Foundry

A CT I I I / T H E FO U N D R Y INDUCTION / CORE STUDIO I 2018 / 2019

TEAM

2

SHENGNING ZHANG

LUIS GIL

CIRO ROMER

OMAR EQBAL

RAZA KAZIM

HASAN DANISH

NASIA PANTELIDOU

PATRICK BIRCH

HILLA GORDON

WYATT ARMSTRONG

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

CONTENTS INHERITANCE (ACTS I & II)

4

GLOBAL DESIGN

10

RING-BEAM

22

RING-BEAM EXTENSION

34

WINGS

42

SKIN

56

ROOF

64

DOORS

72

FINAL

82

FOUNDRY

3

4

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / INHERITANCE (ACTS I & II)

5

I N H E R I TA N C E ( ACT S I & I I ) ROBOTICS FABRICATION VISITING SCHOOL

Our assignment for the induction and core studios is Act III of the Foundry. We inherited a site developed through two previous acts as part of the Robotic Fabrications visiting school. The Chainsaw Choreographies in 2016 produced a composition of three standing beech forks connected by a series of douglas fir beams, and the Bandsaw Manoeuvres 6

in 2017 added a robotically detailed glue laminated ring beam.

At the start of our induction studio we were presented with a series of sketches to be treated as suggestions that inform the global geometry. The studios were laid out as a skill building exercises with detail design involved.

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / INHERITANCE (ACTS I & II)

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8

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / INHERITANCE (ACTS I & II)

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10

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / RING-BEAM

11

RING-BEAM SZ / CR / NP / RK / HG / LG / OE / HD / PB / WA

The Ring Beam from Act II of the Foundry’s construction was the first element to be incorporated into the primary structure. The orientation of the ring beam is determined by alignment to the three forked trunks which delineate a symmetrical axis that matched the geometry of the ring beam.

Three connector elements transfer the load of the ring beam to the trunks. Each was designed to provide a level interface and allow for adjustments during installation through. This hardware, with it’s protruding brackets, anticipates a future round of interior buildout.

For installation, two parallel notches are cut out at the base of each tree trunk that allows the connectors to slide in and bear into the wooden shoulders, while cut with enough room to 12

allow for shimming for leveling.

Once located they are fixed by bolts.

The ring beam is installed as three interlocking components, with the middle module erected first as a stabilizer element for the flanking members. Ratchet straps are used to temporarily hold up the beam until the wing panels are installed. As a precaution to test the deflection caused by the loading of the ring beam onto the forked trunks, the assembly is first scanned through photogrammetry.

This generates a point cloud that is measured against the digital reference model used to fabricate the ring beam and forks. The amount of deflection is recorded and cross-checked with a measured survey. This allows for corrections in the modeling and locating of the wing panels.

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / RING-BEAM

13

RING BEAM SZ / CR / NP / HG / LG / OE / HD / PB / WA

14

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / RING-BEAM

15

16

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / RING-BEAM

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18

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / RING-BEAM

19

20

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / RING-BEAM

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22

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / RING-BEAM EXTENSION

23

RING-BEAM EXTENSION CR / RK / OE

The “structural team” was tasked with extending the existing ring beam, the structural element which would support the walls, kinetic element and the roof.

The complexity of designing the beam extension lay in finding the right balance between the dynamic flow hinted at in the drawings and the connection to the various inherited components. Because of the multidirectional datums, the ring beam extension had to hit the decision was made that rather than robotically machining the glue-laminated components, like the originals the components, the extension would be assembled and then sculpted by hand. Allowing for a more organic articulation of the new component.

The chosen geometry consisted of both an upward and a sideways movement in order to maximize the gluing surface 24

and maintain effective grain direction throughout it was decided to use two lamination directions. These were timber jointed at four distinct locations.

The first two consolidating the transition between the rotation and the upward movement in the larger lapped connection at the lower part of the beam, and the second two connecting the top at with fingers joints, part of the way past the bend to minimize the moment stress on the joint. Once fully assembled it was lifted into place into two steel brackets at the lower part of the beam, connecting to the existing ring beam, and two larger steel appendages extending outwards from the existing Douglas fir roof beams.

Finally, a central tension cable ran from the centre of the ring beam extension along with the original forked members down to the front of the inherited ring beam.

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / RING-BEAM EXTENSION

25

26

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / RING-BEAM EXTENSION

27

28

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / RING-BEAM EXTENSION

29

30

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / RING-BEAM EXTENSION

31

32

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / RING-BEAM EXTENSION

33

34

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / GLOBAL DESIGN

35

G LO B A L D E S I G N HG / PB

The refinement of the global geometry required the integration of material and fabrication constraints, the need to secure the wings to the inherited ring beam structure, and an installation sequence heavily dependent on the use of Hooke Park’s telehandler.

Given limitations in component machining using the Kuka robot arm the faceted geometry had to accommodate member lengths no less than 400mm and no greater than 1500mm, the need for 4-sided panel frames, angles no greater than 40 degrees at frame component junctions, angles no less than 20 degrees at the point where two frames met, and the need for two straight vertices in the two forward most wing components to effectively transfer load from 36

the roof to primary structure. It was determined that to maintain a sense of levitation, an effect that creates a stark contrast to the visual weight of the wing components themselves, the load of the wings would be taken up predominantly by the ring beam. Subsequently, a series of unique steel support brackets were developed, carrying the wings to the exterior of the primary structure and maintaining the clawlike aesthetic of the brackets designed to support the ring beam extension. Finally, in an effort to further accommodate the aforementioned machining limitations and simplify installation of the walls the design was divided into four distinct components.

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / GLOBAL DESIGN

37

38

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / GLOBAL DESIGN

39

CLADDING SYSTEM

1mm glavanized corrugated roof 0.8mm aluminum cladding Cnc fabricated panels Standing seam overlap Riveted and screwed connections Cedar door cladding

WALL PANELIZATION

6mm baltic plywood Cnc cut with perforated attachment points

SECONDARY STRUCTURE

50x75mm spruce roof battens 50x150mm noridc spruce roof rafters 90x45mm spruce framing Circular saw robot fabrication Cedar peg and spline connections

40

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / GLOBAL DESIGN

41

42

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / WALLS

43

WA L L S SZ / WA

The concept for the foundry walls arose out of the necessity to be self-stable and a manageable scale during fabrication and assembly. A functional concern was for the surfaces to be used as storage within the enclosure. The planar facets, defined by the global geometry, were backed by plywood to form an interface for the aluminum skin.

The corners of individual frames are connected by two keyed miters. Battens run parallel along the length of each panel, their orientation set along horizontal datums. The frame modules are joined along their seam through a ‘lightning’ profile that registers and locks during assembly. Wood pegs replace mechanical fasteners as the main connection method for the assembly.

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The panels were fabricated on the robot due to the nonrepeating nature of the envelope geometry, and the compound angles of cuts. A circular saw end effector ripped the lightning joint and cross cut the mitered ends of each framing member.

Plunge cuts on both ends form the keys for the miters. The battens are fabricated on a miter saw using instructions generated via a grasshopper script that facilitated the identification, logging, and cutting procedure of each piece.

Once the panels were individually fabricated, pairs are matched and pegged together.

Four wing assemblies are lifted and attached to the ring beam and roof beam via welded connector plates.

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / WALLS

45

46

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / WALLS

47

13.00

50.00

50.00 face of panel

face of panel

face of panel

23.00

50.00

23.00

5.00°

5.00°

5.00°

12.42°

12.42°

10.00°

15.00°

20.00°

48

origin of rotation

90.00

90.00

90.00

origin of rotation

15.00°

20.00°

origin of rotation

15.00°

20.00°

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / WALLS

49

50

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / WALLS

51

52

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / WALLS

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54

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / WALLS

55

56

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / SKIN

57

SKIN LG / HG / HD

Aluminium cladding was designed to follow the geometry of the timber-built frames, to complement its complexity. The standard approach to standing seams was rethought in order to have a clean transition between surfaces of different angles, with oversized eaves to create a shadow gap and handle the water drippage without a need for gutters. Edges of the two side wings of the Foundry were designed to curve, so as to take advantage of the relative flexibility of aluminium as a material.

The production of the aluminium sheets was through CNC scoring. This was done double-sided on the CNC machine. Lines that need to be cut are scored from both sides 58

and lines that indicate a fold is scored with a dashed line on the opposite side to the bending direction. Obviously, such an operation requires millimetric accuracy, and there was an effort invested in streamlining the process to achieve it.

This exercise highlighted the contradictions between timber and aluminium: timber being a rigid material on the one hand, but easily manipulated on the other hand, and aluminium being harder to manipulate, but when it does it has flexibility in the form it can take. This, along with the different properties of their depths and volumes are juxtaposed in the foundry to create a light-weight effect for the structure.

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / SKIN

59

2 four pointed polylines

original plywood 1 geometry

4

3

extentions for seams and overlaps

sideways extentions to bridge potential gaps

6 additions for top panels

trimming edges, 5 additional covers

geometry process

60

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / SKIN

61

62

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / SKIN

63

64

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / ROOF

65

ROOF CR / PB

Given the height of the ring beam extension, a shallow roof pitch was developed, keeping the roof structure as close as possible to the fir beams that span between the three forks.

These serving as the only suitable structure upon which to mount support brackets. Broken into a distinct frames, much like the four wall components, the three roof panels are composed of 38 unique members. Each cut by hand. These three frames sit atop primary roof beams supported by 12 distinct steel props. This primary support structure installed in advance of the fabrication of the frames.

While the original intent was to clad the roof structure in CNC cut aluminum panels as well, material constraints required the use of corrugated steel sheets.

This was, however, a favorable alteration. The mounting strategy for corrugated steel accommodating the roof design 66

quite well in its amenability to any potential purlin arrangement and the directing of water by the corrugations.

Secured using stock fasteners the edge details were cut using an orbital grinder following application to the frames. In this way, any irregularities in timber component fabrication or assembly could be easily mitigated. While the two smaller roof frames were installed with little complication by way of securing strops to underlying timber supports and lifting them into place the larger roof section proved more difficult. This uppermost frame nesting within the other two, it could not be lifted into place using similarly overstanding supports. Instead, 3 releasable I-bolts were strategically drilled into the frame, acting as anchors for the strops and thereby allowing the frame to be lower into position with little conflict.

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / ROOF

67

68

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / ROOF

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70

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / ROOF

71

72

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / DOORS

73

DOORS NP / EQ

The west side face of the foundry is treated as a dynamic, operable wall that floats above the ground. This dynamic wall is divided into two dynamic wall components that allow three different configurations as per the user’s needs. The first configuration takes place when the space is not in use, suggesting a smaller territory for the foundry space while the second configuration of the doors suggests a ‘a private working mode’ that allows the user to expand the interior space. The third state suggests an ‘open up’ mode that allows the union of the foundry with the outdoor space serving workshops held in the foundry that demand a larger number of people. The change of state for the walls makes the space readable from the outside 74

informing the outside viewer of the foundry if the space is in use or not.

The two dynamic wall components are performing around two main custom-made hinges that are taking support by the ring beam while the smaller dynamic part of the folding door is supported by smaller industrial hinges. In order to allow for tolerance during the on-site assembly process, an adjustable steel detail component was introduces on the top edge of the two main hinges that allowed adjustments on the position of the axes. Each frame was prefabricated and transported on-site while the custom-made hinged and the steel brackets were prefabricated and then assembled on-site.

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / DOORS

75

76

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / DOORS

77

78

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / DOORS

79

80

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / DOORS

81

82

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / FINAL

83

84

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / FINAL

85

86

DESIGN + MAKE / CORE STUDIO

FOUNDRY / FINAL

87

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS MARTIN SELF

JACK DRAPER

EMMANUEL VERNUYSSE

CHARLIE CORRY-WRIGHT

ZACHARY MOLLICA

CHRISTOPHER SADD

MICHAEL ARNETT

EDWARD COE