Through understanding the climate of site and its physical conditions, it is possible to integrate the following investigations with site to create an architecture that combines the built and natural environments. The implications of air flow, climate, and moisture levels are integral in the design of spaces that are passively cooled and heated. By carefully situating spaces of different scale and orientation, the microclimates of the site can be taken advantage of and used to create the ephemerality that already occurs naturally through architecture. In so doing, the phases of water and the processes that occur between them will highlight theses effects.
43
fs 82-90 (left to right, top to bottom)
f:24
investigations.
44
45
f91
capillary action
46
47
fs 92-100 (left to right, top to bottom)
In order to understand how the packing of different shaped particles can alter the flow of water, various sized particles were packed into clear containers and then water was dripped from above into the containers. The amount of water dripped into the containers was varied, as well as the size of the particles that were inside the containers. Packing of the largest size particle allowed the water to travel the quickest compared to the medium and small size particles. Various tests proved that the water did not travel in a linear path each time. On occasion, the water would deviate from a linear path and split in multiple paths. When testing the oblong-shaped particles, a more clear direction of the liquid and path of the liquid was demonstrated. Although a straight path was not taken, the water flowed in the direction of the long side of the particle. Some of the liquid was absorbed by the particles during travel, so the full amount of liquid did not reach the bottom of the container.
f110: relative particle sizes
An alternative to the oblong-shaped and the largest particles, are the round, tapered particles. The packing of this shape allowed quick flow of the water, but in an unpredictable path. Since the gaps between the particles provided many options for the water to travel in, there was no single path that could be traced to the bottom of the container. However, of all the trials, this test returned the most amount of the initial liquid at the bottom of the container. Compared to the larger particles, the smaller particles resulted in much slower movement of the water. Additionally, the water never made it to the bottom of the container. Instead, there was a buildup of liquid on top of the material that slowly filtered down through the particles. This action might be attributed to the irregularity of the shape of the particle in addition to the small particle size.
fs: 101-109 (top to bottom)
f111: packing of particles
In one instance, the water dissolved some of the material that it was supposed to travel through. When the liquid stopped dissolving the material, it was absorbed into the rest and did not travel very far. When a greater amount of liquid was dripped, the resulting path was more vertical.
48
49
f112
surface tension
50
51
fs 113-118 (left to right, top to bottom)
This investigation explores how water travels over or inhabits crevices of a surface. By tilting the surfaces at the same angle and varying the size of the grooves, this concept was explored.
water conforms to grooves
The constant part of this experiment included the angle at which the surface was supported on. Additionally, the amount of water and the speed at which the water was dripped onto the surface also remained the same. The materiality of the surface did not change either. The varying part of the experiment was the depth of the grooves and their spacing between them (1/16”, 1/8”, and 3/16”).
water partially conforms to grooves (adhesion)
water remains above grooves (cohesion)
3/32”
1/
1/ 8”
1/8 ”
3/ 16 ”
1/8 ”
3/1
3/ 16 ”
3/16”
3/16”
At a smaller ridge height with looser spacing, the surface allowed the water to create more volume between the ridges due to cohesion of the water molecules. The smallest height ridges resulted in the fastest, most narrow paths.
3/1
6”
1/8 ”
3/ 16 ”
9/32”
9/32”
9/32”
6”
” 16
”
1/
1/8”
1/ 8”
1/1 6
3/16”
The larger, more spaced ridges created a wide path that the water traveled in due to the space created between the ridges that allowed the water to fill in. However, this is mainly true with the tighter spacing of the larger ridges. The wider spacing allowed the water to travel faster and in a more direct route down the surface. The ridges with tighter spacing of the ridges affected the way in which the water traveled over the ridges when the ridges were larger than when smaller. Instead of completely filling the spaces between the ridges or just flowing over the ridges, this experiment resulted in adhesion of the water to the ridges of the surface.
1/8”
1/1
6”
1/16”
1/16”
1/8”
3/16”
3/32”
3/32”
3/16”
1/16”
1/ 8”
16
”
1/1 6
”
1/
16
”
f119: water behavior with surface
3/1
6”
3/16”
f120: surface dimensions
52
53
f121
surface tension
54
55
fs 122-130 (left to right, top to bottom)
.065” hole .125” spacing .125” hole .25” spacing
.065” hole .25” spacing
.03” hole .5” spacing
.125” hole .375” spacing
” hole pacing
.03” hole .125” spacing
.03” hole .065” spacing
This investigation explores how water reacts to perforations in a nonporous surface. Water was dripped at a slow steady rate on top of the surface that was supported at its sides. Varying in each surface is the size of the hole and how close together the holes are. The spacing of the holes did not effect whether the water would flow through the holes or not, but it did effect the rate at which the water flowed through them. Additionally, it the spacing did effect the volume of the water that was held together by cohesion on top of the surface. The only hole that allowed water to flow through it was the largest, which is .125 inches in diameter. The profile of the water when it dripped can be seen in the two bottom images. The closer the holes were to each other, the faster the water flowed through it. .125” .125” .125” hole hole hole .25” .25” .25” spacing spacing spacing
.125” hole .125” .125” hole hole .5”.5” spacing .5” spacing spacing
f131
.065” .065” hole hole .065” hole .5”.5” spacing spacing .5” spacing
.03” hole .03” .03” hole hole .5”.5” spacing .5” spacing spacing
The water highest volume of water on top of .125” hole .125” hole .125” hole the surface occurred .375” spacing .375” spacing .375” spacing on the surface that had the smallest holes at the smallest spacing. The second highest occurred when the distance of the spacing was equal to the size of the hole. 56
57
f132
surface tension melting
58
59
fs 133-140 (left to right, top to bottom)
behavior patterns of the ice as it traveled down the different surface patterns.
This test focuses on how different patterns on otherwise identical, non-porous material would affect the path of melting ice. It was assumed that the closer the lines were to each other and the less the lines changed direction, the more likely the ice would be to follow the given path. The test was performed with several variables. The type of lines explored were jagged, curved, or straight. There were two different measurements of spacing (1/8� and 1/16�). The depth of the path was applied to the material as an etch (less shallow) and as a score (deeper) with the laser cutter. Therefore, for each of the three patterns there were four tests. The material remained the same in each experiment. The linear tests yielded results that were not conclusive if any of the variables had an effect on the way the ice slid down the surface. Since it was a planar, sloped surface, the ice could have just been following the path of gravity. In the case of the curved pattern,several iterations proved that the ice did follow the pattern of the surface. Only one of the tests proved the ice to deviate from the given path, which had larger spacing and was etched, not scored. The jagged pattern lead to several indications that the ice did follow the given path, but that at sharp corners, the ice deviated from the given path. There were no instances in which the ice continued on the path to the termination point. However, water that melted from the ice, traveled ahead of the ice and did follow the path to the termination point. This happened when the paths were closer together and deeper in the material.
f141
With the given results, it is not conclusive whether or not the depth of the patterns influenced the path of the ice. However, there is slightly more evidence that suggests the spacing of the patterns influences the path of the water. The type of path can only be determined to have influenced the path of the ice in the latter two trials. It appears that the curved path influenced the way in which ice travels due to the less sever angle changes that the ice needs to navigate.
60
61
f142
surface tension
62
1” 1” 8 8
1” 1” 8 8
1” 16
1” 16
1” 16
1” 1” 8 8
1” 16
1” 1” 8 8
1” 16
1” 16
1” 16
1” 1” 8 8
1” 16
ways in which water droplets behaved on the varying surfaces, 1” 1” 1” 1” 8 8 8 8
63
1” 1” 8 8
1” 16
1” 16
1” 16
1” 16
1” 1” 8 8
1” 1” 8 8
1”
1”
1”
1” 1” 1”
16 8 8 16 16 fs 143-146 (left to right, 16 top to bottom)
1” 1” 8 8
1” 16
1” 16
1” 16
1” 1” 16 16
1” 16
1” 16
1” 16
This investigation is a manipulated version of the investigation of scoring a nonporous planar material by making what were once scoring into a gap. The same patterns were used, and the spacing for each pattern were at 1/8” and 1/16”. The straight pattern was tested as a control pattern. While the previous experiments with similar patterns were only tested as a score, this test differs due to the lack of material between the openings of the pattern. The 1/8” spacing allowed the water to pass through the material. However, the width of the strips between the openings were wide enough for the water drop to travel along top to the bottom of the strip through adhesion. However, the 1/16” spacing was narrow enough to allow the water to span the gap and travel to the bottom of the strip on the underside of the material.
differences and similarities in the used patterns with regard to width and shape.
1” 1” 8 8
” 6
f147
1” 16
1” 16
1” 1” 8 8
1” 16
1” 16
Similar to the straight test, the jagged test with a gap of 1/8” was too large for the water to span. However, instead of traveling on the underside of the material, the water traveled along top of the surface until it reach a sharp corner where it then transferred to the underside and dropped off. The 1/16” gap allowed the water to span the gap, but the water dropped off after the first sharp corner. In the curved tests, the water did not stay on the surface of the strip. It traveled briefly on the underside of the material. The 1/16” spacing of the curved pattern allowed the water to travel a bit further, but the water spanned the gap on the underside of the surface.
64
65
f148
surface tension melting 66
67
fs 149-154 (left to right, top to bottom)
This investigation was performed in order to determine if a porous textured surface would delay the time in which it would take a piece of ice to travel down it when sloped at constant angle. While it was assumed that the wire mesh would retard the rate at which the ice would travel, the ice did not slide at all.
when the ice first started to melt, the resulting water accumulated on the the wire mesh.
as more ice melted, the water began to inhabit the gaps in the mesh
when the rate of melting became much faster, the water went through the meshat the source.
f155
This experiment was conducted with a wire mesh that was elevated quarter of an inch above a solid surface. This system was then kept at a constant angle and a piece of ice placed at the apex of the system. After 40 minutes of watching the ice melt, the ice had not progressed down the slope of the mesh. Although the ice did not move, the water that resulted from it melting did proceed to slide down the slope of the wire mesh. As more water slid down the mesh, the more adhesion caused the water to stick to the mesh. For the first thirty minutes, the water stayed on the surface of the mesh, but during the final few minutes the water Patterns of melted ice as it moves melted under the ice, through the mesh, and slid 1:4surface. downscale the solid Watching the ice melt refocused the experiment to way in which the melted ice interacted with the mesh. Additionally, the way in which the mesh was visually distorted by the ice was observed. The most distortion of the mesh occurred at the beginning of the experiment when the ice was more tubular and had more volume. As the ice melted, the distortion of the mesh became less noticeable and the ice performed more like a magnifying glass by enlarging the appearance of the mesh below it.
68
d
69
f156
melting
70
71
fs 157-163 (left to right, top to bottom)
Inspired by the previous experiment of the ice melting on a wire mesh surface, this experiment focuses on creating an singular ice form with the wire mesh embedded inside it. This will be done in order to observe the distortion of the wire mesh as the ice melts.
1:4
examples of how the metal wire mesh can be distorted in order to take on different shapes and porosity opportunities.
f164
The experiment was performed by creating a mold with the mesh to serve as structure for the ice was placed inside (upper left). Water was 1:1 epahs lanigiro then poured into the mold and put in a freezer to solidify. When taken out of the freezer, it was observed while the ice melted and separated from its structure. The way in which the triangular shape with the wire mesh inside of it distorted the appearance of the mesh was different than that of the ice melting on top of the wire. The shape of the ice and the location of the mesh effected the way in which the mesh was visually distorted. The overlapping two pieces of mesh inside the ice created different sense of space that seemed epahs lanigiro 2/1to be formed depending on how the ice was positioned.
epahs lanigiro 4/1
The flexibility of the mesh to compress and expand in the mold helped create these effects. The location of the mesh closest to the exterior of the ice appeared to be the first location in which the ice melted. One of the most unique characteristics was when the ice had melted away from a portion of the mesh and the water filled the gaps of the wire mesh (bottom right). The way in which the ice began to separate from the structure created imagery of dematerialization not seen in previous experiments.
72
73
f165
condensation
74
.31”
.6”
.25”
f171
general patterning of the metal surface
pattern scaled 4x actual size of diamond pattern
.31”
.6”
.25”
pattern scaled 4x
75
fs 166-170 (left to right, top to bottom)
f172
condensing water at the valleys of the metal surface
condensing water on the top of the metal surface top condition of surface where the steam makes contact with the surface top condition of surface where the steam makes contact with the surface top condition of surface where the steam makes contact with the surface
condensing water on the middle of the metal surface
condensing water on the bottom of the metal surface f173
Exploring the way in which water can condense on a surface, this investigation induces condensation through the use of steam and a sloped patterned metal surface. The diagrams above demonstrate the ways in which water condenses on the patterned surface. Variations in the pattern of the droplets occur at the top and bottom of the metal panel as well as the accumulation peaks and valleys oftypical thesurface pattern itself.of steam The typical surface accumulation of steam peaks on the surface collected water first and the droplets became bigger and spread further typical surface accumulation of steam apart in these locations. After some droplets form, they begin to move closer together as gravity affects them, and then they join through cohesion of the water’s molecules. Once the droplets reach maximum capacity, they travel down and off of the surface. The diagram to the left demonstrates how the water droplets form at the low points or indentations of the surface. Here, the smallest droplets form around a larger one until they all merge into one droplet.
bottom condition of surface where the steam makes contact with the surface bottom condition of surface where the steam makes contact with the surface
bottom condition of surface where the steam makes contact with the surface 76
77
f174
condensation
78
79
fs 175 -179 (left to right, top to bottom)
As an accumulation of previous experiments, this one combines the ideas of cohesion, adhesion, and path of water, inducing condensation, as well as the spatial consequences of the wire mesh tests. The scored and cut surface patterns determined that there was a standard width that the water would travel on before it would no longer stay on the surface. In addition, the less drastic the curvature, the more likely the water was to stay on the surface as well. Therefore, this system has strips that are all the same thickness but vary in width and length as well. Condensation was induced on the surface of this system through the use of steam as in the experiment with textured metal panel.
cross section of assembly. condensing water on non-porous material
f180 scale 2:1
The result of the construction of the system was something that can be seen through without distortion when looking through the side that has equal thickness. When the side with varying widths is viewed, it is still possible to see through the system, but the view is slightly obscured. As the steam condensed on the surface of the system, the ability to see through it when looking through the wide portion became very distorted. Light could still pass through the system, but no definite objects were distinguishable. assembly created of non-porous acetate f181
f182
example of how steam condenses on the different size members of the assembly.
While the condensation occurred on all parts of the surfaces, the water droplets that formed did not take the same paths down the system. On the least wide pieces, the droplet would slide down either on the top or bottom of the strip. However, on the wider strips, the water droplet traveled on the bottom, as well as the flat side of the strips.
80
81
f183
integrated system
82
precipitation
plan plan
glazing
mesh
structure
glazing
mesh
structure
example path
f185
elevation
air cavity
f184
elevation
air cavity
The design of this system is described through a sample section of a pathway leading to the multipurpose pavilions. The strategy for this design is based on the way water changes phase through seasonal variations. This architecture will exhibit, amplify, capture, and induce phase change due to its surrounding environment and internal conditions through the use of ventilation and thermal strategies.
plan
exhibit: frames or displays the phenomena in the surrounding environment. amplify: the water phase already takes place within the vineyard environment. this effect distorts the way the phenomenon is generally perceived. capture: becomes a surface that collects water. induce: incites phase change to occur.
83
f186
glazing
gnizalg
structure
erutcurts
mesh hsem
glazing
gnizalg
cold air drainage
The three layer system will be constructed in various options, sometimes utilizing the complete system of layering, while at other instances, only certain portions of the layering system will be present. The layering components will be determined by the location of the structure in relation to the site and its relationship to certain times of year.
precipitation
By interacting with the forces of the surrounding environment, this architecture is situated partially embedded in the earth in order to take advantage of the effects of the thermal mass that will retain and radiate heat. Additionally, the air cavity that is part of the system acts in accordance with the flow of the cold air drainage that crawls up the slope of the valley in the morning by not impeding the flow of this air.
cold air drainage
The layer of mesh in the air cavity and in between the glazing will be cooled along with the surfaces of the glazing by the air moving through the air cavity. The warmer temperature inside the architecture and the cold surface will induce condensation. The mesh, without the outer layering of glazing, will serve to capture snow and ice in the winter months. While not initially protecting people from the elements that the mesh will be capturing, the eventual accumulation of snow and ice will bloc these elements. The diamondglazing formation of the glazing mesh allows for straight views out into the vineyard and valley exhibits what is naturally occurring in the environment. Viewing the same portion of the diamond shaped glazing from a more oblique angle will amplify the phase changes occurring by distorting them and refocusing how they are viewed.
f187
f188 f189
air cavity
84