Clara Agban - AUC - ARCH 437/3522

Student Portfolio

ARCH 473/3522 - DIGITAL DESIGN STUDIO AND WORKSHOP Clara W. Adly Spring 2019

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: Clara Wafik Adly Agban Student ID: 900141950

Š The American University in Cairo (AUC), May 2019

Clara W. Adly Architecture Student

ficiently under pressure, enthusiasm and patience.

Architecture has eased it’s way into my life from a very long time and my interest in it just keeps on growing constantly. It has always fascinated me the way it can combine art, logical and sequential thinking in one major. Since I have a personal affinity towards art, math and science, this was the perfect major for me to proceed my studies and professional life in. Throughout the years, I have discovered the effect that it can have on people’s lives is beyond what anyone can imagine.

I am currently an undergraduate student who is pursuing architecture in the American University in Cairo.Throughout my years at university, I have been an active participant in committees and clubs. Some of these would include being a member PAL (Peer Advising Leader) multimedia committee as well as being a Peer Leader and guiding the freshmen into their first few weeks at university.

As a student, I am someone who is considered who likes to think outside the box reguarly. I am also quite social and can be a very good team player as well as leader. I am a hard-worker that thrives and would not give up until I have successfully reached my goal. Some of my strengths include time management, working ef-

It has a magnificent effect on the local communities and the users of the building itself. The buildings act as a signature that the architect can leave for the whole world to see.

So far, I have been an intern at two architectural companies in Kuwait, Al-Ghanim Industries and One Option. I have aided in the design phase of a real-life project as well as working on construction drawings. In my opinion, these two experiences were a true eye opener since they helped me grasp the idea of an ‘architect’ in real-life cases.

A natural phenomena that exists within each and every person - The heart.

01 Research: The Heart

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3 A brief oveview of the cardiovascular system From left to right: Blood cells, Artery, Veins, Capillaries, Biomimicry of the heart (shapshifting)

It beats x 101,000/ day.

1 - Blood cells: Fluid that moves through the vessels. It includes the plasma (the liquid portion), blood cells (white and red) and cell fragments called platelets.

2 - Artery: It is a muscular walled tube that carries oxygen-rich blood away from the heart. They branch several times getting smaller 3 - Veins: Take oxygen-poor blood back to the heart. It becomes larger as it moves away from the heart.

4 - Capillaries: Smallest of the body’s blood vessels. It is only one cell thick. It aids in the transfer of oxygen and other nutrients from the bloodstream to other tissues in the body Material that acts like the heart: Shapeshifting material that reacts to electricity What’s Next?

Choosing a topic of concentration from the heart as well as trying out the material to see how it functions.

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Research: The Heart

5 Concentration: The Electrophysics of the heart The Heart’s Automaticity - Spontaneous depolarization & triggers action potentials.

What happens: SA node sets the sinus rhythm (60-80 bpm). This is the emergence node of the electrodes. These electrodes move from atrium to atrium and then converge to the ‘AV node’ and continues to branch in the heart. There is usually a lag of 0.1 sec between each half of the heart. This happens due to less gap junctions and a smaller diameter.

The largest heart muscle - myocardium. It is made of noadal and contractille cells. The cells have channels through which ions move in and out of. Structure proteins, demosomes, hold the cells together when a heart expands. The process of deoplarization depends on the flow of Sodium and Calcium ions.

Inside the contractile cells, the sarcoplastimic reticulum controls the calcium ion intake. The ions bond with a type of protein called troponin. This action causes a crossbridge to occur between to agents that cause the contractions of the heart.

To identities interacting causing an action.

Increase/decrease in heart rate occurs due to rapid increase of the flow of intracellular Ca++ ions

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Research: The Heart

7 Precedents: from research to design 1 - The Shape of the Electrocardiogram Generating a form out of the electrocardiogram.

I.e. having different levels of elevations, creating a rhythm out of the building envelope 2 - Conceptually Having a core in the middle of the building that branches out to several classrooms/studios creating a network. It would act as an activity area that encourages student interaction, health activities or house the AA headquarters. Crossbridges can also be created as connections between studios.

3- A breathing facade Inspired from the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum, the idea of controlling but instead with the air pollution. A smog-eating facade filters the air using UV light activated radicals.

Reflection...

The ideas were a good starting point but still needed further development since they were merely brushing the surface. Some like taking the shape of the electrocardiogram were too literal. Crossbridging for example, can be thought of as a way of interaction between the interior and exterior of the building.

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8 Recreating the phenomena It was quite difficult to experiment with the heart since we had to have medical help and doctors in order to stay in the safe zone. Therefore, we started by experimenting with the materiality itself.

By using polymers and carbon, when heated to be stuck to each other should have realed a result of a breathing material that expands and contracts when exposed to a current.

However, this material was still experimental and its application on a big architectural scale has not yet been proven or tested.

Application My group and I followed the steps indicated by the video and heated our specimen for 4-5 hours before allowing electricity current to pass through it.

Even after we discussed the experiment with several professors and TAs from the mechanical and electrical department, materials were hard to come by in Egypt. Unfortunately, this was a failed attempt since it was very difficult to find the exact type of polymer needed as it was kept secret.

The current we used was that from a solar panel which provided around 6 volts.

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Research: The Heart

11 Site Selection Core #1 that is directly connected to the architectural department - Closest to the architectural department - Junction meeting area for architecture students - Reviving the area - Branches into the building + glass studio (connecting them directly) - Light access – dark at night (darkest courtyard) - Air pollution due to being a truck drop-off area and the construction labs beneath - Acts as a nodal point from bus gate - Seating areas by the wall create a ‘safe place’ and a communal area - Main users: Professors, Construction students Mechanical students Architecture students - The flow of people was also studied as shown on the right

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Designing a form and facade for the Architectural Department extension at the University.

02 Form-Finding

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15 Iteration one: The same idea was conveyed in both models but in different forms.

Key concepts: Bridging Fluctuations

A highlighted core Rhythm

The first model was derivated from the conceptual sketch in the previous phase. An attempt was made to create a flow in the shell of the structure. Diagrid shapes were inprired by the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum in the heart. Facades facing the public featured interactive sensors where the form would move depending on the proximity of the user to it.

The second model tried to emphasize on the core making it the main eye-catching element of the building. Extruded beams would act as a decorative element providing a sense of rhythm.

However..

The forms were not realistic in the sense of scale.

Parts of the building would barely fit one room, not taking into consideration circulation space. The second iteration was slightly better since it was possible to start generating a form from there with smoother surfaces since the angles were too sharp.

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Form-Finding

17 Iteration two: Taking into consideration comments from the first iteration, the second iteration features open communal areas integrated into the building. This allows the users to move into the building and go through it without truly going inside.

A more dynamic and flowy enclosure is also introduced. Fluctuations are also a key element but not in the dramatic sense it was in the first interation.

The rhythm is also shown in the mullion spacing of the glass some areas of the building.

A new facade type is introduced. The self-adaptive surface is made of a very strong fabric that includes an important chemical named nitinol. On the ground floor, the material is configured with sensors in such a way that as a person approaches from the outside, the material expands towards them. On the upper floors, the sensors depend on the sunlight and would close up to provide shade.

However..

The form overall proved to be too bulky and the architectural sense of it was not logical. If slabs were to be placed, it was uncertain where they would start and end. Furthermore, the angle in which the slab meets the slanted wall could be an acute one, which would make it unusable place. The form needed some major remodification.

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Form-Finding

19 Iteration three: In a new attempt of developing the form, some of the points that were focused upon include: - Creating a rhythmic pattern that reflects the rhythmicity of the heart.

- A visual pumping action where the smaller box modules gradually grow to larger box modules reflecting the branching systems.

- The core being the highest point of the building housing the new AA headquarters / meeting room.

- Create a direct link between activity of the user outside the building and inside, thereby, mimicking the cross-bridge link. (on the northern side) - Using the same box module but for environmental purposes on the southern facade.

However..

Adjusting the curves a little more to suit the flow of the students through the courtyard. This would allow the form to interact with the courtyard, making it unique rather than simple being a part of any other courtyard. In order to convey the concept better in the digital fabrication stage, showing the movement of the facade on the surface would be better.

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Form-Finding

21 The final form of the extension of the Architectural department at AUC.

Stage 2 Final 3D Shot

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23 A picture of one of modules as seen from the exterior facade of the exhibition space at night. It is lit using led lights to encourage engagement.

03 Parametric Module ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019

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Parametric Module

25 Numerical Parameters: In order to find the perfect shape and movement that the module should have, 3 different aspects were looked at.

1 - Action Potentials The triangulation shape was derived from finding a common factor out of the values at which the heart beats. The numbers of 30, 60, 90 are those at which the heart releases action potentials and starts to pump.

2 - The beat The beating form was translated into the northern facade modules which is the most active part of the building. Thereby, the triangular module expands and creates a space for the people be ‘one’ with the building.

3 - Temperature The building’s second interaction occurs with the southern side’s relation to the sun. The heart responds to the temperature of the human being, i.e the hotter he is, the faster it beats. Therefore, the building will have a facade that is made up of triangular forms that would open and close in response to the sun and its temperature. This, in turn, would affect the experience of the user inside the building and hold a great effect on the user’s psychology as well as prevent glare.

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Parametric Module

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28 Southern facade module This module is based off the solar analysis and whether the sun hits it or not. If there is direct sunlight, the module would close up in order to maintain the coolness inside the building.

Whereas if there is indirect sunlight or if this part of the building is already shaded by its nighbouring building, then the module would open up.

The picture on the right illustrates the different phases of one group of modules.

The panel would be made out of metal and is equipped with solar panels in order to make the most of the sun and help make the building as energy effecient as possible.

The movement is done through the means of a temperature and solar sensors that will continuously measure light and heat levels and regulate the shutters mechanically using a hinge by means of a small motor.In order to make sure that the mechanism will stay in place and not collapse when closed, steel rods are added so that the panel can fall back on.

Energy effeciency: $184 per sq.m - price of solar panels Solar panel electricity generated up to $900 per sq.m

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Parametric Module

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ELEVATION

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PLAN-DETAIL

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Parametric Module

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A Balance of Rhythm

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Parametric Module

33 Northern facade module This module solely focuses on the interaction of the users with the building.

The pictures on the right show the module before and after someone approaches it. It creates a space in and of itself and thereby creates a notion of an inviting space. At night, it gets lit up by LED lights to act as a guide for the users on the outside as well.

It is equipped with Shape Memory Polymers Panels.

This allows for the shape to expand and go back it’s original form freely.

However, for safety precautions, a steel rod in its back supports it to prevent it from collapsing inwards.

This is all determined by the sensors which are placed from the interior side and measures the proximity of the user to it.

Energy effeciency: $184 per sq.m - price of solar panels Solar panel electricity generated up to $900 per sq.m

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35 3D Shot of the building

04 Final Project ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019

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Section A-A

Ground floor plan illustrating the connection to the adjacent building as well as entrances and exits of the building.

Main Entrance

Site Layout

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Final Project

37 Section A-A

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38 Northern Elevation

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Final Project

39 Western Elevation

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Biblography

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