Digital Design M1 Journal

Digital Design - Module 01 Semester 1, 2019 Ziyun Guo

962735 Joel Collins, Studio 21

Week One

Week One

Precedent Analysis

Reading: Zeara Polo, A. 2010. Between Ideas and Matters.

According to Zeara-Polo, the diagram does not play a representational role in the design process but provides an organisational and can have a performative quality depending on how it is deployed. Explain how Diagram is different from Signs and Symbols? (100 words Maximum)

Signs consist of icons, indexes and symbols. An Icon is a sign which itself expresses the qualities of its dynamic object. The materiality of it is irrelevant to its performance. The nature of it should be reasonable, because its form is nothing to do with the content. Symbol is a sign which refers to the dynamic object by representing it formally. In this situation, the form and content is arbitrary and immaterial.

In Zeara-Polo’s mind, diagram is a tool that shows relationships and performance is space, might not showing metric or geometric information. It should have a specific space, scale and temporal frame. It has a reductive nature and takes place not only in 3d space but also other dimensions in the real world.

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3 1. David Basulto, Venice Biennale 2012: Radix / Aires Mateus, photograph, https://www.archdaily.com/267567/ venice-biennale-2012-radix-aires-mateus 2. Trace the shape of the objects on top view 3. Align the objects with the box according to the data provided 4. Project the rays onto the surface after ‘Boolean Spliting’ the objects

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The first step of modelling includes inserting the picture with data provided and tracing the shape of objects according to it. Then a box should be built to be trimed by the 3 objects using the ‘booleandifference’ command. The ribs are built by projecting the rays with the ‘arraypolar’ and ‘project’ commands. The images with data provide important information of the accurate scale of the sturcture and show me the way to model it. The photographs give me information of the actual visual effect of the pavilion including surrounding environment, proportion between people and the pavilion, the material difference from interior and exterior and even the detail information like the number of ribs on a surface.

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Week Two

Week Two Isometric

Reading: Hertzberger H. 2005. The in-between and The Habitable Space Between Things, from Lessons for Students in Architecture.

Herzberger discusses how design should not be extreme in its functionality. Use your precedent study to explain how the pavilion allows for an appropriation of use. (100 words Maximum)

Isometric vew and isometric vew from bottom

In the isometric view, the material difference between interior and exterior, the surrounding environment, light and shadow as well as the interior structure of the pavilion is shown. The exterior material is steel and interior material is copper. I represent them with different grey, with exterior color darker and interior color lighter. In addition, I adjust the position of the sun to create an interesting shape of shadow. I selected the isometric view where the stretching part of the pavilion above the river is shown, with part of the shadow suggesting the wave.

In Herzberger’s view, a design should not be extremely aim for its function, which may make a design rigid and inflexible. He mentioned that in a school, a column is designed to be widened at the bottom, which allows children to sit on and play games around.

The pavilion Radix is built near the river, with a part of the pavilion stretching out towards it. A shadow is always created under the steps. It suggests people to sit under that ‘cantilever’ near the river. There are no signs or chairs put in it, but people will naturally walk through it and sit on the riverside. This design is not extreme in its functionality, but it allows for an appropriation of use.

In the isometric view from the bottom, the whole structure and ribs are clearly shown with different types of line and line weights.

In the process of modelling, I can have a clear understanding of the overall shape of the pavilion. Both the shape of the shadow and interior surfaces suggest the threshold. The shape of exterior and the height of different curves inside suggest the circulation. Also, the construction of ribs show the way to build large curved sufaces is to divide them into small pieces and the ribs themselves are supporting elements inside.

The key concept of the precedent study is to have an understanding of structure, scale, material, circulation and threshold by 3D modelling. Also, the way of presenting ideas and information is improved through making diagrams. The threshold is affected by the 3 interior domes, the outline of the structure and the shadow. The circulation informs that the design of this pavilion is to have a communication with the land and water. People are suggested to walk into the pavilion and sit on steps near the river.

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Week Two

Appendix

Diagrams

Process

Structure

Exterior

Primary Circulation Space

Interior

Export the lines of the pavilion by ‘Make 2D ‘ command from Rhino.

Change the line weight, type of lines and tones of lines in Adobe Illustrator.

Adjust the position of the sun to create an interesting shape of shadow, and export the view to 1:50 scale from Rhino using ‘view-

Overlap the line on the rendered picture and change the color of exterior pavilion in Photoshop. Create the wave of the river by

capturetofile’ command.

overlapping white strips onto the original shadow.

Volume of Space

Circulation Paths

Space Actually Occupied

Circulation Diagram

Threshold diagram

The circulation is defined by the structure and surrounding environment. People may bypass the supporting part of the structure, which is directly touch the ground and the part where the height is not enough to be walk through. They may also walk along the riverside.

The threshold is influenced by both the extrior and interior structure. The shape of the three objects suggest the volume of space, and the hatched part shows the actual occupied place.

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Appendix Process

Build a surface and insert it into the model where the bottom supporing part of the model is going to be demonstrated.

Use the ‘Clippingplane’ command to trim the model.

Extract the interior surface from the pavilion to clearly show the interior structure and suggest the threshold.

Do the linework in Adobe Illustrator and export the harf balls from Rhino before combining them in Photoshop.

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