Yasmin El Soueni - AUC - ARCH 473/3522 by ARCH 473/3522 - Digital Design Studio and Workshop

Student Portfolio A R C H 4 7 3 / 3 5 2 2 - D I G I TA L D E S I G N S T U D I O A N D W O R K S H O P Yasmin El Soueni Fall 2020

The American University in Cairo (AUC) School of Sciences and Engineering - Department of Architecture ARCH 473/3522 - Digital Design Studio and Workshop (Spring 2019) Student portfolio documenting samples of work submitted along the course, including research, experimentation, 3D modeling, digital fabrication, parametric design and modeling, physical model realisation and analysis. Student name: Yasmin El Soueni Student ID: 900170710

ÂŠ The American University in Cairo (AUC), Dec, 2020

Yasmin El Soueni Architecture Student

This storybook delves into all the different ideas and processes I went through this semester, with all of its challenges and breakthroughs.

I am a fourth year Architecture student, studying at the American University in Cairo. I’ve always been amazed by the way people shape their enviornment, and the way it shapes them. Driven by this idea, I’m constantly exploring the different ways this happens, through forms, colours, shapes and so much more. Studying Digital Design was a very fun challenge this semester, it pushed me out of my comfort zones and allowed me to translate my concepts into shapes and forms I wouldn’t have imagined before.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

01 Project 1

Project 2 - Phase I

Project 2- Phase II

Mobile Homeless Shelter

The Blank Facade Canvas

Double Skin Facade

Description of photo in a couple of lines, including explanation and/or references

01 Mobile Homless Shelter

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SUEZ Suez Governorate is located in north-eastern Egypt, and has one of the highest rates of homeless people across Egypt. The goverarate has a variety of economic activities and natural resources that attract people. There are five ports in the Suez Governorate; namely El-Sokhna port, Tewfiq port, Adabeya port, petrol basin port, and El-Atka fishing port. This makes it a hub of movement and activity.

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SNAIL The snail is an animal with various sources of inspiration. It has contrasting textures in it's hard rigid shell, and translucent, slimy skin. It moves ever so slowly yet powerfully. The snail shows growth in terms of its shell's layers and the movement in its muscles where it uses continous, gradually increasing waves to thrust itself forward.

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ABSTRACTING THE FLOW OF SKIN IN RELATION TO MUSCLE MOVEMENT

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FORM GENERATION

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IDEA- 3 MAIN ZONES -RELAXED TRANSITION ZONES- CONTRACTED

IDEA 1

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MODELING ITERATIONS:

Contraction & relaxation presented in curves meeting and spreading out- but too sharp Portfolio

Separating the 3 zones with 3 different surfaces- feels too fragmented

Stretching part of a surfrace awaywith curves showng contraction and relaxation- difference in height is too much Chapter name

Dra isoc zon tran row

awing curves- extracting surface- editing surface points- extracting curves from surface. Extracted curves increase in the transitional nes and decrease in the main zones. They let the user experience the nsition from a public to a private space, through the folding in, narwer andARCH lower transitional zones. 473/3522 - Fall 2020

Contrast between intesity of curves in the transition vs. main zones - captures movement Yasmin El Soueni

3D SHOT

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SHOTS

Section A-A

Plan scale 1:250

Section B-B

Section C-C

Section A-A

Section B-B

Sections

Section C-C

FABRICATION

3D printing using cura was the chosen method of fabrication for the final model. That is because it could print the mesh as one surface in one go, otherwise it would be very hectic trying to join the pieces together. It was challenging at first, because the software was new, but after trials it became easier to work with. After the first trial, the thickness of the surface was reduced to ensure quicker and more effiient fabrication. Portfolio

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Reflection: Throughout this project, I learnt to approach design with a more flexible mindset, to be able to embrace the oppotunity of creating more fluid and adaptable designs than I would usually do. This allowed me to open up for more experimentation, that I look forward to delving more into in the coming project. ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2020

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02 The Blank Facade Canvas

HISTORY & BACKGROUND

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TECHNIQUES

FABRIC FORMING The process of fabric formwork consists of using fabric as a structural membrance for mould for the material to be poured in. It is very flexible and deflects due to pressure of the poured material- this results in smooth curves surfaces.

CASTING Casting is the process where a mold is created with a hollow shape of the exact deisred product, and liquid material is then poured into and left to solidify, then it is pulled out of the mold, or the mold is broken.

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MATERIALS

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PRECEDENTS

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EXPLORING THE MATERIAL MIXTURE - GYPSUM & WATER

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23 FORM

Very flexible material, can be shaped easily when it's still in liquid form but very thin shell is prone to breaking easily

Takes shape of fabric folds when it dries, gives the material a softer look than it actually is

Using supports within nylon doesn't work if mixture is clumpy & if a vertical model were to be cast, it must remain supported vertically until it dries completely or else it breaks down

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EXPERIMENT 1 VARYING TENSION, PLAYING WITH FOLDS

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EXPERIMENT 1 VARYING TENSION, PLAYING WITH FOLDS EXPLORING HOW THE ADDITION OF TENSION POINTS AFFECTS FABRIC FOLD AND OVERALL GEOMETRY OF PANEL MATERIALS: PHASE 1 NO TENSION POINTS- FLAT 2D GYPSUM

WATER

Starting with formwork for boundary edges, placing cling film inside for ease of removal

Laying down fabric base and pouring the gypsum mix detected from previous exploration of ratio 1:2 so that it's very smooth and takes the shape of the fabric easily

Removing formwork and slowly pealing fabric away.

RESULTS: COTTON FABRIC

ELASTIC BANDS Portfolio

Placing tension points closer than 3.5x the diameter of the void caused cracks

Length: 30cm Width: 30cm Height 3cm average Time to dry: 10 mins Form: 2D surface, flat from one side and with fabric folds on the other. Tension points closer than 5cm away from a 1.5cm void caused cracks. Chapter name

PHASE 2- ADDITION OF TENSION POINTS PART 1:

Adding elastic bands at the top surface creates tension in the fabric and increase folds.

Adding elastic bands at the bottom surface creates tension by pulling the fabric in, decreasing the width of the panel and increasing its height

PART 2:

Increasing thickness to sustain the frequency of the folds

Adding tension points at the bottom surface, increases height, reduces width

PHASE 3- ADDITION OF MORE TENSION POINTS

Adding more tension points at the bottom of the surface, increasing height and reducing width further. When tension points are at least 3cm away from the edge, they do not cause cracks

DERIVED GUIDELINES: Min. distance between 2 tension points relative to thickness: MIN DIST.= 1.75 THICKNESS ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2020

Relationship between distance of tension points and diameter of voids MIN DIST. BET. TENSION PT AND VOID= 3.5X DIAMETER OF VOID

Adding too many elastic bands for tension too close to RESULTS: each other creates too many Original width: 30cm folds, causing cracks. New width: 22cm Original height: 3cm New height: 7cm Time to dry: 15 mins Form: 3D curved surface, when tension points are placed closer than 2x the thickness, it causes cracks. The more tension points added, the hight increases and width decreases. Tension points closer to the edge than 2x the thickness crack

RESULTS: Original width: 30cm New width: 22cm Original height: 3cm New height: 7cm Time to dry: 15 mins Form: 3D curved surface, when tension points are placed closer than 2x the thickness, it causes cracks. The more tension points added, the hight increases and width decreases. Relationship between the addition of tension horizontal and vertical tension poihnts and change in length and height: ADDING TENSION POINTS AT BOTTOM SURFACE INCREASES HEIGHT BY AROUND 2.5X AND REDUCES WIDTH BY AROUND 0.3X Yasmin El Soueni

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EXPERIMENT 2 VARYING THICKNESS, PLAYING WITH LIGHT ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2020

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EXPERIMENT 2 VARYING THICKNESS, PLAYING WITH LIGHT EXPLORING HOW USING PRESSURE, DIFFERENT THICKNESSES COULD BE ACIEVED WITHIN THE PANEL, CREATING ALLOWING VARYING DEGREES OF LIGHT THROUGH MATERIALS:

IDEA 1- EXPLORING TRANLUCENCY BY USING EXTERNAL OBJECTS

GYPSUM

WATER

Pouring gypsum paste into fabric and locking it with elastic bands, adding objects and applying just enough pressure to leave a very thin layer of gypsum without breaking it. While it appears solid from afar, when placed infront of a light source, the thin gypsum layer is translucent.

RESULTS: COTTON FABRIC

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Applying pressure on external objects by pressing down on the objects until around 2mm of gypsum are left is how the translucent effect is achieved. Less than 2mm thickness broke when the fabric was Light coming through thin gypsum layers when being peeled off. Original thickness= 2cm, press down until 1/10 of placed infront of a light source. original depth remains. Chapter name

IDEA 2- EXPLORING TRANLUCENCY BY USING FABRIC FOLDS

Applying pressure on the fabric folds after pouring the gypsum. When looking at it in the direction the sun is hitting it, it looks sold, when turning to the other side, the area where the fold is, is translucet. This model broke as there were too many folds.

IDEA 3- CREATING VOIDS

Second tiral, similar results but on a larges scale as this model didn't crack as badly.

IDEA 4- COMBINING

RESULTS: RESULTS: Similarly as with the objects, to achieve atranclucent effect iin the panel, it's thickness should be reduced depending on the material

Placing fabric in formwork, pouring in gypsum, adding another layer of fabric and placing object ontop, applying varying pressure to let the light through. Increasing pressure on objects places, breaking all the way through the gypsum, creating voids. Voids are 2cm in size, the distance between them is 6cm and this is the minimum, afterwhich it will cause a crack

DERIVED GUIDELINES: Min. distance between two voids to avoid cracking: MIN DIST BET. 2 VOIDS= 3X DIAMETER OF VOIDS ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2020

To achieve translucency, apply pressure until 2mm of gypsum is left, or 1/15th of the thickness. LAYER OF TRANSLUCENCY= 1/15 THE AVERAGE THICKNESS Yasmin El Soueni

CONCLUSION

3 4 5

DERIVED GUIDELINES Min. distance between 2 tension points relative to thickness: MIN DIST.= 1.75 THICKNESS

Relationship between distance of tension points and diameter of voids MIN DIST. BET. TENSION PT AND VOID= 3.5X DIAMETER OF VOID

Relationship between the addition of tension horizontal and vertical tension poihnts and change in length and height: ADDING TENSION POINTS AT BOTTOM SURFACE INCREASES HEIGHT BY AROUND 2.5X AND REDUCES WIDTH BY AROUND 0.3X

Min. distance between two voids to avoid cracking: MIN DIST BET. 2 VOIDS= 3X DIAMETER OF VOIDS

To achieve translucency, apply pressure until 2mm of gypsum is left, or 1/15th of the thickness. LAYER OF TRANSLUCENCY= 1/15 THE AVERAGE THICKNESS

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03 The Prametric Facelift

SITE LOCATION:

Blom Bank is located in South 90 Street, New Cairo, Egypt. This is a commercial bank, with a glazed facade facing the main street. The glazed facade is located on the southwestern boundary of the building and extends five storeys high, transfering a huge amount of solar gain, direct light and heat.

CLIMATIC ANALYSIS:

Prevailing wind is from the Northeast, secondary prevailing wind is North and Northwest Portfolio

Shading is needed throughout the year, in win sun peneration is required in the morning Chapter name

PROBLEM DEFINITION: The glazed south- southwestern facade is problematic in the hot arid climate, since it exposes the buiding and interior spaces direclty to the climate factors, meaning that there is a lot of heat gain and too much direct light, resulting in a need for mechanical cooling and lighting.

PROPOSED INTERVENTION: A double skin facade, that acts as an envelope for the buillding, protecting it from the climate conditions. The DSF will use passive techniques to provide shading, daylight and facilitate natural ventilation, making the climate in the interior spaces within the comfort zone of the users.

Daylight through perforation

Ventilation

Shading through responsive panels

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PRECEDENTS El Bahar Towers: Designed to dilute the intense glare and heat of Abu Dhabi, the designed double skin provides a great example of a responsive facade that moves with the sun. The screen is estimated to reduce more than 50% of solar gain, while also reducing the need for artificial light.

The double skin is positioned 2m away from the curtain wall, each triangle is made out of a metal frame, and is fitted with mesh fabric that filters and diffuses the light. The steel rods are connected to a mobile tripod that they slide over to open and close. Each panel is designed to open once a day, depending on the time where the sun hits it the most.

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Keifer Technic Showroom: Responsive double skin facade, created by a series of retractable mashrabeya inspired- sunshades. Each sunshade is around 15m in diameter, and when the sun hits the facade directly at a specific time, the shades 'blossom' and open up, covering the glass curtain wall behind them, and protecting the building from the sun's glare. Each panel is made out of metal rods that open up, stretching the fabric between them. This makes the building skin translucent, letting in diffused natural light.

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RESPONSIVE DSF CONCEPT: Creating a dsf that responds to environmental, spatial and functional needs of the bank, by translating those needs into attractors that pull the panel's fabric in different directions.

DERIVED PARAMETERS FROM EXPERIMENTATION:

1 2

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Min. distance between 2 tension points relative to thickness: MIN DIST.= 1.75 THICKNESS

Relationship between the addition of tension horizontal and vertical tension poihnts and change in length and height: ADDING TENSION POINTS AT BOTTOM SUR FACE INCREASES HEIGHT BY AROUND 2.5X AND REDUCES WIDTH BY AROUND 0.3X

ACHIEVING TRANSLUCENCY BY DECREASING DENSI TY AND THICKNESS OF MATERIAL

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ATTEMPT 1 UNIT DESIGN BASED ON DERIVED PARAMETERS: IDEA I

Using tension points to stretch the fabric in between, as the tension points come closer, the fabric is stretched outwards more, creating a panel that moves in 3 dimensions. The panel will move in relation to the sun, as the sun is more direct towards the panel, the tension points will get closer together, stretching the fabric further creating a smaller void.

IDEA II Using tension points to stretch fabric outwards and upwards to shade the southern facade horizontally and the southwestern facade both horizontally and vertically.

PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS:

Recessing slabs backwards away from the facade, to allow for the diffused daylight from the opened panels to reach all through the building to the ground floor, as the light coming in at the lower levels is lower.

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ATTEMPT 1-GRASSHOPPER ITERATION

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43 LOGIC: 1. Dividing surface into panels 2. Creating points and joining polylines to create shape of panel 3. Scaling based on the centerpoint of each panel 4. Loft between the edge of the main surface and the smaller scale opening

5. Basing size of opening on an attractor- the sun, so that the opening decreases in size when the sun is directly infront of it and opens when the sun is further away. 6. Extruding the centerpoint of the panels outwards, making each panel 3d, to shade vertically and horizontally.

PROCESS:

GRASSHOPPER SCRIPT:

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ATTEMPT 2- RESPONSIVE DSF EXPERIMENTING WITH ATTRACTORS CONCEPT:

Creating a responsive dsf with units that moves based on the sun's location by varying tension points that pull translucent fabric. Dsf is also responsive to function, with public zones having an attractor that keeps the voids in them more open ITERATIONS: than the private spaces.

CONCEPT:

Environmental attractor- the voids open and close depending on the sun's location

Functional attractor- larger voids at public area, smaller voids in in private private areas areas. smaler voids Portfolio

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49 ITERATIONS IN PLAN:

3D SECTION: Skin surface tension points: pulled out at the top to create self shading vertically, pulled inwards in private zone to create an enclosur with the slab and pulled out in public space

Using tension points to stretch fabric outwards and upwards to shade the southern facade horizontally and the southwestern facade both horizontally and vertically.

PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS:

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GRASSHOPPER SCRIPT

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ATTEMPT 3 - RESPONSIVE DSF EXPERIMENTING WITH RANDOMNESS CONCEPT:

PROCESS:

1. Creating surface

3. Connecting surface depth to function at-

tractor- The more public the spaces the bigger the depth between the slab and skin

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2. Dividing surface into panels

4. Connecting size of voids to sun attractor The further away from the sun, the larger the opening.

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53 PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS: Recessing slabs backwards away from the facade, to allow for the diffused daylight from the opened panels to reach all through the building to the ground floor, as the light coming in at the lower levels is lower.

ITERATIONS IN SECTION:

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Skin surface tension points: pulled out at the top to create self shading vertically, pulled inwards in private zone to create an enclosure with the slab and pulled out in public space

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54 ITERATIONS IN PLAN AND ELEVATION:

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55 INTERIOR:

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GRASSHOPPER SCRIPT

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FINAL SUBMISSION- RESPONSIVE DSF GOALS OF DSF:

DERIVED PARAMETERS FROM EXPERIMENTATION:

1 2

Min. distance between 2 tension points relative to thickness: MIN DIST.= 1.75 THICKNESS

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ACHIEVING TRANSLUCENCY BY DECREASING DENSI TY AND THICKNESS OF MATERIAL

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DESIGN DRIVERS:

CONTROL POINTS SHAPING SURFACE

DIVIDING SURFACE BASED ON FUNCTION

PROPOSED ADJUSTEMENTS:

Recessing and protruding slabs relative to double skin, to create different spatial experiences. Generating different random sets of divisions of the facade for the different levels of privacy.

CONNECTING PANEL OPENINGS TO SUN LOCATION- GLOBAL ATTRACTOR

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CONNECTING PANEL TO FUNCTION- LOCAL ATTRACTOR

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PLANS:

Second Floor Plan

Third Floor Plan

Fifth Floor Plan

In the second floor, the slab is reccessed, overlooking the floor underneath, here there is a space with a double height, and the attractor point pushes the depth of the panels outwards, a space that feels as though it is expanding from the inside out. In the third floor, this is where the private offices are, therefore this slab and the one above are flush with the dsf, creating an embracing feeling for the private area. The fifth floor is where the meeting and conference rooms are, its a semi-private zone. Here the curtain wall remains in its place while the dsf is pushed outwards using the function attractor points. The slab is also flush with the dsf, creating an outdoor terrace for the users to socialize.

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SECTION:

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INTERIOR SHOTS :

Second Floor

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Fifth Floor

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PANEL MECHANISM :

Steel rods control the fabric that is stretched over them. As the sun is closer, the rods move closer to each other, reducing the size of the void and allowing less direct sunlight in, as the sun moves further away, they open up, allowing more light in.

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STRUCTURE & MATERIALS :

The double skin facade is built by divinding the surface into equal vertical spaces, and divding each of these horizontally based on function. The grid generated out of this process is made out of steel rods and is the main structure that holds the dsf. Layered ontop of that is a secondary grid that is local to each panel, this is also made out of steel rods, and these are the dynamic part of the facade that move and control how stretched the fabric is. Finally, there is translucent fabric layered over the metal rods that is stretched when the rods move. ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2020

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GRASSHOPPER SCRIPT

DIVIDING GENERATED INTO INDIVIDUAL PANE

DIVIDING SURFACE WITH ALTERNATIVE SPACING DEPENDING ON FUNCTION

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67 CONTROLLING VOIDS IN PANELS BASED ON SUN ATTRACTOR

D GRID ELS GENERATING SURFACES TO CREATE PANELS AND STRUCTURE

CONTROLLING DEPTH OF PANEL BY ATTRACTOR POINTS BASED ON FUNCTION

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Biblography • • • • • • • • • •

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Aranda, B. and Lasch, C. (2006). Tooling, Princeton Architectural Press, New York, USA. Balmond, C. (2007). Informal, Prestel. Dunn, N. (2012). Digital Fabrication in Architecture, Laurence King Publishing. Frederick, M. (2007). 101 Things I learned in architecture school, MIT Press. Freyer, C., Noel, S., Rucki, E. & Antonelli, P. (2011). Digital by Design: Crafting Technology for Products and Environments, Thames and Hudson. Hensel, M., Menges, A. & Weinstock, M. (2010). Emergent Technologies and Design: Towards a Biological Paradigm for Architecture, Routledge. Iwamoto, L. (2009). Digital Fabrications: Architectural and Material Techniques, Princeton Architectural Press.

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