Student Portfolio CRYSTALLIZATION
ARCH 473/3522 - DIGITAL DESIGN STUDIO AND WORKSHOP Shaymaa Mostafa 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: Shaymaa Mohamed Abdelhamid Student ID: 900142812
Š The American University in Cairo (AUC), May 2019
Shaymaa AbdelHamid Architecture Student
I have always been a strong believer in the ability of the architecture and research combined with design thinking for strengthing our societies and having a positive effect on the world. Only together we can build a better future. Therefore, I believe in the power of communication. It is now expected of architects to turn away from designing iconic buildings/objects and focus instead on creating engaging built environments; from imagining idealistic, form-driven projects driven by the artistic pursuit to focusing on downright pragmatic solutions. China, of course, holds a large mirror to these tendencies, as so many Chinese architects quickly produced exactly the kind of projects that critics favor – modest in scale, straightforward in their expressions, reliant on indigenous construction techniques, and with inven-
tive use of traditional materials. The results, however appealing, seem to lack both variety and risk-taking. There must be another way, not so formulaic. I always have this mixed feelings from whether I am overwhelmed by the amount of work and the amount of projects or whether I really do believe in what I am doing and that’s why I am always pressuring myself to do it with the maximum efficiency. Architecture has been a turning point in my life. It managed to change my life. To change how I think about life. To be able to turn an eye on every single detail and to enjoy very tiny details that I would not have noticed earlier. There is a small conclusion I have came up to and that you always need to be confident in your knowledge and experience. But then you need to realize that the only way to achieve high-level architecture is by taking it very personally and emotionally. Architecture should be treated as art. An artist by definition has social value because of what he brings to society. An architect has a responsibility but he has to elevate his work to the level of art. Of course, many people criticize this position. But that is what I believe in. Because the only way to be able to communicate with the society and the universe is to be true to yourself. Architecture can be very superficial if you simply address all the immediate needs and pragmatics.
Crystallization acts as a growth resistence, and can be seen in nature with significant aesthetic effects. As a potential use of this feature, crystallization can be used as an active growth element of the building.
01 Learning from nature
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Crystals widely exist in nature. This report describes the formation and development of natural crystals, crystals form analysis, as well description of the aesthetic characterististics of the crystal. This project started by identifying the various attempts to tap the potential of the crystals as a building material in modern architecture. Comparing of different crystals, cheap and environmentally friendly salt is chosen as the main material opening new effects used in the performance, such as the sense of space, changing the material properties, texture and so on. A specific salt area is chosen for project design and the project try to reflect the area or even the city’s personality, regional and historical context. How the crystals glow as an element of the structures, giving it a new vitality in the architectural design, making the buildings more diversified, more personalized, and more humane. Process of separating a solid element or compound from a solvent Could be elements or compounds Series of faces creating geometric angles and shapes HOW? Heating solution till supersaturation Cooling of mixture Molecules of solute connect forming a unique molecular matrix FACTORS SIZE - Rate of cooling & initial temperature
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Shaymaa AbdelHamid
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The sollution needed to grow crystals is very simple. All what was added is copper sulphate and water. The food coloring is soomething that can be added but in my case it was not necessary since the copper sulphate already give the blue color and it is clear in visuals.
To dissolve the salt in the water, heat is needed. This because water can contain more sugar at the higher temperatures - becoming supersaturater.
After a couple of days, the sugar can no longer be contained in the water as it cools and evaporates. This forces the sugar to crystallize on any surface. In this example, the sugar attaches both to stick and the sides of the cup
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To start with, the molecules are still able to be contained in the water and is not attached to any surface
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
After a while, the crystals starts to form and the crystal attracts more molecules, making it grow even more.
In later stages, the water contains fewer sugar molecules since most of them have formed into crystals in the container.
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8 Grow Copper Sulfate Crystals -First, pour a small amount of the saturated solution into a small plate. The large surface area on the plate helps the solution evaporate quickly, so you will get numerous small crystals quickly (within a couple of hours). Pick one or more of the best crystals and carefully scrape them off the plate. You can use a toothpick or a butter knife. These are seed crystals. They serve as “seeds” for larger crystals. -Next, place these seed crystals into a jar or bowl of the remaining solution. If you use multiple seeds, make sure they aren’t touching each other or else put them in separate containers. Check on the crystals about every half a day. If crystals start growing elsewhere on the container, you can renove the crystals to a clean container and pour the solution onto them. If needed, you can prepare fresh solution to help feed the crystal growth. If you add new solution, be absolutely sure it is saturated before you add it or it may dissolve some of your growth! A good way to be sure the solution is saturated is to make sure no more copper sulfate will dissolve and then allow the solution to cool before adding it to your crystal. -When you are satisfied with the crystals, remove them and allow then to dry. When the crystals are wet, they can be scraped from their container easily using a butter knife or gloved hand.
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LEARN FROM name NATURE Chapter
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11 How can architecture be geometrically complex yet socially active? How can we envisage architecture that develop social relevance as much as aesthetic and experiential quality? How can geometric and experiential articulations support a civic sense within building?
02 Form Generation ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
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Agent based flocking was the start of stimulating molecules. Similarly to copper sulphate molecules the agents are attracted to each other and forms larger shapes from individual particles.
Instead of being attracted to each other, these particles are attracted to points on a surface. They clump up into larger, random shapes. Gravity is added to emulate the larger lower shapes seen in the analysis.
A shape becomes the host of the attraction points instead and after collision with the shape is added, the particles approximates the shape in a realistic fassion. As before, the gravity os added to make the bottom shapes longer.
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Using a cone, the shape is fairly similar. The crystals are uniform and round.
The cube becomes a bit more random, largely since some particles are trapped on top of the cube
A simple cylinder is uniformly distributed since the largest density of points is in the middle
Concept: Trying to spread the crystals is possible to see the next stage of the implementation with crystal simulation, as the crystals approximates the shape with an organic and random expression. A structure of organically interlocking prismatic forms that unites conflicting ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
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17 Choosing the court that is considered a meeting point between both architecture department and construction department
03 Chosen Court ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
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19 This court is considered a mid point between the students of architecture and the students of construction and that’s why I find it a suitable place to have the extension of the department on as it’s highly visited from people.
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21 Copper sulphate crystal modules spreading all over the site to approache students.
Playing with the solid and void to
04 Form progression ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
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23 Using t-splines and playing with the surface to produce a representation of the forces. Interplay of the crystals approaching different directions, with different heights and different rotation angle Building’s footprint is 250 sqm.
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Trials
I wanted to build a pavillion like extension to the department with vertical and horizontal hexagons and was aiming to make each hexagon have its own identity, function and experience. Reflection: It failed as the doctor told me that the concept is strong yet she can feels that it can be tweeked better than this and could talk better than that. At this time, I wanted to start designing my crystals in the court in order to visualize my circulation and to be able to relate the functions and the concept. Reflection: This time the doctor told me that the idea worked in terms of the form yet she is expeting to have more inclinations and the crystals to be extracted from each others as if they were only one crystal.
That was my last trial and that time the doctor finally approved that it works! She liked the concept behind the forms and the massing The only comment from her was to try to adjsut the form from the top to be more sharp and oriented
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Final Trial
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27 Detailed Design of the skin of the building according to certain factors
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Shape shifting logic and design ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
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Solid and Void Logic:
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Creating rectangluar panels in the roof of each crystal with different sizes according to the importance and the value of the direaction it’s heading to. The opening are gradually opened in it’s size according to the surrounding events.
Crystals Direction Crystal direction can be changed in the x,y,z direction as it also heading to whatever will be happening in the university to approach more students and it will play a huge role in trying to head to as much number to students as possible. It acts as the crystal, does not have a uniform shape, it is always spontaneous and the only logic behind it’s growth is the idea of belonging.
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Ground floor plan The plan demonstrates the main entry points along with the core of vertical circulation with the division of areas from interaction zones to collaborative studios Section Playing with the heights and the hierarchy of each crystal to overlook and approach different students from different areas around. STORAGE
LECTURE ROOM
GALLERY
EXPERIENTIAL STUDIO ART STUDIO
Ground Floor Plan Scale 1:200 GROUND FLOOR
INTERIOR ILLUSTRATIONS
Section -ASECTION-ASCALEScale 1:2001:200
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Biblography
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https://www.webelements.com/compounds/copper/Cu-1_SO4-1_OH2-5.html
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Copper-sulfate-pentahydrate#section=2D-Structure https://someinterestingfacts.net/how-do-copper-sulphate-crystals-form/ https://sciencenotes.org/how-to-grow-blue-copper-sulfate-crystals/ https://www.thoughtco.com/copper-sulfate-crystals-606228
ŠAll rights reserved, American University in Cairo (AUC) May 2019