Student Portfolio
ARCH 473/3522 - DIGITAL DESIGN STUDIO AND WORKSHOP Toka Magdy Abufarag Spring 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: Toka Magdy Abufarag Student ID: 900161489
Š The American University in Cairo (AUC), May 2019
The Architect
01 Project 1: Mobile Shelter for the 02 Project 2A: The Blank Canvas
03 Project 2B: The Parametric Face 04 Course Reflection 05 Bibliography
e Homeless
elift
00 Table of Contents
Toka Magdy Abufarag Architecture Student
About me: Senior Architecture student at AUC. Passonate about integrating multidisciplinary knowledge to uncover new perspectives about different topics. Passionate about music. Passionate about philosophy. Passionate about trying new development oriented leadership positions. Goal in life is to preserve old Cairo’s urban fabric and to help underprivilaged communities worldwide through humanitarian Architecture. This Computational Design course has put me through a perspective shifting journey which I aim to uncover and demonstrate throughout the following storybook. At the end, my course reflections are to be found.
DNA Double Helix, this project’s main inspiration
This project aimed to push us to think in an algorithmic manner but manually first before diving into softwre aided parametric designing. A natural inspiration was picked and its growth was to be used to extract an algorithm that informs a design. The project site location was given us to be in Minya, Egypt. Group work in research leads to individual design projects.
01 Project 1: Mobile Shelter for the Homeless
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01 Project 1
3 Group poster, DNA as an inspiration for the shelter design
We chose the blue print of life as our inspiration. We were asked to choose a natural inspiration in order to parametrically inform our homeless shelter designs. The aim of this project is to get us to think in a parametric format manually, before exercising computer aided parametric design in later projects. The poster shows all the keywords that inspired us from the DNA’s replication process. This abstraction is then used by each of us (members of the group) individually. Members of the group: Ahmed Marey, Dana Abughazaleh, Mariam Khafagy, Nancy Mohamed, Nour-lyna Boulgamh, Toka Magdy, Youmna. Reflections: Our abstracted keywords were treating the DNA inspiration on a deeper level compared to the precedents we chose. Some of the keywords we used to describe our growth process was supposed to be included in the abstractions and keywords. (This was applied later in our individual projects)
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4 Replication process of DNA on right:
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From the process of growth of DNA we came up with several keywords, like: Magnetic attraction, Chain, Branching, Matching & Unmatching, Replication, Algorithm, Mutation, Collaboration, Evolution, Identity, Spiral, Complimentary. Out of which I chose 2 keywords as my design drivers: ALGORITHM & COMPLEMENTARY. Site Analysis: MINYA Climate: Hot Desert Climate Economy: Public Sector (agriculture, cement, chemicals, mining) + Private Sector (food, furniture, metal and wood working) + Tourism AIM of Project: Reintegrate the homeless into the community while aiding the economy of Minya. RATIONALE of Project: Use MOBILE, ADAPTABLE shelters to REINTEGERATE the homeless into the community while increasing ECONOMY through AGRICULTURE (by working in the lands) and TOURISM (through guiding of tourists), creating an ALGORITHM OF CHANGE and COMPLIMENTARITY in housing design to increase sense of COMMUNITY.
01 Project 1
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01 Project 1
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8 Reflections: The stage of process abstraction was a tricky one. At first, I was too immersed in the big picture of the project rationale and not much on the form (which is the aim of the course/project). Later, I was advised to focus on the intricate details of the DNA inspiration. I chose to look at the chemical level and take inspiration from it. Thus, creating my own “Complementarity Algorithm�. Complimentarity as a keyword was the main reason behind this choice as I was intrigued to understand the complimentarity between the molecules.
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01 Project 1
9 Reflections: Keeping in mind that these rules are based on this illustration of DNA molecules, which does not exist in reality but is how we perceive it.
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10 Reflections: The architectural translation started with an attempt to pick certain elements from the abstraction, as including all of them would become overwhelming.
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01 Project 1
11 Reflections: The connections of the spaces inside the different prototypes were inspired by the molecules’ connections.
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12 Reflections: The process of choosing the architectural elements started by assigning different variation of cuboids to the different zones of the shelter.
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01 Project 1
13 Reflections: The fabrication method was chosen to be autocad as it was the most effecient method. 3D printing etc would have been material consuming.
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Draped concrete planter, example of fabric formed elements
This project aimed to ground us physically by allowing us to work with materials using our own hands. The process of expperimentation with fabric formwork had to lead to a set of parametric conclusions to be used for project 2B. Fabric formwork was chosen (between it and casting). The idea of spraying adhesive consruction elements onto wet fabbrics was experimented with. This project was entirely indivdual.
02 Project 2A:The Blank Canvas
16 Reading research and reflections: Whilst reading “History and Overview of Fabric Formwork�, a couple of points caught my attention and inspired my project. A. While in Salonika, Greece, Waller noticed that cement dust blown onto a wet tent rendered the canvas amazingly strong. Hessian, or a woven fabric made from any vegetable fibre, is stretched over a timber frame and plastered with cement mortar. B. The fabric, supported at the eaves and by a system of temporary poles and wires, sagged between the supports. He extrapolated this observation to build shells using parallel falsework arches and allowing the fabric to sag in between to form corrugations (Fig. 8). The first thin coat of cement, and the deflections thus produced, determined the depth of the corrugations together with prestress and rib spacing. He used the purely compressive structural shape of the inverted catenary arch for the ribs to minimize the amount of reinforcement needed to construct the shell of a building. C. The introduction of durable woven synthetic fabrics was an event that changed the history of fabric formwork. These fabrics are very inexpensive and very strong; they exhibit high tear propagation resistance and concrete does not adhere to them. D. Another related technology was started by Wallace Neff in 1942 when he pioneered the use of inflatable domes as formwork for concrete bubble houses (Fig. 17).
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02 Project 2A
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02 Project 2A
19 Different applications for concrete interaction with fabric, an imortant factor in my project
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02 Project 2A
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22 Goal: Create a dynamic shape using fabric as the structural component of said shape (no other structural support) Hypothesis: A fabric with higher porosity will lead to higher structural viability using the drenching technique. Desired Outcome: A drenched fabric supported at first by a temporary formwork that is removed once the fabric and gypsum mixture dries.
Testing hypothesis on number of samples first... and testing drenching technique TEST PARAMETRS: 1. Fabric material (porosity) (changed variable) 2. Temporary formowrk (controlled variable) 3. Gypsum consistency (attemted at controlling it)
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02 Project 2A
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Thin clothes fabric. Very Porous and very flexible.
The temporary formwork: (CONTROLLED VARIABLE) ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2020
Thick spongy fabric. Hardens when Non-water absorbent fabric. not in contact with water. Flexible Very stiff when wet.
Gypsum was add to water to create a thin consistency at first, in order to drench fabrics. Initially thought it would be enough but later on manually added powder gypsum to surface of fabric.
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Dipping fabric
Manually adding gypsum powder
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Drenching
Laying out on formwork
Adding small amounts of water with small amount of gypsum powder to ensure cohesion on surface of fabric. 02 Project 2A
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Material 1: successful
Material 2: sponge was very success- Material 3: Totally had to ful apply paste Manual due to non absorbent nature
Reflection: Shape held. But structur- Reflection: Successful trial. Porosially not viable. Material thickness pa- ty parameter important. rameter important. ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2020
Reflection: Totally not viable. Porosity hypothesis confirmed. Toka Magdy Abufarag
26 Final Product Parameters through reverse engineering: 1. Fabric material (porosity) 2. Fabric dimension (connectors of fabric) 3. Temporary formwork shape 4. Temporary formwork angles 5. Temporary formwork connectors 6. Gypsum consistency
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02 Project 2A
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1.
2. (stapled pieces together to give 3. (Random shape generated - iteralarger dimension) tions may be done randomly)
4. (Random angles generated 5. (To secure threads, added glue) through threads connector)
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6.
Toka Magdy Abufarag
28 Before drying
After drying (without formwork)
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02 Project 2A
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Final Product
Reflections and lessons learned: - Weight of gypsum water mixture on the fabric aided it to create its shape against the formwork. Fabric was too lightweight to create shape on its own. This may call in question the type of fabric according to its application. - Testing with different fabrics was crucial to the success of the project as it reassured me that I am creating my final product with the right fabric. - The staples on the final product’s fabrics were threatening its structural viability as they acted as structural hinges. - Drenching was a new and interesting way of using the gypsum instead of its original used form - paste. ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2020
Toka Magdy Abufarag
Simple parametric design on facade.
This project aimed to exploit our learning knowledge of parametric design software to design a double skin facade on an existing building in New cairo. The driver is the site’s location in addition to parameters extracted from Project 2A. Randomness as a parametr was experimented with as long as some other parametrs. This project started with a group presentation on researching Double Skin Facades, continued as an indivdual project.
03 Project 2B:The Parametric Facelift
Kickoff Stage: Analysis: a) Summer Solar Analysis b) Winter Solar Analysis c) Sun Shading Chart d) Solar radiation per month e) Wind speed and direction f) Outer temperature and humidity
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03 Project 2B
a) Summer Solar Analysis
b) Winter Solar Analysis
c) Sun Shading Chart
d) Solar radiation per month
e) Wind speed and direction
f) Outer temperature and humidity
f) Outer temperature and humidity
f) Outer temperature and humidity
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03 Project 2B
Assumption on the office’s internal spaces.
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03 Project 2B
Initial Parameter: The main parameter controlled in the Blank Canvas project was the temporary formwork The shape of the formwork shapes the fabric Iterations in the shape of the formwork (randomly) will form the different units of the facade Every unit will be a bundle of formwork + the opening required based on the solar analysis + the fabric pre-cut to the opening size
Initial Propagation Strategy: Packing. Shown to the left. The Beast, Museum of Science, Boston, USA, Neri Oxman
Initial operating mechanism: Static and inspired by the mashrabeya (providing optimum solutions while static and based on pre-analysis)
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2020
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Initial Material & Construction
⠀匀唀䜀䜀䔀匀吀䔀䐀 倀刀伀䌀䔀匀匀 伀䘀 倀刀䔀ⴀ䌀䄀匀吀䤀一䜀 伀一 䄀 䠀伀刀䤀娀伀一吀䄀䰀 䜀刀伀唀一䐀⤀ ㌀⸀ 猀瀀爀愀礀攀搀 眀椀琀栀 挀攀洀攀渀琀 甀猀椀渀最 最甀渀
㈀⸀ 昀愀戀爀椀挀 㴀 猀琀爀甀挀琀甀爀愀氀 猀礀猀琀攀洀 ⠀搀甀爀愀戀氀攀Ⰰ 猀礀渀琀栀攀琀椀挀⤀
⸀ 昀漀爀洀眀漀爀欀 猀攀挀琀椀漀渀 瘀椀攀眀
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03 Project 2B
Initial Sketches
倀䰀䄀一
猀欀椀渀
匀䔀䌀吀䤀伀一
椀渀琀攀爀渀愀氀 最氀愀猀猀
䔀䰀䔀嘀䄀吀䤀伀一 ⠀椀琀攀爀愀琀椀漀渀 㴀 挀漀氀漀爀⤀
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Toka Magdy Abufarag
First grasshopper trial: Using the abovementioned parameter: randomness, I chose to experiment with Voronoi as a propagation method/ logic for my first trial. The iterations were meant to be through the changing in the “seed� in voronoi (basically, through changing in the polygons’ number of sides) The whole structure is to be static but here I started having thoughts on trying to make the openings responsive to sunlight in the form of membranes that perhaps expand and contract, but it was still underdeveloped.
Voronoi Pattern before and after morphing
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03 Project 2B
Started creating “bulges” in the building’s skin based on assumed internal spaces of the building. These bulges protrude from the building at the leisure spaces in order to give the users extra room for enjoying the views.
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03 Project 2B
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Re-thinking experimentation logic: Changed the parameter I took from The Blank Canvas Project (2A). “Randomness” alone resulted in a generic form that was not innovative enough. Picked the fact that the formwork from the blank canvas was responsible in pushing the fabric to form shapes, and that inspired my next idea. This logically meant that the original skin is to be kept as it is and detached from the actual “chassis” of panels with its frames.
before
after: mechanism that pushes panels outwards in response to sun
New Local vs. Global Parametrs: The local parameter that could be changed for iterations is: the choice of which edge to push from 4 edges The global parameter that could be changed for iterations is: the changing of the graph type to change the way the surface curves and bulges around the previously specified points on internal activity.
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03 Project 2B
Starting this new logic: first trial involved trying to shape the pre-existing voronoi to have panels that depended on vertices with controlled angles of rotation.
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2020
Toka Magdy Abufarag
Second run: second trial trying to shape this voronoi pattern was dependant on the edges, not vertices.
This failed because it was hard to control the drection of opening of flaps even though they formed correctly.
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03 Project 2B
Settling on a way: After the previous trials, I decided to use the Lunchbox plugin to create panels with openings, frames, and flaps I could control properly. I realized that the shape had to be formalized in ordeer for this “fish-skin� like effect to happen where panels respond to the sun in a systematic manner. Lunchbox diamond panels
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2020
Toka Magdy Abufarag
Created flaps to respond to sun based on abovementioned logic:
Sunrise and before
Peak on sun
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Before sunset
03 Project 2B
The new panels necessitated thinking about new materials and construction manner. Some of these ideas are:
Perforated Metal “flaps” fixed on a metal frame
Perforated Metal “flaps” fixed on a metal frame
Tinted glass “flaps” on metal frame
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Toka Magdy Abufarag
Created an attractor line to increase the scale of the panels around. This increase in scale is to allow maximum beneficial sunlight to enter these spaces. This line runs around the “bulges� created for human interaction (signified by black circle)
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03 Project 2B
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03 Project 2B
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2020
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Wall section showing structure to support the chassis of panel frames. Panel frames connected to slabs through steel structure. Slabs joined together by outer wall
匀䔀䌀吀䤀伀一
匀䔀䌀吀䤀伀一 ㈀
Protrusions shown and act terraces
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匀䔀䌀吀䤀伀一 ㌀
SECTION 1
03 Project 2B
SECTION 2
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SECTION 3
Toka Magdy Abufarag
ELEVATION Student Portfolio
03 Project 2B
3D SHOT ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2020
Toka Magdy Abufarag
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03 Project 2B
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2020
Toka Magdy Abufarag
04 Course Reflection The course’s outcome was to give us a solid ground for the basics of computational design. The idea of materiality vs software was heavily discussed throughout the course. This critical debate opened our eyes to the pros and cons of following either of these 2 sides absloutely. A mixture between materiality and software is needed in order to acheive innovative and practical designs that are grounded and feasible. My experience with this course was eye opening and I found the softwares introduced (Rhino with Grasshoper) to be extremely useful. It is a dissappointment that I am only being introduced to them at my fourth year in Architecture school, as they need quite sometime to be fully digested and used. The course organization and communication was seemless and I found that the projects that tested our “manual” parametric thinking were a brilliant way to get us to grasp these abstract ideas through a practical project. I believe I have covered the course learning outcomes in the sense that I have mastered the basics of the softwares and began to master controlling them to reach my end goals. The first project was where I believe I didnt make use of Rhino’s vast capabilities in form generation. However, I found parametric designing and editing to be extremely easy and flexible, especially after knowing exactly what it is you need to do.
05 Bibliography 1. Garden, H., HowStuffWorks, Science, Science, & Biology. (2020). How DNA Works. Retrieved 23 May 2020, from https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/cellular-microscopic/dna1.htm 2. Veenendaal, D., West, M., & Block, P. (2011). History and overview of fabric formwork: using fabrics for concrete casting. Structural Concrete, 12(3), 164-177. doi: 10.1002/suco.201100014 3. Schmid, F. (2020). Florian Schmid. Retrieved 23 May 2020, from http://www.florian-schmid.com/stitching_concrete_collection.html 4. Digital, T. (2020). Louvre Abu Dhabi – See Humanity in a new light. Retrieved 23 May 2020, from https://www. louvreabudhabi.ae/ 5. The Beast, Museum of Science, Boston, USA, Neri Oxman. (2020). [Image].
ŠAll rights reserved, American University in Cairo (AUC) May 2020