Digital design M2 Journal

Digital Design - Module 02 Semester 1, 2019 Zhuohui (Joyce) Huang (870604) Alison Fairley + 08

Critical Reading: Kolerevic B. 2003. Architecture in the Digital Age

Kolerevic described three fundamental types of fabrication techniques in the reading. Outline the three techniques and discuss the potential of Computer Numeric Controlled fabrication with parametric modelling. (150 words max)

Kolarevic discusses subtractive, additive and formative fabrication techniques for three-dimensional objects. Subtractive fabrication means the removal of material from the volume. A milling machine may have two to three axes of movement, which would determine its flexibility and limitations to sculpture the object form it could produce. Additive fabrication employs the technique of adding incrementally layering material to form a solid. This method can be applied to various materials such as a liquid polymer, the curing process are based on light, heat or chemicals.

Formative fabrication involves the deformation or reshaping of material forms through the application of mechanical force, heat or steam. This could be applied to large-scale work unlike subtractive and formative, it also takes advantage of the numerically-controlled system to precisely pin and bend materials. CNC fabrication provides the accuracy of the measurements and forms of the materials which are crucial for constructing buildings designed with parametric modelling.

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SURFACE AND WAFFLE STRUCTURE Surface Creation

Box

Pick Edge

Subdivide Edge

Morph 3D + 2D

Vertical waffle

Horizontal waffle

Breps preview

Unroll

The script starts with constructing two surfaces with the edges of a defined cube using DeBrep command. Four line-segments are selected using List Item command, and they are subdivide into number of parts using Divided Curve to extract selective points on the curve. Hereby, four line-segments with various length are creating by connecting the points on curves. The two surfaces are then created by lofting lines. The surfaces are later divided into diamond grid by Surface Domain Number to create a 4*8 grid on each surface, however, due to the special arrangement of diamond grid, only 25 panels are actually created on each surface. In order to create the momentum of the

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SURFACE AND WAFFLE STRUCTURE Surface Creation

The result comes from basic referenced geometry were rather unexpected due to the extreme curvature of the surface. Since the two surfaces are dynamic and centred to the void in the middle, they show corresponding almost mirrored relationship, therefore, a cohesive panel design approach is chosen. When designing the geometry, orientation of the bounding box in relation to reference geometry is vital. Also, I deliberately, extending the pointy edge of the pyramid to a determined direction of the bounding box, to match the flow of base surface. I intended to mimic the tongue of flame and its dynamics. The panel should be strong and big at the bottom while sharp and sleek at the top. All of these three panels demonstrate good response to the flow of base surface through their geometric quality and variation of height.

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Isometric View

Each panel is subdivided into a flat part and solid part. The pointy pyramid extends over the footprint of the flat panel to partially over the window opening, they also open up when the surface is flat and close up when the surface is very curved. The opening is directly

The vertical waffle match exactly to the framework of diamond grid by connecting the vertices in order. And the horizontal waffle was done using contour command. As the angle of the vertical angle is fixed, areas that are only tangent are either culled or manually extended.

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SURFACE AND WAFFLE STRUCTURE Laser Cutting

Learnt from the experience in module 3 Fodr, thick and long tabs are very unpleasant when folding the pointy edge. Therefore I did not use the system “Unroll� command to create the tabs, instead, I manually picked out the middle 50% part on the selective side and offset them using divide and offset.

Joining the flat panel and solid panel was uneasy, identical data structure have to be matched and the order on the list has to be examined to ensure they are connected in the right manner. The cut out is achieved by finding the intersection and use pipe geometry to Boolean Difference out.

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~71%

~60%

~49%

~38%

~27%

~16%

~5% Waffle structure matches excatly to the base surface of the panels, so that the tabs could be directly attached to the sides of waffle

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SURFACE AND WAFFLE STRUCTURE Matrix and Possibilities

Surface, base grid and reference panels are my main parameter.

The surface transformed from a pair of parallels to a vortex-like selfintersecting surfaces, this problem was later resolved by reducing the length of line segment on the upper part. Various base grid pattern and referenced panel were tested out as mentioned before, turned out the diamond grid is more adaptable.

Complexity is also challenged to a degree that cannot be hand manufactured.

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SURFACE AND WAFFLE STRUCTURE Photography of Model

This laser cut model mimics the dynamic form of the tongue of flame. Its porosity and velocity are translated into spatial language using the representation of paper panelling. Two surfaces which were initially intersecting still appear to be intertwined after modification with the aids of flowing top panels and the protruding waffles. Moreover, each flat panels remains wellsitting on the surface with custom opening to indicate porosity while the vortex-like rotating solid panel adds dynamics to the surface. Lastly, as this model does not have one perfect viewing angle, it intrigues the users to circulate around to get an complete experience of it.

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Visual Scripting of Parametric Model

Box3dGrid

Satellite

Attractor (Force)

Geometry

The script isn’t based on deconstructing grid within a spatial boundary, rather, it initially generates a system of Box3dGrid and employ a system of orbit revolting satellite around the box to attract/repull the grid. The location, quantity and size of the satellite are parameterised as well as the exact range of attraction force to affect the spatial quality and arrangement of the box grid. Other shapes can also be incorporate into the design, by replacing the CentreBox component to a defined brep object then scale it with respect to the factor mentioned above. Note that, scaling object takes into account of the relative distance between the defined object and the target grid.

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SOLID AND VOID Surface Creation

After couple time of iterations, I found that with such stacking crystalline effects, shapes with obvious angle, ideally 45-135 degrees are the best reference geometries, as they give unambiguous definition of the formality of the solid when stacking. Forms that are as closed to 1:1 ratio are better for the result as they do not lose their iconic feature during shearing and scaling. Also, I use the reference geometry itself as the Boolean mother to achieve uniformity. The first one use platonic octahedron gives me the image of a cliff with two caves and one intermediate platform. The second one reminds me of condense urban housing and heavy traffic in Hong Kong, it also includes an interesting footpath sheltered by the suspended housing area. Both are well tool to connect huge height difference drop as well.

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Private Small Space Semi-public Small Space Main Circulation Area

Ways of Access

The extreme verticality of the building suggest a new form of urban dense housing in the future, the opening orientation could face all angles.

Vertical transportation can be cooperated internally, and it connects circulation on two levels through the steep walkway. There is also a ground floor semi enclosed area replace arcades in classical building serves to public function for small community.

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SOLID AND VOID Isometric view

Private Small Space Semi-public Small Space Main Circulation Area

Ways of Access

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Second model also shows a strong sense of vertically but with access through climbing generated from the inclined plane of platonic octahedron. Unlike the first one you could circulate around the whole geometry, there are two defined private space (one sheltered, and one fully placed indoor) constrained by single way access. Consequently, the intermediate platform (blue) and upper open ground (yellow) are naturally connected together. The form has been programmatically separated into two not interfering regions.

Satellite

Attraction

Grid

Shapes

Face*2 + Edge *1

Force = 1.009

5 by 5

sphere

Face*1 + Inside *2

Force = 3.678

7 by 7

platonic octahedron

Face*2 + Inside *1

Force = 7.307

10 by 10

torus

Location of Satellites

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SOLID AND VOID Matrix and Possibilities

Task B Matrix Location of satellite, the attraction force, number of grid and shapes are the main four parameters in this design. Although the locations of satellite are relatively chaotic, it is found that more interesting results could be generated when number of satellite and size of grid are matching and large.

The complexity of this geometry is shown through the undulating terrains.

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SOLID AND VOID

Photography of Model

This 3D printed model was not the best digital model but the printed result is the best due to the recessing nature of the platonic octahedron, it allows the additive layer to sit perfectly on the bottom one without needing to place redundant supporting material. This nature also grands accessible footpath connecting the flatform and the upper open field.

Also, the triangulated surface creates an organic crystallisation effect, once again source from the nature. The partially sheltered and fully sheltered caves contrast with the fully pubic area. This configuration also gives a sense of formidability and formality, it could be used as an monumental space.

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Appendix

Process

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Appendix Process

Three ways of sitting task B model 2

This is the first print of laser cut model, the tabs are significantly thicker than the panel itself, creating difficulty (almost impossibility) to bend the paper over the valley line.

Therefore, the flat panel and solid panel are joined in grasshopper in the later stage.

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Appendix

Process

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