DD Module2

Digital Design - Module 02 Semester 1, 2018 Zhen Gu

877248 Joel Collins + 15

Week Three

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

Kolerevic described three fundamental type 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)

The three techniques are two-dimensional fabrication, subtractive fabrication and additive fabrication.

For two-dimensional fabrication, the cutting head moves on x and y axis, while the cutting head for subtractive fabrication moves in all three, x, y and z directions. More complex cuts like undercuts can also have four or five-axis machines working.

Additive fabrication is the opposite of subtractive fabrication, it is the converse of milling. This involves increased forming by adding material layer by layer.

With Computer Numeric Controlled fabrication and parametic modelling cooperaate together, architects can work more efficiently. Various of interations of design can be quickly done, changed and improved. Highly-detailed final work can then be processed by machines. The lowest error rate could be achieved.

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Week Three

Surface Creation

A

B

C

D

With a script, it is much easier to create different surfaces. By only draging the number sliders, changes can be made, many options are provided.

Among many different possibilities, 4 typical ones are selected: A: two surfaces quite close to each other, both following the same fluctation B: two surfaces far from each other, large space is provided in between C: two surfaces are close at the front, a wide opening is created at the back side (SELECTED) D: Surface on the top lean towards the other, like they are dancing

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Week Four Panels & Waffle

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Panels on both sides are created with the basic shape - pyramid shape.

The left surface is relatively flat, compared with the right one. Perfortions on the right one was made by ‘weavebird’. Openings are created in order to connect inside and outside.

Hollow waffle structure is generated by two unconnected surfaces inside a 150*150*150mm box. Both two surfaces are leaning to one side.

The two surfaces are quite close at the front, however there is a wide opening at the back side.

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Week Four

Laser Cutting

020004 ZHEN GU

While making waffle, i didn’t find out that my structure is around the 150*150*150 box, instead of inside it. It’s hard to discover that it’s bigger by just looking at it on the computer.

The problem is the wrong location of ‘negative’ command plugged in grasshopper. Also, i didn’t turn the ‘bounding box’ layer on to check it.

While unrolling panels, it’s essential to make sure that they don’t overlap. I tried many different panels and found these two the best (*without too many overlaps, *easy for labelling and folding, but also *looking good after applying ‘weavebirds’.)

I made the width of tabs 5mm, while i find that some people forget to set this and they got 1mm tabs which is almost useless.

Sheet 01 of 01

For one surface, i forgot to flip it, so i got the cutting trace on the wrong side and made my later folding process hard.

020004 ZHEN GU

If putting part of the panel edges on etch layer rather than put them all on cut layers, no taping is required.

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Week Five

By playing with differnt attractors and magnitude forces, there could be different grid manipulations and centroid distributions.

With differnt shapes from lunchbox plug in, there are many intersting spaces created.

I tried to cut the box in different directions in order to get the best result that can fit the use of pavilion.

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Week Five

Isometric

Task 1 used the pyramid shape a lot, while this time, diamond shape is used for boolean. Both shapes have straight edges and triangular surfaces. Task 1 and 2 could be seen as a same series of deisgn.

Slopping walls create an optical illusion and bring some creativity and fun.

For the chosen part, variety sizes of hollowing parts intersect, so there are a lot of different-sized openings which make the inside and outside highly connected. Meanwhile, light from any directions can come in easily. For example, natural light come in through the top give different feelings at different time of the day (just like the Shrine of Remembrance).

With many openings, it is easy to see through, a extroverted feeling is tried to be created. However, The central space which is being surrounded is relatively private and isolated. There are two openings on both sides that blur the boundary of inside and outside. The two openings on both sides allow more choices of coming in and out ways for people. In contrast, there is also a room at the corner with a low wall which act as a definite boundary. These contrasts give the structure more functions.

Both the negative and positive space are developable. Solids can also be spaces if negative and positive parts are inverted. A more stretchable circulation might be created.

As a part of the pavilion, this structure might be approximately 5 to 6 meters tall, because the shapes (with sharp edges) probably give people a kind of feeling of a serious place rather than a social occasion with very relaxed atmosphere.

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Week Six Task 01

Lofts

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4 {0,150,150}

{0,0,150}

{150,0,150}

{0,75,150} {150,150,150}

{150,0,150}

{150,50,150}

{150,90,150} {150,150,150}

{150,75,150}

{30,0,0}

{150,0,75}

{0,0,0}

{150,0,0}

{150,120,0}

{150,100,0}

Paneling Grid & Attractor Point

{Index Selection}

{Index Selection}

2.1

2.2

{-150,-3,80}

{Index Selection}

{Index Selection}

2.3

2.4

{-141,196,0}

{167,-19,71} {107,-10,29}

{131,50,0} {39,181,0}

Paneling

{Attractor Point Location}

{Attractor Point Location}

{Attractor Point Location}

{Index Selection}

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

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+

+

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Design Matrix 1:5

Key {0,0,0}

Attractor / Control Points (X,Y,Z) Attractor / Control Curves Grid Points

Task 01 Matrix I chose surface 1.1 as they are not too close or too far, they don’t touch each other and look good, they just fit nicely and generate a wide opening.

For panelling grids, they are all applied with point attraction. 2.1 is selected for later developing.

3.1 was chosen as it has three dimensional surfaces on both sides, both start basically with the pyramid shape. Surface on the left is relatively flat compared with the other one.

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Week Six Task 02

Grid Manipulation

1.11

.2

{249,-130,74}

1.31

.4

{0,-32,74} {0,76,108}

{-24,182,164}

{0,-46,12}

{-79,56,36} {0,143,6} {Point Attractor}

{Curve Attractor}

Sphere Distribution

Centroid Distibution

2.12

{179,115,88}

.2

{1 Curve Attractor + 2 Point Attractors}

2.32

{Random Attractor}

.4

{190,0,0}

{179,38,11}

{100,113,-21}

{Curve Attractor}

{Random Attractor}

Object Transformation

3.13

.2

{Platonic Octahedron}

{Platonic Icosahedron}

{Point Attractor}

3.33

{Platonic Dodecahedron}

{19,37,-21}

{Curve Attractor}

.4

{Platonic Cube}

Design Matrix 1:5

Key {0,0,0}

Attractor / Control Points (X,Y,Z) Attractor / Control Curves Grid Points

Task 02 Matrix Different attracting methods were applied for grid manipulation, 1.1 with one point attractor was selected because the arrangement of grids look very clear.

2.1 with curve attractor is chosen for object transformation.

Diamond-shaped 3.1 correspondes with pyramid shape in task 1. Though they look pretty much the same scale in this view, they are actually in different sizes, differnt locations that provide a lot of variations.

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Week Six

Final Isometric Views

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Appendix

Process

I tried some panels all with square shape base and triangular pointed ends. (My mind was kind of being locked at that time as i obsessed on square and triangle shapes.)

The two surfaces almost touch on one side and they provide a wide opening on the other side.

Viewcapturetofile of the panelling: one side 2D and one side 3D. These three tries were not chosen as they don’t have much connection between the inside and outside. For my later work, i tried to use ‘weavebird’ to create perforations.

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The two surfaces act like a semi-surrounded wall, but it is not definitely encolsed, there are lots of openings that allow light or wind to come in.

Appendix Process

THIS IS THE PROBLEM!

The bigger model on the left is the one i made at first, it goes aound the bounding box instead being surrounded by the box.

The problem is in grasshopper.

Panels are relatively smaller in the middle and increase in size radiately around the center area. Perforations on all sides allow more light to come in.

Shadows created by the hollow waffle structure is beautiful.

Waffles like steps leading to the top.

Two surfaces slightly lean on one side.

The size of panels generally increase as they go down. One surface lean towards another.

By triming the top of the pyramid shape off, this side is much flatter than the other.

Openings act like windows.

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Appendix

Process

A

C Process of making the physical model: A: trim marks on the wrong side make it hard to fold 5mm tab is okay, but a wider one might be better B: using clips to help panels stick together

B

C: table in a mess it is hard to stick panels to the waffle structure, as long as the four sides are sticked to the structure, the surface still couldn’t attach with it tightly and neatly

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Appendix Process

By playing with different attractors (curve, point & random ...), many choices of grids were provided. It is fun to see how they go toward the attractor.

Lower part of this which is approximately 1/8 of the whole box was selected.

There are sufficient openings and also closed space in the center, clear boundary and also free access.

Shapes in ‘lunchbox’ are easy to use. This makes life much easier.

Personally, i like neither those broken pieces which might crumble easily , nor the solid which looks unbreathable. So there’s a need to find a balance between them, a space which has both openings and closed areas.

Appendix

Process

Different layers created in illustrator in order to adjust the lineweights easily.

Different layers created in illustrator in order to adjust the lineweights easily.

Boundary lines are thicker and darker; texture lines of inner cutting surfaces are lighter; dashed lines showing extra volume of the block.

Boundary lines are thicker and darker; lines showing panel texture are lighter; dashed lines showing how pieces connect.

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Appendix Process

At first, i tried to put it in this way which there three connected rooms. Two on the sides very open, while one in between for private use.

Final choice that there are more openings, better circulation and threshold.

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