Student Portfolio
ARCH 473/3522 - DIGITAL DESIGN STUDIO AND WORKSHOP Engy Ahmed Taher Fall 2018
The American University in Cairo (AUC) School of Sciences and Engineering - Department of Architecture ARCH 473/3522 - Digital Design Studio and Workshop (Fall 2018) 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: Engy Ahmed Taher Student ID: 900140866
Š The American University in Cairo (AUC), December 2018
Engy Taher Architecture Student
About Me I am Engy Taher, an Archiecture Engineering student at the American University in Cairo raised in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I went to school in Riyadh and spent my college years in Cairo, Egypt and attended a Summer semester abroad in University of California, Los Angeles. I plan to attain my Master’s Degree in Urban Planning and Design in University of London (UCL). I am a passionate, hardworking and professional architecture student whose thorough and precise approach in design projects has contributed to excellent results and continuous growth throughout my years
in Architecture. Other than my diligence, I would characterize myself as impartial by recognizing biases, prejudices and predispositions in myself and others and capable of facing them. So far I had the opportunity to work as in an intern with a few organizations, each being quite a different scope, allowing me to adopt new academic and personal skills catering to my vision. Those opportunities were: Being an undergraduate teaching assistant for a year in two architecture courses at AUC, intern at Orascom Construction at the Grand Egyptian Museum project which was offered me construction engineering experience both on site and in the office and an intern at ZDS Architects which focused mainly on interior design all of which are based in Cairo. In the future, I plan on gaining international experience by working in multinational companies in Cairo and gain experience abroad in one of the big Architecture firms like Foster+Partners and BIG. As important as focusing on Architecture and my career, I find it essential to participate in extra-cirricular activities that help refresh and inspire me on a daily basis; those include but are not limited to: poetry writing,photography, horseback riding and frequent travelling. Contact Information: Number: +201100066797 Email: engytaher@aucegypt.edu Linkedin Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/engy-taher8
La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles, California by Engy Taher
This photo on the left is a candid outcome of wax experimentation.
01 Learning from Materiality
2 How does applying contradicting mediums, unveil captivating properties? Candlewax, beeswax, gypsum and iron were all put to the test throughout the beginning of the semester; however, the combination of beeswax and candle wax attributed to the most interesting results. Wax may seem very rigid and fragile at first when in fact it acquires flexibility when its properties are altered. In this experiment, I heated beeswax and candle wax (parafin) together, with the latter in less portions. After complete melting of the wax, it was poured from the pan onto a metal plate submerged into room temperature water. After leaving it to settle for a couple of minutes, the form of the wax changes from a mundane solid form to a complex and candid form. It is important to note that this incredible change in form brings out a special feature in wax. What I’ve learned from experimenting with it, on a more theoretical level, is that every time it was exposed to a new surrounding, it’s form changed accordingly to fit the environment. So, I decided to have my model, change its surrounding, to create new shapes and forms as the environment is altered.
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Learning from Materiality
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ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2018
Engy Taher
This photo on the left is the outcome of the form driven by forces of the surrounding. Also, a stability study.
02 Modelling
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Modelling
7 The photo on the left is a simple form of contour formed on Rhinoceros 5.
Using Rhinoceros 5 before delving into the details of how I want my model to turn out, was essential. It helped me visualize my form, based on the context and its forces. Throughout this stage, functionality was key so the design was based purely on how the form will be used. By dividing the form into three tiers on top of each other, the base would be used for seating areas and a place to lay down. The middle part, above the base, will allow for a single bench like form also providing additional seating. The top tier, since inaccessible compared to the other parts will be used at hands-reach as shelving at some areas and no function in others depending on other narratives that will be discussed later.
ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2018
Engy Taher
8 After modelling my form on Rhino, inorder to conceive a physical model, I used Slicer for Fusion n360 to create the fabrication best fitting for my model. Unfortunately, in this case I had to use contouring which compromised the idea of the project which is to create a form that is self altering, like wax, is affected by its surrounding environment. Contouring did not serve this idea so I had to look for another way to fabricate my model. After exploring several methods on Slicer, I still did not find the best bethod to fabricate my model so I had to do it manually using grasshopper. This will be apparent in the following stage where I used Grasshopper to both, model my new form based on parameters that I’ve chosen to affect my form and creat my new fabrication file. The picture on the top left represents the first fabricated model using Slicer, while the picture on the right is the new fabrication file generated on Grasshopper. The picture at the bottom left represents a snapshot of how my model transformed from the simple form on Rhino to a parametric model.
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Modelling
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ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2018
Engy Taher
This photo on the left is the outcome of the form driven by forces of the surrounding. Also, a stability study.
03 Parametric Modelling
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Parametric Modelling
13 Library at the American University in Cairo Photo by Engy Taher
To me, every time someone mentions AUC, the first image I visualize is its library. Architecturally, I believe it has a very dominant character which I’ve always been intrigued by. I chose to place my model within its territory and be influenced by it.
ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2018
Engy Taher
14 After selecting the location, I studied the movement of people around the place, its overall environment and how diffrent times of the day affect the experience beneath the dominant exterior form. For the motion of the people, I realized that the most frequent movements are against one another, one coming from the Plaza (photo on the top left) and the other from the stairs leading to AUC Gardens (photo on the bottom left).This motion inspired by form being indented from one end and protruded from the other, creating and S-like form. Moreover, I explored the solid-void ratio of this exterior and although there would have been potential for vibrant shadow forms on the floor, the screen only provided shade and this was due to the sun’s position across the day relative to this facade. Thus, I selected the portion that is mostly exposed to light during the day and decided to have my model placed there, infront of the portal to the left of the portal leading to the Plaza which had successfully led to interesting shadow forms. Other than motion, I decided to have my curvilinear path to be influenced by the cubicles of the library exterior and so the formation of units was essential. Those units do not only cater for the aesthetic narrative to create interactive shadows, it also serves a functional purpose which is providing additional seating areas at a place which is often populated.
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Parametric Modelling
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Parametric Modelling
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Parametric Modelling
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ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2018
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20 For the final stage, I ammended my model to become more functional. Instead of just having the model used for seatings, I created a tunnel like form within it for the people to experience being under it as well. This movement under the fold will heighten user experience through the candid shadows that are created based on the sunlight and gives my model more stability. Moreover, I changed my fabrication file. Initially, the file would have been too time consuming to fixate each of the 150 units into the other. As well as decreasing the risk of mulltiple edge to edge connection, the previous method would have become very unstable. The improved fabrication file was designed in a strip format combining 9 units with each other and it was manually done on Grasshopper like expressed in the previous page. My parametric model was defined by three narratives: Functional, Environmental and Aesthetic Narrative and a few parameters: Scale of panels and scale of openings
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Parametric Modelling
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Parametric Modelling
23 The photo on the left is a top view showing the shadow created by my model.
Other than the functional narrative, aesthetics is an important aspect I considered in my model and I’ve done so using the play of light and its effect on the shade and shadow produced by the ins and outs of my form and the position of the openings coinciding with the sun rays. In order to achieve this I modelled on Grasshopper the sun path realistic to that of the site, and after altering the sun’s position to create the desired shadow effect and a somewhat realistic view, I continued designing the form based on the other narratives.
ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2018
Engy Taher
24 Parameters Scale of the openings After creating the sun path on Grasshopper adjusting it to Cairo, Egypt it was important to understand the effect of the sun rays onto the units. At some areas, the openings would tighten up and be minimal to avoid harsh direct sunlight and at others, it would allow sun in thus creating shadow when sun hits the solid vs the void. This is expressed in the picture on the top left of the page.
Depth of unit Depth of the square unit could also be translated as the thickness of the material to be used in reality. The thickness affects stability since balancing out both ends of the model is important and it is borderline. Also, the thickness again affects the aesthetics narrative and its effect on shade and shadow. This is expressed in the picture at the bottom left of the page.
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Parametric Modelling
Biblography
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Jobson, Christopher. “Dripping Glass Fusion ‘Jellyfish’ Sculptures by Daniela Forti.” Thisiscolossal, Colossal, 18 Oct. 2017, www.thisiscolossal.com/2017/08/dripping-glass-fusion-jellyfish-sculpturesby-daniela-forti/.
ŠAll rights reserved, American University in Cairo (AUC) December 2018