Fodr M3 journal

Foundations of Design : Representation, SEM1, 2017 M3 JOURNAL - PATTERN vs SURFACE Xintong Chen (980480) Derek Hu + Studio 23

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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) The three elementary types of developable surfaces are cylinders, cones and tangent surfaces of space curves with the following common properties: “they are special ruled surfaces because a tangent plane is always tangent to the surface along an entire ruling and not just in a single point.� Their surfaces are smooth and with no Gaussian curvature. They can be mapped into a plane without any distortion. This action of distortionfree mapping is called development.

They are 3 basic types of developable surfaces. Any developable surface is a composition of them,

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) Huyghe + Le Corbusier Puppet Theatre - by MOS It is important because developbale surface makes use of various architectural geometry and therefore generates a great diversity for the surface art. In the case of Puppet Theatre, the architects used 500 white polycarbenate panels to form the developable surface. This is a surface that could be dispatched and mapped into a plane without distortion. In the right bottom images, we could also contemplate the process of installation of this entrance, as they connected the planar diamonds to creat a curve surface.

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PANELLING PATTERN

Top: exploring different methods on constructing surfaces. (Network surface is the best among them because it preserves more shape.)

Bottom right: 2d Panelling, Pattern: Triangular/Brick.

3D Panelling. Pattern: pyramid 2, with point attractor.

Exploring 3D Panelling.

Panelling with pyaramids provides the best fit surface without gaps between each module.

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VARIABLE 3D PATTERN

Panelling with four patterns and linear curve attrators.

Panelling with five patterns and circular curve attrator.

Panelling with three patterns and exploring bounding box.

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3D PANEL TEST PROTOTYPE & TEMPLATE

Folding it and gluing with PVA. Strip1 panel 4.

I labeled the unrolled surfaces so that they woould not be messed up.

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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 one of the final steps for the transformation from representation to buildings. It is a way of utilising digital data to control a fabrication process and a handy tool to make scaled model quickly and accurately.

It is simply another way of representation of 2D modelling. A building is made of many parts and their accumulation is relied on manipulating 2D materials. The use of degital fabrication helps to make this accretion more visible and easier for architects.

Question 2: Suggest two reasons why folding is used extensively in the formal expression of building design? (Maximum 100 words) 1. Folding turns a falt surface to three dimensional. It allows new territories and space to emerge without losing the “native characteristics of what’s being folded”.

2. Folding is “materially economic, viasually appealing and effective at multiple scales”.

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EXPLORING 3D PANELLING

Final model. I used 5 different patterns and curve attractor.

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UNROLL TEMPLATE OF YOUR FINAL MODEL

The first four strips.

Although some of them have 2 pyramids within 1 grid, I ungrouped them before panelled them onto the surface therefore their unrolled surfaces would not be overlapped.

Unrolling strip 1-4. They were put into 2 pieces of A0 paper to print out.

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PANELISED LANDSCAPE

Top View

Close_up view.

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A close-up look from left hand side.

A close-up look.

A close-up look from the top.

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A Close-up look from the top II.

APPENDIX

Exploring different panelling method.

A failed try because it is too messy.

I did not choose this model because it loocks very symmetrical and therefore a bit simple.

Connecting modules with PVA and bull nose clips.

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I used PVA glue when the tabs were big and convient to apply bull nose clips. PVA dries slowly but it disappears after it’s dried completely.

Cutting the the unrolled surface with steel ruler, pen knife and cutting mat.

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I used UHU glue when the connecting parts were very small and hard to use clips. UHU can be dry fast but it could leave a glue trace on the paper.