Nour Eissa - AUC - ARCH 473/3522

P O R T F O L I O A R C H 4 7 3 / 3 5 2 2 - D I G I TA L D E S I G N S T U D I O A N D W O R K S H O P Nour Eissa 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: Nour Eissa Student ID: 900152527

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

Nour Eissa Architecture Student

Student in the American university in Cairo 4th year in Architecture.

A girl still walking in the same road to learn and experience new things. This journey is different, as we design from a new perspective. We are design with a focal interest on the form. It is important to also put form into consideration and put the “form follows function� behind. This journey is not only about architecture and aesthetics, it is about structure and mechanism (Parametric Design). It is about nature and how we can learn from every bit of it. The journey starts with biomicry and ends with a building with its every detail. It is a journey that encooperate all the elements that an architect need. Welcome to a glimpse of this journey.

Nature is the optimun guide to a good design.

That’s why Biomimicry is vital. In this case, it is the crab. Several levels of biomimcry will be tackled: Organism level and the Behavioural level.

01 Biomimcry

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3 Crabs in their natural habitat.

Crabs

Crabs are found in several location. Eventhough they are all from the same species, they are not all the same. Each crab is special in its own way depending on its location, the weather, the strength of the waves or even the number of predetors. These varieties are vital to get influences by. From the crabs, several elements can be used as an influence and a lesson to learn from.

It can something as small a molecule in their exoskeleton to something as wide as their behaviour.

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4 Crabs: Several aspects of the crabs will be studied. Studies will be tackled in an organism level and behavioural level.

Shell: Organism level: Voronoi Diagram: The exoskeleton is composed of the voronoi structure which gives its strength and protects it from the predetors.

Change in Colour: The Shell changes colour with heat Healing Properties: The shell has the ability to heal it self.

Behavioral level: Synchornous Vacancy Chain: As the Hermit crabs grow they have to find a new shell that will fit them.

Legs: Organism Level: Locomation: The symetry and the joints in the crabs’ legs are vital for the horizontal and diagonal movement.

Claws: Organism Level: It contains a su Organism Level: bstance called Chitin that has different desinities (responsive)

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6 Experiments: Several Experiements were done to try and get the same effect found in the crab in other materials. The experiements were a tool to experience the chosen elements and understand how they work. Hence it will help us identify how to use it in our design

CHANGE IT TEXTURE: The foil changes its texture when heat is applied Mesh: Different meshes with different sizes were used to analyse the shadow it will emit and the forms it can create. Experiments were: The double mesh, the large mesh, The small mesh and the altered mesh.

Cornstarch: This experiment is a visualization of the self healing process that occurs in the crabs shell.

Cornstarch is elastic that’s why when a scratch is applies it automatically heals itself

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8 EXPERIMENTS (CONTINUE): CHANGE IN COLOUR: Copper (Due to oxidation): With heat the copper oxides. Hence, it changes colour Thermochromic Paint: Liquid crystals get closer when heated and farther when cooled. Hence, light is reflected differently producing different colours.

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10 NARROWING IT DOWN: Voronoi Structure cancy Chain:

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The Synchronous Vacancy Chain will be translated into hubs: Each hub will be equiped and sized to respond to the needs of each group.

The voronoi structure will act as an aesthetically appealing structure that responds to the needs of the users: Enviromental needs, Occasian needs, Comfort needs

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THE BUILDING AS AN ADDITION TO THE SITE: The building adds to the site but reviving it, and by allowing new activitied while still preserving the original activity.

The building adapts to the user and create different experiences. It is a connector between the site and the users that aren’t using it.

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Facade located in the American University In Cairo

02 Site Analysis

16 SITE ANALYSIS: It is a must to evaluate the chosen site to be able to build a design that is contextual which will automatically make it unique in its own way.

SEVERAL FACTORS WERE ANALYZED: -Accessibility: 5 Acces: 3 of them are main (Dynamic) -Grid: Vertical, Symmetrical, Systematic -Movement: Chaotic, Dynamic, Flow of movement Vegetation: Linear(accentuating the grid) Urban Furniture: Benches (not used due to it’s location). it’s linear, hence it is not promoting interactions -Enviromnetal Analysis: Wind (North-West). It will affect the shape of the building to increase wind flow and create self shade ALTERNATIVE SHAPES: -Dynamic with pockets (nodes): to respond to the flow of movement and enhance the purpose of the courtyard which is to act as a node.

-Circular: Responsive to the bench -Linear: more coherent with the surrounding (linear) while still creating node (not as welcoming as they are sharp)

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3d shot of the building

02 Form Generation

20 IMPLEMENTATION: HEIGHTS: The height depends on the sun direction. The hubs with the bigger height are the one located in the south. These hubs will provide shading to the other part of the building OPENING SIZES: The size of the voronoi cells increase from bottom top.

Small opening in the roof: they are used to provide daylight in the building without glare Large opening in the bottom: they are used as structural system and also as a seating area.

THICKNESS OF THE PIPE: it decreases from bottom top. As the bottom needs reinforcment as they are the structural system.

CURVES (PLAN): it acts as nodes. Two nodes are enclosed to insulate the noise as they are located near the classes.

The open ones are located near the stairs and the bench

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Facade located in the American University In Cairo

03 Parametric Design

26 PARAMETRIC DESIGN BIMETALLIC PANELS (FOR THE SKYLIGHT): These panels curl depending on the sun’s heat. Hence these skylights respond to the kinetic energy of the sun.

The Skyligh can control the amount of light and heat allowed in the building

ROTATING PANELS (THE THE SKIN): These Panels rotate to allow the building to act as a pavilion (for example: during an exhibition), as the site was a already an courtyard (public space). Consequently, teh building will preserve the purpose of the site and makes it more useful

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34 LAYERS AND DETAILS LAYERS: The building constitutes of different layers. Firsty, the main skeleton which is the static part. It is followed by the parametric elements that fill the void of the skeleton ROTATING PANEL: It rotates in between two rails. Frames have studied a mechanism to be able to move with different distances DETAIL: The frame also is layered, and divided into static and dynamic parts.

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