Student Portfolio
ARCH 473/3522 - DIGITAL DESIGN STUDIO AND WORKSHOP Merna Azer 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: Merna Azer Student ID: 900170304
Š The American University in Cairo (AUC), December 2020
Merna Azer Architecture Student
About the Course: I, as an architect, usually go for simple forms in my design approach. However, this course is helping me go out of my comfort zone in terms of form generation. Hence, it is teaching me a lot about the possibilities of the various methods of computational design that I can use to enrich and deepen my design approach.
About me: I am Merna Azer. I’m 21 years old. I’ve graduated from school in 2017 and joined the Architectural Engineering Program at AUC later in the same year. I joined this program, as I am highly interested in the multidisciplinary approach of architecture and in the way architects tackle real-life design problems, looking at things from different perspectives. Thus, they also learn a lot from their surroundings. Hence, they also try to develop their creativity skills.
Table of Contents
01 Project 1: Mobile Shelter for the Homeless 02 Project 2A: The Blank Facade Canvas 03 Project 2B: The Parametric Facelift 04 Course Reflection 05 Bibliography
1 Fluidity as an inspiration for the Mobile Shelter Project
01 Mobile Shelter for the Homeless ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2020
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Chapter 1
3 The Choice of Suez as the location for the Mobile Shelter for the Homeless
Choice of Location: Suez Governorate Located in the north-eastern side of Egypt, Suez has a population of 750 000 people. It is has five ports, is divided into five districts and is connected by a canal, railways & highways. It is popular for various economic activities, such as oil distillation, processing & packing of fertilizers & chemicals, shipping & unloading of goods, marine services and fishing. Hence, various recources can be found there, including limestone, dolomite, coal and oil.
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Chapter 1
5 Concept Inspiration: The Octopus For the concept inspiration, I have chosen the octopus. Hereby, I was specifically interested in the fact that the octopus has eight tentacles and nine brains that represent concepts of adaptibility, flexibility and growth. About the brains. The Octopus has one central brain that controls the nervous system and eight other small brains in the eight tentacles allowing their movement. About the tentacles. The octopus has eight tentacles that it can regrow in case of their loss. In return, these tentacles can also act independently and on their own in the case of their removal from the octopus.
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Conceptual Abstraction Keywords: Fluidity - Dynamism - Flexibility - Adaptability
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Chapter 1
Architectural Translation & First Modeling Attempts
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Form Generation: The first modeling attempt was inspired by the fact and tried to abstract and translate the fact that the head is the main part of the octopus, where the tentacles revolve around it, each having a different function. Hence, for the shelter component the concept was to create a place that is enclosed & grounded as opposed to the life in the street, where people don’t feel a sense of belonging. Thus, the idea was also to make people able tao adapt to the place and to also make the place adaptable to its surroundings.
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Third Modeling Attempt & Functional Zoning
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Chapter 1
3D SHOTS
central social open space where people gather.
Kinetic panels that close and open according to the sun direction.
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Green ramp for climatic purposes.
Entrance
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Plan 1:200
Layout
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Chapter 1
Elevations 1:200
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Sections 1:200
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Digital Fabrication Trial
For the Digital Fabrication of the model, I decided to choose the 3D printing method. Using the Ultimaker Cura Software, it turned out, a 1:40 scaled model of the project can be printed in 6 hours & 20 minutes.
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Chapter 1
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Chapter 2A
Experimenting with wax in the Blank Facade Canvas Project
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2A Blank Facade Canvas ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2020
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Material Exploration of Wax Properties: Hard, glossy, brittle, soft, flexible, melts at 35 degrees Mold: Foil Container to Avoid Sticking Method: 1- Melt the wax on a pot on the stove 2- Pour different substances in the mold (water, coke, oil) 3- Wait for the wax to become in liquid form & pour into mold 4- Check the state of the mixture using a wooden stick after 10 minutes
START
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END
Chapter 2A
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Blank Facade Canvas Inspirations
Translucent facade allowing the Penetration of Light
Flexibility & Randomism in Outer Shell Portfolio
Chapter 2A
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Overview of Conducted Experiments
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EXPERIMENT ATTEMPT 1
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Chapter 2A
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EXPERIMENT ATTEMPT 2
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Chapter 2A
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EXPERIMENT ATTEMPT 3
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EXPERIMENT ATTEMPT 4
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Chapter 2A
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Concluded Parameters - Diameter of hole - Distance from hole to mold edge - Thickness of wax layer - Surface form of foil membrane & its degree of “crushed-ness” & “crunchiness”; the more it is crunched, the thicker are the veins & the more light passes through
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Chapter 2A
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2B Blank Facade Canvas
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Material Experimentation - Create a Facade that controls the amount of daylight passing through. - The daylight varies according to the function and the direction of the sunlight. - Openings’ size changes according to the direction of the prevailing wind.
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Chapter 2B
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Inspiration - The variations in the openings that allows the sunlight to pass through the building’s facade. - The indoor daylight effects. - Responding to climate changes (allowing less sunlight or wind etc)
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Environmental Analysis
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Chapter 2B
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Concept Designing a facade that allows the daylight to penetrate the building without direct sun radiation. The grooves increase at the western side of the facade.
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Panel Design
Random Subtraction Scaling of the panel opening according to the functio taking place inside the building
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Chapter 2B
Responsive Parametric Design
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The panels are designed to rotate on it’s axis (line) allowing better control of the penetration of sun ight and sun radiation. Also the people inside can see the outside while the people on the outside can’t see in side; it allows for privacy for thepeople inside.
Ventilation
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Daylight and Sun Radiation As the sun moves, the panels rotate to minimize the penetration of the sunradiation through the building Facade.
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Chapter 2B
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Building Facade Trial 1
The Design is more adaptable to environmental changes ( sun direction, daylight, wind etc) without taking into consideration the funtion taking place in the building.
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Building Facade Trial 2
Distortion in the Facade (which affects the scale of the panels) according to the functionality of the space in the building. Portfolio
Chapter 2B
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Top View The facade responds to environmental changes as well as adapts and contributes to the functions happening within the builing. In order to create different experiences for the users, the facade perforade at some spaces according to the function.
West Side
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South Side
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Section 1:400 Portfolio
Chapter 2B
43 Roof Social Space The second skin is used as a shading device for the people sitting and socializing on the
MPU- Events Hall The MPU is an indoor social space where events take place. The second skin is directly covering the space so that it is more dynamic and interactive. Also the light rays entering with have a vibrant effect on the people inside with the double height ceiling.
Meeting Rooms The meeting rooms has the same effect as the MPU, yet it is a more formal space, with a normal height.
Offices The offices have a glass so that the space is more modular and formal. The panels let in daylight so that people can work comfortably.
Entrance The entrance is emphasized by the opening made in the second skin facade where the panels are more stretched so that the opening are larger to Brighten up the reception area ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2020
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Elevation 1:400 Portfolio
Chapter 2B
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Course Reflection In this course, through the 2 projects, i have learned how to design digitally without constrainst; I have always seen that designing digitally needs to be grounded so that things don’t get complicated. However, for the first time, i went out of the box and experimented with more fluid, dynamic and out of the box design forms and techniques. Yes, it wasn’t easy, but honestly, with the dostors and teacher assistances’ help i manage to come out with the design i wanted. Moreover, one of my favorite task was experimenting with the wax. I was playing with the molds and thinking how to trasform it and get inspired by it to design a double skinned facade.
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Chapter 2B
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Bibliography These are some of the references that were used to research through the projects: -https://www.livescience.com/55478-octopus-facts.html#:~:text=Octopuses%20are%20ocean%20 creatures%20that,have%20been%20observed%20using%20tools. -Kalay, Yehuda E. “The Impact of Information Technology on Design Methods, Products and Practices.” Design Studies, vol. 27, no. 3, 2006, pp. 357–380., doi:10.1016/j.destud.2005.11.001. -Oxman, Rivka. “Digital Architecture as a Challenge for Design Pedagogy: Theory, Knowledge, Models and Medium.” Design Studies, vol. 29, no. 2, 2008, pp. 99–120., doi:10.1016/j.destud.2007.12.003. -https://www.archdaily.com/922897/how-do-double-skin-facades-work -https://study.com/academy/lesson/double-skin-fa-ade-system-materials-advantages-examples.html -https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/double-skin-facade -Meagher, Mark. “Designing for Change: The Poetic Potential of Responsive Architecture.” Frontiers of Architectural Research, vol. 4, no. 2, 2015, pp. 159–165., doi:10.1016/j.foar.2015.03.002. -https://inhabitat.com/solar-screen-brings-beauty-and-heat-relief-to-a-vietnam-home/dav/ -https://igsmag.com/features/double-skin-facades-characteristics-and-challenges-for-an-advanced-building-skin/
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ŠAll rights reserved, American University in Cairo (AUC) May 2019