Sophia Miriam Harrison - M3 Journal

Foundations of Design : Representation, SEM1, 2017 M3 JOURNAL - PATTERN vs SURFACE Sophia Miriam Harrison

914382 Emmanuel Cohen, studio 1

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WEEK 6 READING: SURFACES THAT CAN BE BUILT FROM PAPER IN ARCHITECTURAL GEOMETRY Question 1: What are the three elementary types of developable surfaces? Provide a brief description.

(Maximum 100 words) Developable surfaces are those which can be flattened without distortion. Three elementary types of developable surfaces include cylinders, cones and planar quads. Cylinders are formed by a family of parallel lines and thus can be flattened. Cones meet at the vertex but are otherwise similar to a cylinder. Planar quads are a little different but alos ultimately meet at a series of vertexes so are almost an extension of a cone.

Question 2: Why is the understanding of developable surface critical in the understanding of architectural geometry? Choose one precedent from Research/Precedents tab on LMS as an example for your discussion. (Maximum 100 words) It is critical to understand these developable surfaces in order to design a complex structure. The cloud canopy by Madison Architects is a perfect example of how this understanding can be translated into a fully self supported structure. While functioning as shade for pedestrians, it also compliments the other architectural elements within Federation Square. The strcutural engineer said “I don’t know how we could have done it without the aid of 3D design and documentation software” which stresses relationship between the 2D of handdrawn design and the 3D of digital fabrication.

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PANELLING 2D PATTERN

2d Panelling, Pattern: Triangular

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VARIABLE 2D PATTERN

2d Panelling, Pattern: circle inside a triangle

2d Panelling, Pattern: circle inside a square

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3D PANEL TEST PROTOTYPE & TEMPLATE

Unrolled template

Prototype of model - section 18 of 22

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WEEK 7 READING: DIGITAL FABRICATION Complete your reading before attempting these questions:

Question 1: What is digital fabrication and how does it change the understanding of two dimensional representation? (Maximum 100 words) Digital fabrication is the use of digital programs for design purposes. such as the 3D modelling software Rhino which has informed this module. Iwamoto says “It is inconceivable today to imagine designing buildings without the use of computers� (pg2) and it is this statement that demonstrates how intergral digital fabrication is to the design process. It changes our understanding of 2-dimensional representation as it eliminates the steps between conceptual design and final construction. We can play around with many more ideas and concepts without the risk of immediate expense and often the digital process is a lot quicker and efficient than 2D axonometric drawing for example.

Question 2: Suggest two reasons why folding is used extensively in the formal expression of building design? (Maximum 100 words) Folding allows any 2-dimensional surface to become 3-dimenstional. Primarily, it is a relatively accurate way to model a building and observe its form. Just as you can fold a surface, you can unfold it as well.

This means it is a flexible and malleable process in which to test and explore designs. Furthermore, folding is a simple and inexpensive model making alternative for testing the form and also the function of a building.

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EXPLORING 3D PANELLING

Final panelled model

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UNROLL TEMPLATE OF YOUR FINAL MODEL

First page of unrolled surfaces and unrolled surface in rhino

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PANELISED LANDSCAPE

Final model

Close up of final model

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Various 3D variable pattern iterations First 3D variable pattern and panels

Final 3D variable pattern

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APPENDIX

Work in progress and materials used Close up of model in progress

Perhaps the most important lesson from this module was patience and repetition. I found that I learnt the rhino interface through the constant reiterations of 2D and 3D variable, and the many times that I made mistakes and had to go back to the beginning. It is becomimng clearer to me that deisgning is trying and testing a multitude of different ideas and concepts. The first one is almost never the final one. This statement has never been truer for me in my studies than in module 3.

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