Activation

Active Matter

Shiyun Wang MS: Active Matter 02 Instructor: Shany Barath and Gary Freedman The Architectural Association Fall 2014

Activation I

Caustic Soda_MDF

Step I_a angular deployable structure Material 1) deployable structure that connect off-centre will resulting in a curvy deploying form

2) caustic soda injected onto mdf will cause the mdf to expand over time.

Speculation the caustic soda causing the mdf expand through the joints, where metal rods are used to connect the two piece of mdf, and lock the deployable structure in a fixed angle.

Step I_a angular deployable structure Result 1) the expansion did not happy through the connected point

2) the structure still lock itself through the expansion on the side that it cause the straight piece to bend and therefore locked the structure.

Speculation making a chain-like structure and using this method to freeze part of the structure to present the expansion and its result in freeze the moments

Step 2_a angular deployable structure Material 1) injecting caustic soda on side of the joint will cause the mdf to expand and interlock the deployable structure

2) a chain-like structure that could open and close in one-direction and will free Speculation making a chain-like structure and using this method to freeze part of the structure to present the expansion and its result in freeze the moments

Activation Process

Activation 2

Bleach_MDF

Step I_bleach the stacked mdf Material

Method

1) a stack of 3mm thick mdf is taped in both end 2) bleach will deactivate the colour of mdf dip one end of the stack into a cup filled with bleach

Step I_bleach the stacked mdf Result

1) the bleach worked in less 5 mins to de-active the colour 2) bleach also cause expansion of the mdf and producing a furry effect on the surface

Step 2_bleach the pattern Material

Method

1) a stack of 3mm thick mdf is taped on four ends 2) bleach will deactivate the colour of mdf based on the amount of bleach used inject bleach into the gap

Step 2_bleach the pattern Result

1) the deactivation in the lowest layer travel the furthest 2) some gap are small enough that the expansion filled the hole 3) layers exposed to the air expanded also upwards

Step before

Bleaching process

Activation 4

Sugar_Sand

Material

Step I_sugar candle 1) a candle stick 2) sugar that could melt and formed shape along the mode

Result

Step I_sugar candle 1) sugar is too fragile at the thinnest part to support itself 2) the sticky surface prevent it from getting a clean surface

Method Result

surface

Step 2_sand sugar Mixing sugar with sand to gain more rigidity 1) even with the help of sand, the sugar still is fragile 2) the burning of high temperature, however, causing a black colour and less sticky

Activation 3

Thermal Acrylic

Method

Result

Step I_paint pattern 1) paint the acrylic in a specific colour order in order to achieve a 3d effect 2) use hot water as the heating device 1) the 3d effect did not achieved 2) the hot water is deactivating the colour but the speed is not fast enough

Method

Step 2_air gap flip the model upside down to give air gap between the heating device and the model

Result

the speed did not slow down significantly

Step before

Active Speculation

Component 01 Deployable structure @PennDesign _adopt the dome deployable structure and using caustic soda to freeze it as a large scale canopy

Component 02 olafur_eliasson _adopt the origami panel ideas to fit plastic sheets in between the deployable structure

Component 02-2 Ann Arbor_adopt hexagonal panels of white plaster instead

Component 03

Lighting device as one source of heating method

Component 04

The audience as the fours elements as they touch the surface, the colour fades