Yossra Mohamed- AUC - ARCH 473/3522

The American University in Cairo (AUC)

School of Sciences and Engineering - Department of Architecture

ARCH 473/3522 - Digital Design Studio and Workshop (Fall 2022)

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: Yossra Mohamed Student ID: 900192785

© The American University in Cairo (AUC), Fall 2022

Yossra Mohamed Architecture Student

A student in the American University in Cairo that seeks perfection in her work, when it comes to details or ideas. I am ambitious and hard working aspiring to reach new levels. A little about myself is that I enjoy many hobbies. Some of which include painting, playing the guitar, singing, and playing sports. I have always been the kind of person who finds peace when carrying out those activities if i feel agitated or uneasy. It helps me feel centered and connected in several aspects. Music is a big part of my life, as i have enjoyed listening to the many different genres since i was a little girl. Through each phase of my life i would connect or relate to certain artists/ genres in my life that i’de then dig deeper into to somehow find meaning behind it. On the other hand, painting mostly helps me feel ground-

ed, as it helps in expressing things that i sometimes cant say in words. I also enjoy traveling a lot, my family has always had this spontaneous trait of taking off at the most random of times, which was always great to relax when things get overwhelming. Since the sea is my safe heaven, i pretty much look forward to these few days i get to log out of life for a bit.

This represents the idea of adaptability and transformation, where this cluster was designed to showcase these two points in terms of its mobility, and tranfiguration.

Research

What Is Fabric Formation?

Fabric Formwork is a building technology that involves the use of structural membranes as the main facing material for concrete moulds.. This allows the form to be both structurally efficient

- It originated as a result of the Industrial Revolution, but there were some early parallels demonstrated in Roman engineering. History & Background

- Many critical developments in fabric formwork appeared in the late 18th and the 19th century. Many new technologies of the Industrial Revolution created an abundance and wide variety of affordable and quality textiles, concrete and steel.

- First appearance of fabric formwork can be attributed to Gustav Lilienthal (1849–1933).

Smocking: Investigates alternatives to tailor flexible formwork without the need of several hundred unique components sewn together.

Shells: Creating a surface on which fabric is placed in order to develop a formwork on which the concrete develops a flexible approach.

Trials No.1

Made of wooden sticks glued together forming a certain shape, then used the loofah as the mesh fabric on top of the wood to produce an interesting result.

Materials

- Coffee wood sticks

- Wooden clips

- Gypsum ratio 3:1

- Loofah

This trial was about trying to create a free form, experimenting with elaborate shapes and test the integrity of its standing when it comes to using it with gypsum

Create form using sticks

Pour Gypsum

Use of clippers for support

Ratio needed adjustment

Loofah used as fabric

Loofah was too thin

Trial 2

The Fan Effect

Created a box with a certain size, then used the fabric of the fan to create an interesting form stabilised on control points

Control points that allow for parameters like rotation, scale, array, and an algorithmic language to create a grasshopper file

Trial 3

The mix between the plastic bad and the wire created an interesting form, it was flowy yet in control, which was the initial intention

Gypsum broke down easily because i didnt wait for it to dry

Used Plastic as my layer instead of a loofah for higher support

Structure created from wires intertwined in nots to create a base where the model would stand on

A better approach is to soak a towel in gypsum and place it on the wire for it to stay in place properly.

Trial 4

Used plastic bags that are filled with air to form a geometry altogether

Understanding the Parameters

1. Line

2. Move line

3. Rotation around centerpoint of each line

4. Series for multiple instances

5. Scale with uniformity 6. Range for scale to show desired results

7. Loft Geometery to create surface

This experimentation phase was carried out to imagine a single pannel in terms of its parameters, size, shape, etc.. in order to understand the basics on which you could later build an algorithm on grasshopper. Figuring out the simplistic steps and then learaning how to apply them digitally.

Line, array Scale Point around rotation Meet at a point Control points

Yossra Mohamed

Pannel Design The Fan Effect

These points are rotation peaks where the whole form suddenly does a full 360 aroound it

The fan like inspired shape is modified with the idea of scaling, so it’s more freeform and interchangeable.

Form Generation

Rotation around XZ plane to create that fan movement, while the angle is constructed using a domain for individuality

Array of line Segmenting

the line

Single Pannel

Creates its own unique set of values to reform in desired way

Scaling each arrayed line to create the desired outcome, while having the freedom to alter it to expiremnt with form generation & understand the code

Lofting to create the surface, which then can be rebuild in any way in terms of its changing rotation, scaling, segmentation, & plane of axis.

1. Create line & Move

Yossra Mohamed

Iterations

Yossra Mohamed

Cluster (Local & Global Parameters)

Iterations

Yossra Mohamed

Yossra Mohamed

Yossra Mohamed

This project’s purpose was to use inspiration from the designed cluster in the previous project to create an interesting coherent double skin facade design that respects functionality,zoning, and environmental factors.

Research

What Is It?

Advanced direct passive system for maximum use of solar energy to prevent thermal energy loss in buildings, & enhance ventilation

Creates proper air flow & ventilation

Constant circulation

Uses two layers of glass with an intermediate air cavity through which air flows acting as insulation against extreme temperature, wind & sound.

Classification

A.Ventilation

1.

Buffer System

- Uses two layers of single glazing spaced 250 to 900 mm apart

- Increases insulating and sund properties of the wall system & maintains daylight in building

- Establish a conditioned air system without interaction

- Natural or mechanical ventilation

- Sealed allows fresh air into the building through contolled means

2. Extract-Air System

- Used when natural ven tilation is not possible

- Fresh air is supplied by HVAC

- Heated air between glazing extracted through cavity using fans, out er layer minimizes heat transmission loss

3. Twin-Face System

- Inclusion of openings in skin to allow natural ventilation

- Outer skin is used for protection of air cavity content like (shading devices) from weather so blocks wind

B. Facade Geometry

1.

Box-Window

- Enables individual adaptation climatic & air conditioning characteristics for each window element

- Flexibility on each floor

2. Shaft-Box

- Due to stack effect air is drawn into vertical shaft extracted from building as it moves to the top

- DSF is placed vertically

3. Corridor

- Each floor is partitioned physically

- Ventilation openings are spaced evenly to ensure used and heated air is mixed before re-entry in the cavity

4. Multi-Story

- DSF is placed on entirety of building as one element

13.2% of the year lies within comfort zone

Natural Ventilation & Solar heat gain is needed

A. Winter: PPW NNE SPW NNW B.Summer:PPW NNW, SPW NNE

Direct Solar radiation is low throughout the year

Climate Analysis

- Temperature is above comfort, shading is needed to control heat gain

- Passive cooling techniques are needed to enhance ventilation

- Use materials with high thermal mass

DSF is double layer facade with glass as inner layer, protected by outer layer with a different material

Air cavity is present in between layers where shading device is mostly added

Connection between slab & facade

Yossra Mohamed

Precedents

A. Al Bahar Tower in UAE

Screen opperates as a curtain wall, sitting two meters outside the buildings’ exterior on an independent frame

Facade operation in response to sun exposure and changing incidence angles during the different days of the year

Triangle is coated with fiberglass and programmed to respond to the movement to reduce solar gain and glare

Dynamic Triangular Facade responsive to surroundig environment

Responsive Design Inspiration of movable pannels according to climate

B. Burj Doha Tower

External facade geometric complexity of oriental Moucharabiah & butterflies in the shape of Bee heaves which act as the screen

Uses controlled roller blinds to allow desired sun exposure according to inhabitants

Suitable for Qatar’s hot arid climate, to enhance ventilation, and reduces heat gain

Double skin facade with fixed screen element with designs that varry according to sun direction

Personal Proposed Approach

Creating a responsive facade design according to environemnt.

Moves according to sun direction

Certain perforations& form

Inner layer aluminium curtain walling with slightly reflective glass to protect from sunrays

Pannels with different depths

Facade in Context

This design was inspired by the idea of a paper fan, where the parameters are mostly focused on rotation & segmentation. An additional layer was added to create a more interesting algorithm, and that was scaling. Furthermore, to establish a functional logic, solar radiation was used to determine the angle of rotation of each segmented pannel. Overall, the facade is made of vertical elements that segregate into pannels with different depths, where the depth of each pannel is based on solar radiation, when sun exposure increases the pannels are thicker and rotation is more horizontal, where when sun exposure decreases, the pannels are thinner and rotation comes close to being vertical, therefore, the facade design is kinetic. Moreover, there are certain pull points that create certain pertrusions and recessions based on the functionality of each room inside.

Iteration 1

Dynamic responsive facade where each pannel has its specified depth according to sun exposure

Solar Radiation Analysis

Sunlight Hours Analysis

High Sun exposure for extended periods

Two main methods of environmental analysis were carried out, the first being the solar radiation, and the second was sunlight hours analysis. Since the facade design was kinetic and based on sun exposure, the solar radiation analysis was carried out to calculate the radiation fallin on the geometry to identify the solar heat gain, thermal comfort, and energy that can be collected. Sunlight hour analysis was done to calculate the number of hours of direct sunlight received by the facade. It is done to understand shadow studies, and both were used as a parameter to control facade pannels.

Solar Radiation shows areas with glare that need to be treated

Using the VR showed several issues in the initial facade, as structure was needed to be added in order to hold the pannels together. Some adjustments were also needed in terms of the scaling and rotation Parameter.

Iteration 2

Facade Design & Environmental

Parameters altered: Scaled up, increased control points act as punching to enhance self shading

Sunlight Hours Analysis shows improvement but yellow areas will have long exposure time

Solar Radiation is mostly all blue as self shading increased when thisiteration was done to improve the facade’s adaptability.

Yossra Mohamed

In this iteration several things were carried out. First of all, instead of having different depths for each pannel lofted, there are 3 layers rotating aroun a certain axis to accomodate to sun exposure. The second parameter to be controlled is the scale of each pannel, where it was reduced to function properly with the several layers. The solar radiation turned out properly for the inner most layer of the pannels, but as you expand the self shading decreases.

Iteration 4

Parameters altered: Scaled down, decreased rotation, smaller pannel depth, & smaller distance in between pannels

This iteration shows a completely different outlook, where the facade is more of a layered wave with one preceding the other in a smooth motion. Solar Radiation reveals several issues, as self shading decreases where glare is high in several areas of the facade.

The voids in between the pannels give a zigzag effect, and due to the closeness, even thoough the pannels are segregates vertically, they look horizontally segmented in an overflow of motion. It has a sense of transparency but also privacy at the same time.

Yossra Mohamed

Iteration 5

In this iteration the most eminent change was the pannel size & distance in between. Controling these parameters resulted in a completely different form but with the same algorithm. This also resulted in proper shading, where the solar radiation analysis was proved successful with mostly shading and very few glare points.

Yossra Mohamed

Cura

Cura gave faster results when procedures were done

Process was easier and more effecient

Yossra Mohamed

Level 1 Level 2

Level 5 Roof Plan

In plan the double skin facade is shown to be dynamic, where each floor degrades in a specific algorithm according to pull points and sun radiation to create a kinetic facade held structurally by pipes to be attached to the slabs directly. It is also shown in section the staggered relationship between the facade and each slab according to the recessions and pertrusions.

Level 3 Level 4

Yossra Mohamed

Biblography

• https://www.archdaily.com/922897/how-do-double-skin-facades-work

• https://danpal.com/double-skin-curtain-wall/

• https://fmpconstruction.com/double-skin-facade/

• Damiati, Siti Aisyah, et al. “Field study on adaptive thermal comfort in office buildings in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Japan during hot and humid season.” Building and Environment 109 (2016): 208-223.‏

• Shameri, M. A., et al. “Perspectives of double skin façade systems in buildings and energy saving.” Renewable and sustainable energy reviews 15.3 (2011): 1468-1475.‏

• Hensen, Jan, Martin Bartak, and Frantisek Drkal. “Modeling and simulation of a double-skin facade system.” ASHRAE transactions 108.2 (2002): 1251-1259.‏

• Gratia, Elisabeth, and André De Herde. “Natural ventilation in a double-skin facade.” Energy and buildings 36.2 (2004): 137-146.‏

• Ghaffarianhoseini, Ali, et al. “Exploring the advantages and challenges of double-skin façades DSFs).” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 60 (2016): 1052-1065.‏

• Chan, A. L. S., et al. “Investigation on energy performance of double skin façade in Hong Kong.” Energy and buildings 41.11 (2009): 1135-1142.‏

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