Digital Marble: Smarter 3D Printing

Alexandra Karlsson Napp Jan VranovskĂ˝ Yuanfang Lu

Advanced Design Studies The University of Tokyo Department of Architecture

Digital Marble Smarter 3D Printing

DFL Research Pavilion 2015 Team Research and Proposals

Foreword

→ Table of Contents

3

4

Material Initial research Material preparation Fully developed material Structural test

7 – 14 10 – 11 12 13 14

Tool & Technology Distribution method logic Supporting systems Printing without a tool Early tool prototypes Second stage prototype development Second stage prototype Wide nozzle printing test Void and second system Continuous pump concept Continuous pump prototype

15 – 38 18 – 19 20 – 21 22 – 23 24 – 25 26 – 27 28 – 31 32 – 33 34 – 35 36 – 37 38

Aggregation Introduction of porosity New printing method Printing screens Material hybridization Screen movement Printing distance Screen tilting Voxel printing Smart tool concept

39 – 60 42 – 43 44 – 60 48– 53 54 – 55 56 57 58 59 60

Color distribution Early deployment schematics Time-based distribution

61 – 72 64 – 65 66 – 72

Form & Construction Structural logic Construction process

73 – 81 76 – 77 78 – 81

Pavilion model photodocumentation

83 – 91

Bibliography

92

→ Foreword Our project investigates 3D printing, both its possibilities and limitations on an architectural scale. Special focus lies on the role of color in architecture, human and machine interaction, smart tool and smart aggregation, and distribution methods.

The publication is divided into five chapters: Material, Tool & Technology, Aggregation, Color Distribution, and Form & Construction. Material investigates 3D-printable substrates and binders to make for a printing paste not requiring heat like the commonly used thermoplastic. Tool & Technology centers on techniques for creating a human-operated 3D-printing tool. Aggregation looks speifically at the character of the extruded paste and its ability to form structure. In color distribution we look at the material and the aggregated whole and figure systems for distributing color patterns within these. Finally the process of designing and fabricating a built work is diagrammed in Form & Construction.

This categorization is somewhat problematic as the chapters overlap both chronologically and in content. However, we hope that these sub-divisions will give the otherwise rather fluid and involved process clarity and legible structure.

This document is intended as a complete record of the entire research process rather than a purified presentation of outcome. As such the book’s narrative includes failed experiments and speculative proposals not followed up but instrumental in reaching our final proposal.

4

Introduction

5

→ Foreword

Our aim is a method for smart 3D printing with continuously changing material properties formed by humans aided by computers.

6

M → Material

7

Material

8

Our material proposes ingredients and proportions chosen specifically to work with the challenges of pigmented, large-scale 3D printing. The paste needed to be cohesive and malleable while printing and set quickly thereafter to carry successive layers. The final recipe takes cues both from scagliola, a method for introducing color into built surface, as well as lime mortar, taking the material out of the realm of surface finish and into the domain of construction material.

Right: Early material development samples placed in chronological order from bottom to top. Agar and animal glue replaced wood glue binder used in first two samples resulting in greater material cohesion. Agar was deemed

Scagliola, also artificial marble, is made in process wavering between haphazard and systematic, recipes and techniques differing by craftsman. The process is often intuitive involving kneading, silk-thread veining, troweling, and sequential mixing and slicing of different material stocks to produce variated marbling. This degree of workability is made possible by animal glue, used to control dry time allowing for a period of malleability from minutes to hours to days. Traditionally made with calcium carbonate, artificial marble recipes now more often utilize gypsum combined with pigments.

To gypsum and animal glue we added sand, a common building material most popular as an aggregate in concrete. Rather than combining sand with cement, our mixture combines it with the stone-forming calcium hydroxide, which absorbs carbon dioxide during its setting process of carbonation into calcium carbonate. This combination begins to resemble lime mortar, usually three parts sand to one part lime (a form of calcium hydroxide). Though now less commonly used than concrete in brickwork, lime mortar still finds use in projects that require small-scale production of mortar or the specific properties of lime as follows: A. Lime mortar is more permeable than Portland cement and thus better protects buildings from trapped moisture and decay by allowing the walls to breathe, for this reason often used in restoration work.

B. Its gentle binding properties enable full re-use of other materials used.

C. Limes is stickier than concrete. For the purpose of 3D printing this is advantageous as the material will remain smooth and moldable. Lime has great workability and allows the inclusion of widely graded aggregates in the mix.

D. Finished work will take on a smooth and shiny patina, combining a soft texture with a high degree of luster.

E. Lime is caustic and can provide for healthier environments as a natural disinfectant producing naturally hygienic surfaces.

F. Lime is self-healing and undergoes an autogenous process. Water penetration dissolves ‘free lime’ transporting it into cracks where this lime is deposited as the water evaporates. This setting process is more adept at correcting potential material faults caused by extrusion and textured deployment of material.

unsuitable due to yellowing and crumbling of dry material.

Tests then focused on establishing suitable proportion of animal glue in mix.

Initial research Material

9

Material → Initial research

10

Initial research Material

11

CaCO3

32%

CaCO3

48%

CaCO3

80%

Ca(OH)2

32%

Ca(OH)2

48%

Ca(OH)2

20%

CaSO4.2H20

32%

Wood glue*

4%

Wood glue*

4%

CaCO3

48%

CaCO3

33.3%

CaCO3

20%

Ca(OH)2

48%

Ca(OH)2

33.3%

Ca(OH)2

80%

Wood glue

4%

CaSO4.2H20

33.3%

CaCO3

32%

CaCO3

50%

CaCO3

33%

Ca(OH)2

32%

Ca(OH)2

50%

Ca(OH)2

65%

CaSO4.2H20

32%

NaHCO3

2%

Wood glue

4%

CaCO3

33%

CaCO3

29%

Preliminary material tests. Each sample

Ca(OH)2

65%

Ca(OH)2

57%

was tested for strength after a 7 day drying

Epoxy resin

2%

14%

period. Stongest were mixtures of CaCO3,

珪藻土

Ca(OH)2 and gypsum.

Dots indicate how well the samples performed.

Material → Material preparation

12

Material preparation: Dry ingredients and pigments are mixed in predetermined proportions.

After adding wet stock the gyspsum starts to set at a speed dependent on amount of animal glue in mix. Dry and wet stock are therefore combined shortly before extrusion.

Animal glue which slows down the setting time of gypsum is added in higher quanitity if a longer period of mealleability is desirable.

Final material contents: CaCO3 – 800 g Ca(OH)2 – 1800 g CaSO4.2H20 – 3000 g Diluted animal glue – 2000 mL H20 – until smooth Pigments – varies Right: Pigment tests.

→ Fully developed material Material

13

Material → Structural test

14

A simple structural test for

The material was tested over

For the purpose of the calcula-

bending force was performed

a 30cm span and withstood

tions, we speculated that the

with the assistance of Prof.

3200g of stress. Due to very low

material had same amount of

Sato (Sato Lab, UTokyo). A

elasticity, no yield stress was

elasticity and therefore same

500mmx50mmx20mm block

measured, but it is valued at

Young’s modulus as concrete.

was casted and allowed to dry

1/3 to 1/5 of ultimate stress for

Material elastic ultimate stress

for a period of five days.

a temporary pavilion.

is then 7,1 kg/m2.

15 → Tool & Technology

T

Tool & Technology The brief proposed development of a smart tool. Our design process pivoted on development of this tool and supporting guides as its capabilities ultimately would decide the method for making the pavilion and thereby its final form.

The tool becomes the vessel through which computational designs can be expressed in a material medium. Meanwhile, as opposed to fully-automated machinery, it gives the human hand access to the process of making.

Digitally guided material deposition immediately draws parallels to 3D printing. During development we often mimicked the techniques used by 3D printers with the goal of creating a user-guided version assisted by digital aids.

We proposed a range of prototypes to varying success. Experiments centered around methods for powering material extrusion and ways of controlling flow through digital guides or physical implements such as cartridges and nozzles.

Our initial pump-powered machine necessitated heavy motors creating weight, while a feasible tool ought to be easily manipulable by the user and abate arduousness of physical tasks. The pump prototypes gave way to a continuous feed system. Feeding material to a mixing rotor and helix allowed for dryer more porous material extrusions and less overall weight of machinery. With less lag between preparation and extrusion, material properties can be better adjusted with the help of real-time feedback by external guidance systems. The tool can thus be better integrated into a networked construction process.

16

17

Tool & Technology → Distribution method logic

18

Originally outlined distribution logic is based on the use of large syringe-like cartridges, each containing a material of certain properties. By using these cartridges in a prescribed order, one can achieve near-to-smooth gradient of changing structural properties.

The cartridges can be thought of as mass customized liquid bricks. The machine itself is envisioned as motorized pump fitted with a hose and nozzle to give its user better freedom of movement while printing. The width and thickness of the nozzle slit defines the dimensions of the printed volume.

Alternative cartridge logic with gradients of material filling each syringe. Syringe preparation would see greater complexity, but the result would be a smoother printed gradient.

Each volume partition, or “brick”, is part of a wider system of continuously changing properties or gradient. Such a space would be designed in a computer program and once finished, the program would list “recipes” for each segment of material. Labeling and designing a feasible system for the production of cartridges would be necessary. Size and volume of each partition is defined by capacity of the printer cartridge and design of the nozzle.

Distribution method logic Tool & Technology

19

Tool & Technology → Supporting systems

20

One of the limitations of hand-operated printer nozzle is inconsistency of the material layer produced. While the pump pushes material at constant speed, human movement is incapable of perfectly steady distribution

Attached accelerometer provides real-time data about user acceleration and speed.

The data would be then sent to an Arduino unit, which would adjust the pump motor speed accordingly. Such a system would, speculatively, allow for printing of a consistent layer of material when the nozzle is operated by hand. Data flow of the system follows:

Hand movement Accelerometer Arduino Pump motor

In addition to the accelerom-

siveness, as the stabilization

eter aid, a stabilization unit

unit creates lag between hand /

could be introduced in order

body movement and movement

to achieve smoother results

of the actual tool.

while handling the nozzle by hand. Such system could be very similar to those used for professional video recording.

A downside of such a system would be slower tool respon-

Supporting systems Tool & Technology

21

Tool & Technology → Printing without a tool

22

Before tool construction, a series of small scale models were printed using a piping bag capped with a flat nozzle and filled with printing paste.

Primary objective of these tests was to explore the feasibility of our distribution logic, a co-planar accumulation. Secondary objective was to test performance and properties of the material: artificial marble.

During the tests, a series of changes to the original recipe were made.

Top left: Gradient of printed colors Bottom left: Salt-rich clay introduced as void supports.

The salt traveled through the structure and settled on its surface.

Top right: Printing an arch Bottom right: Double-curved surface using initial sand and glue mixture with water-soluble voids containing sand, starch, and agar washed away.

Printing without a tool Tool & Technology

23

Tool & Technology → Early tool prototypes

24

First set of tool prototypes were simple syringes fitted with 3D printed nozzles. At this stage, we were mainly testing different sizes and designs of nozzles. Secondarily, we were testing overall feasibility of the cartridge printing system on a smaller scale.

Handling such a crude hand-powered tool proved difficult and took focus and ability away from accuracy in printing.

It was clear that we need to develop tool where pump would be automated and controlled electronically.

Early tool prototypes Tool & Technology

25

Tool & Technology → Second stage prototype development

26

Second stage tool prototype with motorized pump.

A 0.5 l canister with 3D printed nozzle and piston parts occupies an MDF frame. Rubber gaskets seal the gap between canister and piston surfaces.

A stepper motor rotates a threaded rod through a nut fixed to a sliding board pushing the piston head.

Communication with computer was established through a stepper motor control circuit and Arduino Uno board using customized code.

Second stage prototype development Tool & Technology

27

Tool & Technology → Second stage prototype

28

Left: Assembled prototype with stepper motor and arduino board.

Right: First printing test. One person is controlling the pump speed through a Processing script on the computer and a second handling the printer nozzle. Projected image used as visual guidance.

The machine performed well with no major technical issues.

The test proved the limitations of our distribution logic as we were forced to use a paste more liquid than desirable to be within the capabilities of the machine’s motor and structural integrity of the parts themselves.

Second stage prototype Tool & Technology

29

Tool & Technology Second stage prototype

30

Second stage prototype Technology

31

Left: Outcome of the first printing test.

Part of the volume collapsed.

This was partially due to human imprecision in the printing process (some lines printed misaligned) and partially due to overly liquid material which didn’t dry fast enough to function as a stable support for the next layer.

While the human error could be limited by overcoming a user learning curve, liquidity of the material could not be addressed with the current tool prototype. Since the material resistance and friction grows when the amount of water in the mixture is reduced, we soon reached limit of what the motor could handle torque-wise.

Another growing issue was aggregation: cumulation of imperfections in every layer had a growing tendency. At certain moment, inconsistency of the volume’s surface reached a level which made the foundation of successive layers trepidatious. A method for leveling the surface would be necessary.

Preparing, filling and changing cartridges during the printing process turned to be very tedious and inefficient.

Tool & Technology → Wide nozzle print test

32

A simple experiment to test wider (10 cm) nozzle was performed in order to address questions of scalability of the construction logic.

The test revealed another series of issues connected with the logic and material.

Control over the material layer consistency is more complicated once the nozzle is larger and accumulation of error gets very serious. Wider nozzle needs a wider hose to achieve a jet effect and a larger syringe, thus requiring larger machinery with a more powerful and heavier motor.

Perhaps most importantly, weight of the built up material mass is very high. This is an issue in serveral ways: transportation costs rise, hand-held tool based construction process is more tiring, structural loads caused by the material itself is high.

We concluded that the originally proposed distribution method was perhaps not the best solution to architectural-scale printing and needed to be rethought.

Wide nozzle print test Tool & Technology

33

Tool & Technology → Void and second system

34

To address the issue of heavy material use we made proposals for hollow walls. Here a two-headed nozzle draws two lines of material intended as a single wall.

Width of the wall could be altered by adjusting the distance between the two heads.

Gap between the two volumes could then be filled by light material, stabilizing the wall.

Secondary structural system such as vertical reinforcement could also be implemented.

Alternatively more subtle horizontal reinforcement inserted in the wet mass could be used to connect the two volumes and stabilize the structure.

Void and second system Tool & Technology

35

Tool & Technology → Continuous pump concept

36

Although making a hollow

viable. Piston of such a syringe

issues in real life, making the

material forward inside the

wall addresses the issue of

would have to be pushed by

construction inefficient and

printer body without need of

weight and volume, it fails as

motor of according size and

complicated.

additional pressure. Material

a fully feasible construction

weight. Any increase of the

system. The cartridge system

syringe volume would result in

For these reasons, the pump

perhaps even be mixed inside

still posed problems. For

need to completely

was rethought from scratch:

the printer. This way, true

architectural scale printing,

redesign the machine. More-

instead of cartridge based

continuous printing could be

each material cartridge volume

over, the logic of changing

printing we have now continu-

achieved. Most importantly

would have to be at least 5 l

cartridges during the printing

ous pump printing. A rotating

though, the direct dependency

in order to make the process

process presents wide range of

screw-thread is pushing the

of the motor size and its torque

could be fed continuously and

→ Continuous pump concept Tool & Technology

37

on syringe size disappears,

The printer slowly moves from

to series of containers with

freeing us from the ever-grow-

hand-held nozzle based system

separated material ingredients

ing scalability problem.

to more robust printer that

such as the basic powder

needs some type of support.

mixture, water, animal glue and

In the first speculations, hose

In the most basic scenario the

pigments. There could even

and nozzle was still being used

machine is being fed manually

be separate opening for each

with the continuous pump.

by users. In more advanced

ingredient, so they would be

It soon turned out that such

setting the feeding would

mixed together in predefined

an approach isn’t viable and

be automated however. The

sequence. Dosage would

needs to be rethought as well.

machine could be connected

be then be controlled by a

computer.

Tool & Technology → Continuous pump prototype

38

As a cold mock of the proposed

With the a multi-slit screen

smart-tool we used a standard

replacing single outlet nozzle

meat mincer. Outlet screens

system, we introduce a new ag-

are 3D printed with varying

gregation method, abandoning

aperatures.

the original rigid layering logic.

A → Aggregation

39

Aggregation In Stockholm’s blue line metro stations, spray concrete covers spacious corridors blasted out of bedrock. Painted and lacking the authentic lustre of real stone, the material, taking on the facets of its stone base while softening its jagged edges, begins to resemble paper mache. The surface texture, recalling craft but made with heavy machinery, makes for large-scale infrastructure that exhibits a perceived though not actual human scale of production. The shock of exploded stone and cavernous underground space is diluted though still apparent.

Additive process has the natural advatage of enabling a richness of varigated texture. Through creating an aggregation process with feedback loops we can control this texture more finely, creating structural patterns while adapting to local necessity and process-based shifts in planned geometry.

Through manipulating nozzle heads, and aggregation of noodles of differing thickness accumulate allowing for control of the medium’s overall porosity.

The malleable extruded paste bends and folds into an agglomeration filling in voids and eliminating the need for regular leveling of material fill.

40

41

Aggregation → Intrduction of porosity

42

Since the material weight is very high (about 1,2 times the weight of water), introducing porosity was of high priority from the beginning of the research.

Lowering the volume weight by mixing the material with air or other gas would make the construction process more effective and possibly faster, decrease the structure’s overall weight, and result in lower material consumption.

Left: Reticulated voronoi structure. Sponge was soaked with artificial marble solution and dried.

Early experiments were focused on reticulated voronoi structures. Polyurethane sponge soaked in liquid artificial marble was the first explored option.

Such a solution would, however, introduce a new material to the process and be difficult to combine with any 3D printing distribution logic. Control over the cell size would be also limited, if none. Thickness of the marble layer covering the polyurethane was also difficult to control.

Partial solution to this issue was explored by introducing air balloon voronoi structure. Size of the cell could be easily controlled this way. However for such scenario, traditional form work would be needed to both compress the balloons and hold the liquid marble until it dries. Drying process is, however, in this state very complicated since air doesn’t have enough access to surface of the marble.

Various scenarios involving naturally-formed voronoi structures turned to be ineffective when combine with 3D printing distribution logic and were abandoned. However, idea of porosity stayed and influenced direction of the research.

Right: Voronoi structure formed by compressed air balloons.

Such setting gives good level of control over the balloon size but material casting is complicated and drying slow as its surface doesn’t have access to air.

Intrduction of porosity Aggregation

43

Aggregation → New printing method

44

Left: Printing process utilizing aggregation as it’s core princi-

New printing method Aggregation

45

Shaping the semi-liquid material into number of separated streams of certain shape and diameter as it’s being printed has three major consequences.

ple. Color gradient is result of continuous pump, mixing the marble with pigment powder naturally.

First is that the printed volume has large surface with large amount of voids.

This doesn’t only make it lighter, it also makes the drying period faster as air has more access to the marble.

Second is porosity: up to 50% of the printed volume is air and it can be controlled through number of techniques. Porosity makes the printing more efficient as it leads to larger volumes using the same amount of material as if printing a non-porous volume and to structure being generally lighter.

Third consequence is the aggregation process. Each separate stream of material acts on it’s own to certain degree and tends to even out surface inconsistencies and voids. It’s behavior is uncontrollable and fairly random, but in big picture, it creates even volumes with controllable geometry and with embedded self-correcting tendency, much to contrary compare to the previous layering method.

Right: Diagram of the project development: starting with solid, heavy volumes printed in layers, continuing with introduction of void in order to make it lighter and finally mixing the void with the volume more evenly, resulting in porous structure.

Aggregation New printing method

46

New printing method Aggregation

47

Aggregation New printing method → Printer screens

48

Shape and size of the screen

Number of different designs

slits is one of the key factors

were 3D printed and tested. On

influencing the printed volume

the next two pages, some of the

structure, way it aggregates

sample volumes are displayed.

and it’s porosity.

Printer screens New printing method Aggregation

49

Aggregation New printing method Printer screens

50

Printer screens New printing method Aggregation

51

Aggregation New printing method Printer screens

52

For a more advanced scenario, we speculate that apertures could be used in order to open, close or change diameter of every single screen slit independently. This way large number of different setting could be created without need of changing the screens manually. It would also allow for fully continuous, uninterrupted change of the material stream as it’s being printed.

Using more advanced types of screens capable of changing their slits electronically could lead to printing experience close to using Photoshop brushes, only in 3D and in real life. This could either give user ultimate freedom of expression while building a volume, or it could lead into very effective construction logic where every part of the volume would have different porosity and structural performance based on a virtual model.

Technically less challenging alternative to the aperture slits could be carousel-like screen changing system, similar to some filter switching systems for cameras.

Printer screens New printing method Aggregation

53

Aggregation New printing method → Material hybridization

54

Another speculative enhancement of the printing system could be introduction of second material to the printed stream.

Such material could be there to either make the structure stronger (wire, cable, resin) or to make it lighter (filler materials). Such material could be distributed in solid state (left), or liquid through separate nozzle (right).

Material hybridization New printing method Aggregation

55

Aggregation New printing method → Screen movement

56

Movement of the printer or printer screen during the printing also has affects the way the material aggregates. Such movement could be vibration or rotation.

Rotation movement was tested and leads to more entangled, compact units which aggregates less with others.

Distance between the printing plane and the screen is another key factor affecting the result.

Printing from larger distance (15 cm and more) leads to broken, separated particles that aggregates into mass of lower porosity. Width of the printed volume also tends to be get smaller. Printing from distance around 10 cm gives good results with continuous streams of material and good aggregation performance.

Printing from very close distance (5 cm and less) also keeps the material streams intact and continuous, but leads to notably wider volume.

→ Printing distance New printing method Aggregation

57

Aggregation New printing method → Screen tilting

58

Tilting the screen by 90 degrees (so it’s perpendicular to the printing plane) affects the way the steams aggregate.

Do to the bending, they form more compact and entangled assemblies before they touch the plane. Using this technique leads to notably less porous volumes with different structure.

In comparison, standard printing with screen parallel to the plane allows the material streams to act more independently, leading to more porous results. This type of aggregation has higher ability to correct inconsistencies and errors.

One of the most important differences between the previous layering system and the new pseudo-random aggregation logic is that the later works more as a voxel-based printing.

There is no direct dependency between the nozzle (screen) size and the printed volume width because simple addition of material “voxels”, in any direction, is possible. Screen of the same diameter as is the desired width of printed volume makes the printing process faster, but isn’t a limiting factor by itself.

A test 3 × 3 × 3 voxel sample was printed in order to prove the initial speculation (image at right).

→ Voxel printing New printing method Aggregation

59

Aggregation New printing method → Smart tool concept

60

All the previous techniques and

We believe that the collection

Specific and very important

Developing a smart compu-

observations, together with the

of techniques is a base ground

variable in the process is dry-

tation system which could

material ingredient content and

for smart tool development.

ness of the material. It’s state

keep track of all the printing

style of printing, form a frame

While one or two aspects of the

changes dynamically ever since

variables and altering them in

of work flow that needs to be

printing could be controlled by

water is added and for that

order to get the most desirable

understood in order to achieve

the users manually, to control

reason, it is impossible to track

and effective result is in our

highly-controlled results. While

all of them together at the

precisely how dry each dose of

opinion the most important

the printing method works

same time is almost impos-

material is, especially because

next step in advancing the

well even without changing the

sible. There are also complex

it needs to be prepared in ad-

proposal.

screens, tilting the printer and

dependencies between one

vance. Yet precisely dryness of

measuring distances between

and each of them since many of

the material plays major role in

the machine and printing plane,

them affect the same aspect of

the printing process, affecting

using the tool in such a way

printing in different way.

aggregation, drying time and

would be a missed opportunity.

thus stability of the volume right after it’s printed.

61 → Color distribution

C

Color distribution

62

Just as the cathode ray tube brought color to television, we want to use technology to unify color with space and form in the architectural vocabulary giving the skeletal body, the modernist conception of the built, a “flesh”, and the architect a larger amount of freedom.

One of our main motivations to explore color in architectural design was it’s role in western society: “It is, I believe, no exaggeration to say that, in the

3D printing as distribution method opens up for pattern-making and localized color variation integral to the built form. Our distribution methods propose both a designed method, where prescribed instructions can be designed or premediated by the architect, as well as a time-based deployment where the final color scheme is a result of the building process. Instead of merely applied, color becomes algorithmic, descriptive of instructions performed in a prescribed sequence and deviation there from.

West, since Antiquity, color has been systematically marginalized, reviled, diminished and degraded. Generations of philosophers, artists, art historians and cultural theorists of one stripe or another have kept this prejudice alive, warm, fed

In this continuous flow of material, color is capable of showing differences.

Whether a visual cue or manifestation of spatial reasoning, color maintains a clear parallel to the empirical providing a bridge from the digital, where colors exist as numbers, to the material as light interactions making differences intelligible to human vision.

and groomed. As with all prejudices, its manifest form, its loathing, masks a fear: a fear of contamination and corruption by something that is unknown or appears unknowable.”

The digital allows a dream world of hypercolored floating forms existing on a flat screen wherein abnormal conditions mean shadows must be added and saturation, hue, and brightness are easily manipulable by sliders. Production of this Photoshop cinema by computers is completely calculable and precise, therefore capable of a newfound aesthetic intelligence. The computer can find regularities, patterns, evaluations, and speeds of works: transforming, storing, distributing, and switching. This is a new kind of visual sensibility, code first and image second. However as the screen is limited to an RGB color gamut, the material continues to enable wider a spectrum of possible color conditions. Our digitized deployment is not seeking to mimic computer screen visualizations, but to take its projections and manifest them in a way that is necessarily true to the actual.

(Batchelor, 22) Due to Benjamin, “Pure vision is concerned not with space and objects but with color...” (51) Goethe states that Color in all of its inconsistencies and complexities makes the cloudiness of subjective perception most central to experience, in service of achieving the highest aesthetic ends. (7, 9, 297)

Color Distribution

63

Color Distribution → Early deployment schematics

64

Early speculations and tests regarding color deployment were focused on achieving various color schemes which would be predefined in computer by the architect. In such scenario printing method was seen as an extension of tabletop color printer logic, but achieving also 3D volume and limitless size of the outcome.

Such logic clashed to certain degree with the human element, where the user, always imperfect, would have to try to follow a predefined scheme with maximal possible precision and inevitably fail to certain degree. “Human touch� would thus be present only as an imperfection, deviation from ideal pattern.

Linear layer-by-layer color deployment

Linear (vertical) gradient

Complex gradient achiavable through smaller doses of material with gradually changing color properties

Early deployment schematics Color Distribution

65

Color deployment → Time-based distribution

66

Different approach to utilization of color is based on seeing color as an indicator of process. Similar to tree rings or geological layering, through using color the structure could turn into diagram of it’s own birth, showing various informationconcerning the construction process.

In layer-by-layer micro scale, we speculate such result could be achieved by triggering a diffusion of color pigment between layers or voxels after they are printed. If the pigment naturally tends to travel through the material before it dries, the phenomenon could indicate time frame of the construction.

For instance, if a layer is printed at the end of the day, dries and next layer is printed the next day, there will be no color interaction between them. If the layer is printed right after the previous one was printed, color interaction will be strong.

If there is few minutes time gap between printing each layer so the material is semi-dry, there will be low but still notable color interaction.

Indication of the process would be thus legible through interaction between the layers rather than through choice of colors.

For that reason, colors could be chosen randomly by users as long as they alternate.

Right bottom: Erosion problems. N.d. Detecting Design: The Geologic Column. Web. 20 May. 2015.

Time-based distribution Color deployment

67

Color Deployment → Time-based Distribution

68

A number of tests were per-

when wet. The first series of

marble material. A second se-

from a saline environment to

fomed in order to find a way

experiments worked with two

ries of experiments dealt with

a less saline environment. The

to trigger color interaction

variations of stacked material,

salt-saturated material and

salt traveled through the layers

between two layers of material.

one marble mixed with papi-

standard marble. Speculation

but did not create a high degree

In all previous models color re-

er-mâchÊ or cotton and the

was that this would trigger

of color interaction.

mained largley inert, not mixing

other without, with the hope of

osmosis between the two

chemically or even mechanical-

the fibrous addatives soaking

layers so that water-soluable

ly bleeding to adjacent layers

up pigments from the adjacent

pigment particles could travel

Time-based Distribution Color Deployment

69

Finally third series of exper-

cantly smaller than those of

yellow, as the pigments travel

iments were carried out. In

water. These tests gave us pos-

at different speeds away from

these we worked with 100%

itive results. The alcohol-satu-

the source.

ethanol and alcohol-solvable

rated layer did tend to stain the

dyes. We hypothesized that the

non-saturated layer. We also

The yellow layer slowly disap-

diffusion of alcohol and dye

witnessed an instance of color

peared during the following

would lend better results as

filtration as the blue dye color

days, leaving only gradually

alcohol molecules are signifi-

separated into blue, azure and

fading blue.

Color Deployment → Time-based Distribution

70

In larger scale, similar “birth-diagram” logic was developed for the color deployment. For each day of construction, there would be predefined limited set of pigments. These pigments could be deployed by the users randomly, or with certain logic. For the next day of construction, set of pigments would change, making the line between current and previous construction day visible.

This way the viewer would see how much volume was printed each day and how many days the construction lasted.

Similar to the color interaction logic which would reveal micro-relationships between each single layer, this would show a macro-scale picture of the construction.

The building would turn into an introspective process diagram of it’s own birth, which could be used in evaluation of the construction. In another scenario, each user / worker could be using only one color a day, so his / her part of work would be forever traceable.

Time-based Distribution Color Deployment

71

Color Deployment Time-based Distribution

72

73 → Form & Construction

F

Form & Construction Through creating an aggregation process with feedback loops we can control the character and composition of the form more finely, creating both structural and visual patterns while adapting to local necessity and process resultant shifts in the planned overall geometry.

A scanning and laser projection system guides the user in shaping of the form.

The scanning system oversees the distributions of material mass and feeds this data to the projector which casts a beam where material ought to be deposited next.

Manufacturing using a layering technique without extensive use of support material limits ability to cantilever material to the highest possible displacement of the non-dry print line in relation to the layer below. The structure must also maintain structural integrity during and with each successive layer.

74

75

Form & Construction → Structural logic

76

Form development before

with inability to aggregate

introduction of the new

more lines together into one

aggregation logic was focused

thicker volume. For those

on creating structurally stable

reasons the ground part of the

geometry within constraints of

structure had “squiggly� plan,

the linear printing logic. These

replacing a thick wall, gradually

constraints were mainly the

changing into clean line as the

nozzle size and width together

volume grows in height.

Structural Logic Form & Construction

77

Form & Construction → Construction process

78

Printing machines are attached to boom operators. These booms set up on wheeled dollies move along a laid track similar to set-ups for crane shots in filmmaking.

A material mixing station allows dry and wet stock to be mixed on site.

A central scanning system overlooks the built work and sends data to a laser projection system which provides printing instruction.

Temporary frameworks are set up to allow for voids in the printed structure.

Material is fed to the machines at which point pigments are added.

Printing proceeds. Machines require one person to operate and another to feed material.

Cosntruction process Form & Construction

79

Form & Construction → Construction process

80

The scanning system oversees printed material and compares with originally intended geometry and checks structural feasibility. The form is re-calculated to adjust for any errors.

Printing instructions, including piment amounts and colors are provided for each machine via laser projection and digital readouts.

The structure is printed to a certain height.

Framework and temporary structures are removed and the site cleared.

Cosntruction process Form & Construction

81

Form & Construction

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

→ Bibliography

92

Batchelor, David. Chromophobia. Reaktion Books, 2000. Print.

Benjamin, Walter. Selected writings, Volume I, 1913 – 1926. Harvard University Press, 1996. Print.

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von. Goethe’s Theory of Colours. J. Murray, 1840. Print