DIGITAL DESIGN + FABRICATION SM1, 2016 MODULE 4 - SLEEP POD
ANNABELLE ROPER (699112) Joshua Russo + Group 7
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CONTENTS 1.0 IDEATION Party Whistle System Analysis Sketch Model Sketch Designs 2.0 DESIGN Introduction Design Proposal Precedent Research Prototype V1 3.0 FABRICATION Introduction Prototype V2 Improvements Digital Fabrication Material Effects Details and Joins Final Design Fabrication Sequence Assembly Final Sleep Pod 4.0 REFLECTION 5.0 APPENDIX
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1.0 IDEATION
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PARTY WHISTLE
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PARTY WHISTLE
Top Isometric To do the measured drawings and the rhino model I measured the physical party whistle and traced around the party whistle. First I scanned the party whistle as a whole and then I took it all apart and scanned each of the individual parts of the party whistle. This process gave me a better idea of how to make it in rhino. For rhino I first drew the curves that I would need to use loft and rail tool to make my surfaces. I found the most difficult part to model was the curled paper. It was difficult to create a cross section for the 2 rail sweep that would work all the way along the spiral as it was not an evenly spaced spiral.
Elevation
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SYSTEM ANALYSIS
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SKETCH MODEL
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This idea focusses on defending your personal space while you are napping. Much like a lizard does when it is scared bending your arms and back into a comfortable resting position on a table will raise the fins on the arms and back to create an intimidating appearance
This design responds to the need for comfort and protection while one naps. Defense of ones personal space is provided through the vertical spike on the shoulder region. Comfort is provided through the horizontal spikes that are filled with air thus acting as cushions for ones head.
This responds to the personal space around your head. It is one of the areas of the body where the personal space needed to feel comfortable is greatest, so this idea protects this space through an in inflatable hood that can cover on while they nap.
SKETCH DESIGN
This module was all about analysing and abstracting an object we had chosen. The object I chose was a party whistle, with the material system being skin and bone. With this in mind we were able to really analyse what make the object work, how is it joint, how does it move, why does it move, why is it built this way? This analysis was a really good starting point for the design process. We took something that worked for a certain purpose and took it apart and re-thought it into something else. This whole process exposed us to analytical drawings, sketch modeling, sketch designs and analysis.
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2.0 DESIGN LAURA RAWLINGS JIE LI
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INTRODUCTION
Moving forwards we have two sketch designs that both explored the idea of movement, in particular the extension and rotation. This was taken from my lizard like defense sketch design and from Laura’s extendable scales. From our sketch designs we extracted two systems, one of organic shape, with which we would could explore the natural curves of the body, and one of a more geometric shape, which we could use to create angular protrusions from the body. At this stage we attempted to keep the designs quite separate as to explore different ways of communicating personal space while asleep at a desk.
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DESIGN PROPOSAL
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DESIGN PROPOSAL
The spine design would follow the natural curves of the spine from the upper back to the top of the head. The trapezium shaped elements would slide over each other and as the user bent over, the angles created from the trapeziums would become greater, giving a spikey effect which would convey the need for personal space to others. The triangle elements hanging from the spine would vary in size, according to the vision of the user.
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DESIGN PROPOSAL
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DESIGN PROPOSAL
The scale design would move and act as a protective blanket over the head as the user slept. The spacing becomes larger when the user stretches it out, allowing light to filter through and create a pleasant interior environment which the user can see out of but others can’t see in.
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PRECEDENT RESEARCH
The Burnham Pavilion by Zaha Hadid is comprised of two main elements, the steel frame (bone), and the fabric covering (skin). This system allows the frame to have complex curves, as the fabric as a cladding system is stretchy and can wrap easily around the complex shape, where other more ridged materials would fail. The interior effect created by this system is one of enclosure and safety, which is enhanced by the ribbons of light that filter through gaps in the fabric cladding, making it warm and inviting. Burnham Pavillion, Zaha Hadid, 2012
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PRECEDENT RESEARCH
The solid frame and fabric system used in the in the precedent can be applied to our design. This will allow us to explore more complex shapes and frame systems, as the fabric can easily stretch around almost any shape. This is also an easy way to create interior volume, which previously we were struggling to do. This means the pod could now support itself and be separate from the body. The fabric could also be a nice feature depending on the density of the weave it could allow light to filter through and the user of the pod to see out while others can’t see in.
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PROTOTYPE V1
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Making a physical prototype was a great learning experience for our group. We used the prototype to test a lot of the ideas and systems we had been working with at a smaller scale, now at one to one. We came across a lot of problems with materials not performing how we expected, and had to make some compromises with aesthetics. However, it was unrealistic to think we would create a perfect finished model and we have gained a much greater insight into material performance and how to move forward with the design.
PROTOTYPE V1
We did however have some successes, in particular with creating an interior volume which would protect the user while they sleep. Allowing movement so the user can adjust the level of privacy created by the pod, and some nice material effects that create a pleasant sleeping environment.
Moving forward we need to consider different, stronger materials which can support the selfweight of the pod, more sophisticated fabrication techniques such as laser cutting and 3D printing to give the pod a polished look, and test a range of fabrics to explore the different effects we can create using this system.
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3.0 FABRICATION LAURA RAWLINGS JIE LI
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INTRODUCTION
Prototype Successes The prototype as it stands has a lot of successes and failures, which gives us direction moving forward. We have created some nice material effects, which we would like to carry through to the final model. These include the rippling effect created by the loosely attached fabric to the mesh system and the transparency of the pod. Moving forward we would like to exaggerate these material effects to explore depth and enhance the experience of the user and those viewing the pod from the outside. Prototype Failures We occurred difficulties when creating a bone structure that would be strong enough to hold the pod in an arch position. We also had difficulties when joining the mesh system to the bone structure. Moving forward we need to pay more attention to the finer details to give the pod a polished and professional look. We will do so by exploring different digital fabrication options.
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PROTOTYPE V2
ADDITION OF BONES
More structural bones laser cut from MDF will be added
EXPLORING DEPTH
Two seperate layers, adds more depth to the material system.
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EXAGGERATING MATERIAL EFFECTS To exaggerate the material effects, transparent fabric will be used either side of the mesh system so it can sill be seen. Also the addition of a second layer of the same system in a different material.
RETHINKING DEPTH
The MDF bones will include holes so the mesh system can attach seamlessly.
Laser cut MDF bones, separated from sheet and holes popped out.
Outer layer made from two different thicknesses of tubing fixed with black electrical tape.
Ropes tied together with while string, fabric to be fixed to either side and sewn on the string ties.
Rope and Fabric form inner layer and tubing forms the outer layer. Both are attached to the MDF bones.
PROTOTYPE V2
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PROTOTYPE V2
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IMPROVEMENTS
ROPE JOINS FINESSED
This photo shows all the joins of the different layers. The white layer is tied to the MDF. These ties are messy and need to be fixed. The black piping also looks messily put together, the joins should not be of tape.
ROPE AND MATERIAL JOINS FINESSED
This photo illustrates the pattern of the material and rope. The joints in the rope need to be perfected to look less messy. The material however is performing just the way we intended, it is sheer so that both the sleeper and the rope can be seen partially through the sleeping pod.
MDF STRUCTURAL STABILITY
This image shows the extreme flexing in the MDF arches. The patterning in the black piping however is looking really nice. The mix of thicker and thinner piping makes a unique pattern. The front of the black piping needs to be attached to a MDF arch.
OVERALL STRUCTURAL STABILITY
This photo demonstrates the structural instability of the sleeping pod. The MDF arches are too thin and are not attached to all the layers in the sleep pod. This has meant that the sleep pod is not stable. The MDF is also not laser cut to make it most structurally stable.
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DIGITAL FABRICATION
The main issue with the previous laser cut bones was that they were not strong enough to pull out the plastic tubing. Also the gap between the inner and outer bone meant that they had too much ex. Making the laser cut for the prototype was not a complete fail however, because it was great having the scale physical model to test the material performance in order to develop the final laser cut bones. The first improvement we made to the bones was to make them 12mm thick as opposed to 3mm, meaning each bone had to be cut four times and glued together. The next change we made was to fill in the gap between the inner and outer layer. We did so with a zigzag pattern to add strength and continue the pattern of the fabric and rope system.
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DIGITAL FABRICATION
Effects on Functionality and Aesthetics After the bones were glued together and left to dry over night, they were extremely strong and it was next to impossible to bend them at all. In terms of functionality this was a huge success because we should now be able to pull the sleeping pod out evenly. The thickness of the bones also should allow the pod to stay in an upright position. The precision of laser cutting has had a large effect on the quality of aesthetic produced. We chose to compliment the fabric and rope system by etching a zigzag pattern onto the bones, which will act as a guide when we paint them. Laser cutting also allowed us to create precise fixing holes on the bones, meaning there should be no messy joins.
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MATERIAL EFFECTS
We created some really nice material effects in the V.2 prototype, now it’s just a matter of exaggerating them even further. For the inside layer, sewing the fabric to the rope created really lovely rippling effects (see image 24). To make this even more dramatic we will use a greater area of fabric and bunch it with every stitch to the rope (see image 27). This will hopefully still have the rippling effects but have added depth. The added material will also allow the rope to retain all its movement, where as in the V.2 Prototype the smaller area of fabric restricted the rope from moving in all directions.
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We are quite happy with the aesthetic of the outer tubing layer as it is, it creates a nice owing spiderweb effect (see images 25 & 26). the only thing we need to tweak is the distance between the joins, so as to allow more movement and create larger gaps (see image 28).
MATERIAL EFFECTS
One of the main aims of our sleeping pod is to create an inviting and comfortable interior volume for sleeping in and a harder, scarier exterior to communicate to others the need for personal space. One of the main ways we have done this is through the use of different colours. The inner layer is completely white, which gives the interior a softer aesthetic, similar to that of white sheets on a bed. The outer layer is a contrasting black, which has a harder and less inviting aesthetic. Also the differences in material choices for the inner and outer layer help to create different experiences inside and outside of the pod. The inner layer is made from fabric and thin rope, which is soft to touch and molds around the body. The exterior tubing on the other hand is hard to touch and takes a lot more force to mold. The choice of fabric is something we did a lot of testing on. We want the final model to have a rippling effect but still be transparent so the user of the pod can still see out, avoiding the feeling of disconnectedness for the outside. Material choice 1
Material choice 2
Material choice 3
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DETAILS AND JOINS There are four main join aspects we need to improve. First there is the join between the black piping and the mdf bones, second is the joining of the black piping, then the joins in the rope weave pattern, and finally the join between the fabric and the rope layer.
Joining the rope to itself we wanted a join that fitted with the aesthetic of the rope. We tried white tape but this didn’t have a good fit with the rope. We also tried wrapping and knotting string around the rope, this worked the best.
Joining the black piping to the mdf we need to find a secure but discrete method to do so. This is because the force of pulling the stretchy weave is great. We tested black tape and cable ties, the cable ties worked best.
Finally the most difficult is joining the fabric to the rope. We were really only left with the option of sewing as glueing gets too messy and because our fabric is sheer you would see this mess. We came up with sewing a loop through the
The joining of the black piping to itself is also quite similar to joining it to the mdf, it needs to be strong but it’s profile should not be too large as to distract from the smooth curves of the piping in an arch. We tested cable ties and black tape again but for this joint the black tape was the best option because it was flat on the piping.
two layers of fabric and around the joins on the rope weave so that the full effect of the material looking like it is floating would be true. On the edges that were at the ends of the arches we folded and sewed the material to the rope.
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DETAILS AND JOINS
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FINAL DESIGN
PERSPECTIVE
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FINAL DESIGN
TOP
ELEVATION
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FABRICATION SEQUENCE
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FABRICATION SEQUENCE
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ASSEMBLY
BLACK PIPING
MDF
FABRIC
ROPE
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ASSEMBLY
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FINAL SLEEP POD
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FINAL SLEEP POD Our final sleep pod turned out quite well. The fabrication process was a very progressive process. So much happened and got changed through physically making the prototype. The sleep pod functioned as we had planned, moving in and out with ease and creating an inviting sleeping space. The two layers of the sleep pod were really effective. The black outside layer really does create a hard exterior that gives the sleep pod shape and asserts its presence in the space. Without the black layer the sleep pod would look flimsy. The inner layer worked much better than we were expecting. The thin material and the puffiness really created a luxurious master bed feel inside. Our sleep pod has many areas for improvement still. The ends of the black piping need to be finished off somehow, at the moment they look very messy. The MDF bones also need to be designed again. They are quite chunky and distracting, I would want to make them slimmer and less deep. I don’t think we needed to glue as many layers of MDF together as we thought. This could be easily changed due to the ease of the digital fabrication.
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4.0 REFLECTION
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REFLECTION
This whole process of designing and creating our sleep pod has been a very educational experience. From the very beginning analysing the party whistle was so beneficial. I really enjoyed how inventive you can get from looking at and analysing what and object does and how it does it. This said the most challenging part of the design process was trying to come up with lots and lots of ideas. It felt like I had been looking at the same sketch model or design for so long that I didn’t think I could have any more ideas. This was overcome through sketch modelling mostly and then getting feedback from others. The thoughts and suggestions that you can get from sharing your idea and model to other people is invaluable. I have learnt that this is a really beneficial step in designing. Having a fresh view of your design and getting opinion from others on what works and doesn’t really helps you stay focussed in your design and helps you make something that people will use and understand. Our final sleep pod design was effective and achieved what we set out to create. It was inviting inside for the sleeper and yet still offered protection from the outside world with the hard outer layer. It had the same movement we wanted right from the beginning. We wanted a sleep pod that was more like a slinky in movement something that we took from the party whistle. It was a very organic movement that allowed the sleep pod to both extend and rotate. You can extend one side further than the other or tilt it to be more open or closed. This movement was very difficult to model in rhino. In rhino it only really moved in and out in one direction and didn’t
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REFLECTION
have the same flexibility as the real prototype. It was also very difficult to model the organic diversity of the curvy black piping and the billowy material. Rhino was really good for modelling the overall form and structural bones but the general feel and emotion created by the natural asymmetrical patterns. There were areas where we had to make the model to a lesser standard because of time restriction, material restrictions, cost restrictions. These are mainly to do with the MDF bones. They were small and very flat and bold which contrasted with our design. We were restricted to the size of the MDF sheets which meant that the sleep pod was quite small and a bit claustrophobic. If we had the time and money was not a factor it would have been really interesting to explore using the CNC router to make a more cylindrical bone that would match the cylindrical shape of the rope and the piping. This could combat the chunkiness of the laser cut MDF. I would like to explore this more as the sleep pod was not as flat as we originally thought it would be when it was compressed not in use. This was mainly because of the MDF bones, they took up a lot of space and made the whole model more heavy. This weight impacted the feel of the design as well, because the pod is physically heavy people are less inclined to want to pull it over their head, it contrasts with lightness of the interior layer.
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5.0 APPENDIX
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CREDITS Page Cover
CREDITS
Drawings
Computation
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Graphic Design
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Writing
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Model Fabrication Model Assembly
Jie Li (Patrick)
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Laura Rawlings
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Annabelle Roper
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