inputs for the particle spring model

Development With the basics of the programme done, we attempted to cater the design to the site

Grasshopper

Fitting to the circular site context

Iterations

With the forces already randomized, we chose the number of subgrids to be the changing variable to have different intensities within the form

Grasshopper

Choice

Taking into consideration the beauty of the form and the fabrication process, iteration 2 was chosen to be our final design

Realisation Various considerations were made in terms of material and construction so as to produce a stable structure to showcase the installation

Horizontal and Vertical components were designed with slots to fit perfectly to form not only a stable but also flexible structure which aids in fabrication

With this sturdy foundation which was created with the help of GRASSHOPPER, the consturction of the installation could finally begin

Fabrication

Simplification

Instead of manually managing the dimensions of material needed, GRASSHOPPER was utilised

With this script, the arrangement of the holes in the acrylic was obtained to secure the strings in place for the installation.

To form the anchor points of the installation, this script creates an exterior offset of the circle on the site and uses the points where the offset intersects the grid within the site as the anchorpoints. These points are then cut as 1mm diameter holes on the acrylic circular slide.

Fabrication

Realisation Various considerations were made in terms of material and construction so as to produce a stable structure to showcase the installation

Horizontal and Vertical components were designed with slots to fit perfectly to form not only a stable but also flexible structure which aids in fabrication

With this sturdy foundation which was created with the help of GRASSHOPPER, the consturction of the installation could finally begin

Process 1

Manual measurements of individual string lengths

2

Using the glue-gun to form a means of securing the strings after putting them through the holes in the acrylic

3

Temporarily securing the individual strings to the holes with masking tape before final assembly

Process 4

Securing the strings in the X-axis direction

5

Securing the strings in the Y-axis direction by weaving it with the first layer of string.

36

Final touches to ensure that strings would not slide off from their positions

Result

Visualisation