Kurt Nelson Portfolio 2017

Kurt Nelson

Portfolio

2017

1

Verschob

Pag Comple Spring

Asiniiwi

Page 26 Completed in Fall 2016

Tesselated Table Page 24 Completed in Spring 2016

Proje

Punched PLA Page 22 Completed in Spring 2016

White & Wood Page 20 Completed in Fall 2015

2

ben Stadt

ge 2 eted in g 2016

Bike-Tel

Page 6 Completed in Fall 2015

Evolutionary Form Finding

ects

Page 12 Ongoing

Nodi-Nosi Page 14 Completed in Fall 2016

Russel Wright Container Page 18 Completed in Fall 2016

3

Professor: Charles Harker Group Members:

Zach Butler

Verschoben-Stadt Displaced Town

How do you effectively transition someone from one culture to another vastly different one? This question has come up throughout history, and the response given has varied considerably, along with the success of such measures. So what are the factors that affect the efficacy of a solution?

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Arguably one of the more important ones would be the values and beliefs of the two cultures that are attempting to integrate. The number of refugees migrating to the country would play a role, along with education, language proficiency, and income of those moving in. The capacity to house and

Phase Change Material Aluminum Space Frame EFTE Triple Pane Glass U = .19 SHGC = .39

Polished Concrete Lateral Stiffeners Metal Panel

Metal Deck Wide Flange Steel Beam Actuator Gypsum Board Detailed Wall Section

provide mutually beneficial work (and schooling if necessary) to those coming in would also be key. One must also account for the path that immigrants take to get to their new country and city. In addition, enhancing the ability of the citizens to sympathize with the refugees is also of utmost importance.

Taking into consideration all of these factors, the question is now how can architecture enhance the ability of a country to successfully assimilate its’ refugee population?

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Typical Floor Plan

Connection Broken

Connection Closed

The Phase Change Material (PCM) shown above acts as a means to draw heat from the sun hitting the facade through the building, storing it within the walls and releasing it steadily in order to maintain a constant temperature.

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TYPE 1-PCM

TYPE 2-PCM

1 HOUR RATED PARTITION

2 HOUR RATED PARTITION

The site location was chosen for its proximity to public transportation and educational services

Program elements were defined (Housing, Culture, and Administration)

A basic floorplate was chosen to accommodate the program

A genetic algorithm was used to optimize the position and rotation of the plates in regards to maximizing the contribution of solar radiation to the HVAC needs of the building

The algorithm evaluated hundreds of thousands of configurations, eventually resulting in an optimal position with a corresponding fitness value.

This fitness value was then used as a benchmark as the form was modified to accommodate various needs, ensuring the thermal performance was maintained

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Section

Professor: Brian Peters

Bike-Tel

Bike Path Cabin

In designing this Bike-tel, the main concerns were the historic most effectively with the historic landscape by fading into the context that it was being placed into, and how to best address background, so as not to take away from the surroundings. the needs of the clientele that will be occupying the space.

From looking at the existing conditions, it was clear that any project constructed in this landscape would integrate itself 8

Plan

9

10

Site location chosen to maximize East and West shading from trees

A rectangular box is extruded to allow for extended views of the landscape

Roof sloped to align with local vernacular, allow for sky-lighting

Building is bent in response to views and sun path

Dual entrances align with local typologies while promoting airflow

A stacked CNC cut wall cites the local art gallery, while creating a core for amenities 11

Asphalt Shingles Sheathing Rafters

Drywall Studs Sheathing House Wrap Siding

Sub Floor Floor Joists Sheathing Foundation

Construction Diagram 12

Operable Windows (For ventilation)

Rainwater Collection System

Pellet Stove

Compost Toilet Rainwater Collection Tank (Underground)

Panel/Converter Battery Storage 7 Solar Panels

Filtration and Sanitation System

(Located off site)

(Consists of a 5 micron sediment filter, 3 micron activated carbon filter, and a UV light sanitizer)

Mechanical Diagram 13

Form Evolution Using Galapagos

By using solar radiation analysis to get the radiation throughout the year at all points within the floorplate, then taking this number as a way to guide the shape of the floorplates, it is possible to decrease the energy usage for heating (or cooling) by a significant amount. For this exercise, each corner of the 13 floorplates was given a 10’ by 10’ range to be shifted within, but 14

the main problem that comes up is figuring out which radiation points should be counted. Using all of them produces a highly uneven temperature range, so it is necessary to try different methods to isolate cooler points.

Default 42.0855 kwh/m2/yr

Maximize Heat Gain of coldest 1/4 points 55.6475 kwh/m2/yr

Maximize Heat Gain of all points 45.8751 kwh/m2/yr

Maximize Heat Gain of coldest 1/4 points 57.1487 kwh/m2/yr

Maximize Heat Gain of coldest 1/4 points 51.0335 kwh/m2/yr

Maximize Heat Gain of coldest 1/5 points 61.033 kwh/m2/yr (45% increase in solar radiation)

01. Fitness Landscape

02. Random Distribution

03. Most Fit Results

04. Optimal Solution

15

Professor: Danielle Willems Group Members:

Christian Cueva

Xuezhu Sun

Yuchen Liu

Nodi-Nosi

Spirit of the Wind

Our pavilion aims to create a space where the presence of the wind and the environment it flows through becomes amplified through its interaction with the pavilion. Unstained wood allows the weather to exert its influence on the structure as it melds back into the landscape over time. By scoring the wood to allow it to take on otherwise impossible 16

forms, the pavilion provides a different route forward, while still respecting the natural abilities of the material. As a final effect, rippled foam sways in the breeze, visually manifesting the presence of the wind in much the same way the petals of a flower do.

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18

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Professor: Danielle Willems

Russel Wright Container

In studying the form of Russel Wright’s design for an ashtray, he carefully struck a balance between pure geometric forms and the controlled introduction of excess. Playing off of this notion of excess, the container for his ashtray folds over itself, reacting to the placement of the object and accentuating his 20

decision to embrace the material and formal qualities of the clay.

21

Group Members: Julien Nguyen Zach Butler

White & Wood

Independent project

When beginning this project, one of the first things we realized is that at their most basic level, fashion and architecture serve the same function. They provide a “screen� for the user to isolate themselves from the environment.

The main aspect that differs between the two is scale. By contrasting both the synthetic form and natural material of

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wood to the natural form and synthetic material of the printer filament we seek to expressing the relationship between the fields of fashion and architecture, heterogeneous on one level while homogeneous on another.

3D-printed parts

Bench from above

23

Professor: Brian Peters

Punched PLA Lamp Shade

Based on the punctures found in lanterns to allow light out without letting the wind in to blow out the flame, the design allows light to flow out of the shade while minimizing sight lines to the bulb itself. Scherk’s minimal surface was used as a base unit, aggregated in order to 24

preserve its “lateral transparency� and shaped to fit a basic hanging lamp.

Iterations

25

65.59

62.11

70.31

Iterations with fitness values (lower value indicates better performance)

Professor: Brian Peters

Tesselated Table

Structural Optimzation

Using structural analysis software in combination with evolutionary problem solvers, it was possible to find optimal placement for the structure of the table. To begin, an even load was applied across the surface of the table, and a triangular grid was used as the starting point for modification.

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776,552,448 Total 655,884,288 Total 621,084,672 9,955,800.6 Avg 8,198,553.6 Avg 7,962,624 Av

776,552,448 Total 655,884,288 9,955,800.6 Avg 8,198,553.6 A

776,552,448 T 9,955,800.6 A

77.66

Table Structure Detail Render

The evolutionary problem solver was then allowed to shift points in order to minimize the strain on the beams. After a form was arrived at then a cast was CNC milled and cast using Ductal Ultra High Performance Concrete.

The genetic algorithm is allowed to move the nodes within a certain range, looking for the minimum total stress. Multiple types of genetic algorithms were used to obtain the best results

The size, shape, and number of beams of beams are defined

The x and y coordinates of the structural nodes are set to be controlled by sliders

A uniform force is created

The stresses at a set amount of points are analyzed

The magnitudes of the stress are used to create a 3d model of the table

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Professor: Danielle Willems

Asiniiwi

To Become Stone

Before Russel Wright made his way to the small town of Garrison, before the quarrymen or the loggers left their mark on the land that would become Manitoga, the topography was formed by giant glaciers grinding their way across the Northeastern United States. The relocation of tons of topsoil, in combination with the tens of thousands of years of erosion 28

through wind, rain, and ice that provided the granite for the quarry and the canvas for Wright to leave his mark upon. If there is one constant in Manitoga, it is that everything is constantly eroding and weathering, so how can architecture situate itself in this tumultuous environment?

Facade Aging and Accumulation

2018

2022

2032

Exhibition Space

2042

Gallery Extension

2052

No Skin

Dining Gallery

Main Gallery

29

Plan

Today

+1 Year

+2

+6

+16

+26

+36

+46

Section

30

31

32

33

34

35

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