Shaza Gamal- AUC - ARCH 473/3522

Student Portfolio

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: Shaza Gamal Student ID: 900171475

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

Shaza Gamal Architecture Student

My name is Shaza Gamal and I am an architecture student in my third year and currently studying in the American University in Cairo. In the beginning, I knew I was interested in the functional and aesthetical aspects of buildings or pavillions but my love has definitely increased after joining the major. I continue to fall in love with not only the successes but also the failures that I endured throughtout the process. Outside of this field, I indulge in other personal hobbies, including singing and music. I started singing around 13-14 years old and have had it become a large part of my life since then.

Throughout this course, I have definitely went over many struggles that involved both creating an idea that is both structurally and enviromentaly sound while also

struggling with the lack of skill due to being exposed to a new form of design application. With the full help of my proffessors and also the teaching assitants, I was able to pull through with a project that I can say I stand by.

Trying out Physical fabrications with different materials.

WHAT IS CASTING?

A way of building to be able to create concrete-like moulds with the use of different structural elements

Testing with different material that is easily accessible and easy to work with makes this method both financially inexpensive and experimental. https://diaryofatileaddict.com/tag/the-fabric-formwork-book/

History

Fabric Formwork has been around for as early as 1900.

textiles like burlap or hessian made from organic fibers.

https://www.joann.com/burlap-fabric/prd23682.html

Example of Technique

Smocking

- Technique that helped with having the minimal use of sewing

- Uses a gathering motion; quite hard to do if not mastered.

https://www.thecuttingclass.com/contemporary -smocking-techniques/

One of the trials with its structure.

Material Exploration

Reflection

Structurally, this trial held up well. However, if the wooden sticks get removed, it may not hold very well. Maybe altering the length of the top level would help ease on the structure. Overall, a good trial.

Re-Tria

Materials

Parameters

arameters

Control parameters Changing parameters

parameters

Sheet 30 cm 18 cm

Orientation & Position

Length Angle

First structure placed with support under the top part

θ

1 2 3

Second structure done and then wrapped in foil

Ratio- 3:2 20 min to dry

Ratio- 3:2 20 min to dry

First structure placed with support under the top part Second structure done and then wrapped in foil

Ratio- 3:2 20 min to dry

Materi

Parameters

Control parameters

Parameters

1

Changing parameters

Sheet 30 cm 18 cm

Diameter & Radius Angle 9 cm

2 3 Center point of circle

Circle was set at a 60 deg. angle using support Slit was made in the other circle and then imbedded into large one 6 cm 3cm

θ 50 deg

Ratio - 3:2 10 min to dry

Ratio - 3:2 10 min to dry

arameters

Parameters Controlled Changing

Sheet 30 cm

1 2 3 18 cm

Length & Angle Radii

Setting the position of the arches with mesh material first Then wrapped again in foil material to prevent seeping

Ratio - 3:2 10 min to dry

Turning our physical fabrications into parametric building blocks

Introduction to Paneling

Conceptual Thinking

Inspired by the multiple iteration Curve

Curve 2

https://www.guide-to-houseplants.com/golden-trumpet.html

Form Flowers usually are grown overlapping each other

Flowers usually are grown overlapping each other

https://www.guide-to-houseplants.com/golden-trumpet.html

Form Generation Process

Grasshopper Command

Reflection

In this trial, I was getting introduced to grasshopper and how it works. I was able to understand the commands and how they work with different iterations. WIth this trial, it wasnt quite parametric because all values and components were inputed individually.

Turning our physical fabrications into panels and clusters

Parameters

Understanding their effects

Workflow

Negative spaces caused by different heights help with having light entering and diffusing

The curve found is similar to a parabolic curve; a catenary curve to be specific.

Negative spaces caused by different heights also help with having wind and ventilation.

The radius and the width of the curve are the main parameters in affecting the height of the curve.

Grasshopper Command - Panels

1Assigning the golden ratio curve and generating frames

Remapping points on graph mapper

Generating polygon forms with a rotation with an attraction point

Picking a point on the curve and assigning it as an attraction

Offsetting the polygons along the curve

Scaling and lofting the polygons giving it thickness

Grasshopper Command - Cluster

Number of segments is assigned to 5

Curves were interlocked between each

The negative spaces in the segments can behave as louvers that can help with ventilation and diffusion of light. other to create overlap.

Iterations

Playing around with the number of segments

Playing around with the number of segments

Lofting the polygons together rather than separate segments

Increasing the number of segments to 9 segments

Decreasing the number of segments to 3 to create a triadic shape

What is a DSF?

1- Two layers on top of each other.

2- Space between layers can be anywhere from 20 cm to a couple of meters apart

3- Air flows through the negative space between the layerscm to a couple of meters apart

4- DSF can be very adaptable to different weathers (colder and hotter)the layerscm to a couple of meters apart

What is a DSF?

Precedents

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Double-skin-facade-building-at-the-University-of-Kansas-source-https-studio804com_fig1_339031429

University in Kansas

Location of the building: Kansas, United States

Ventilation of the cavity: The outer skin is made up of two separate layers of insulated glass, spaced 3.5 feet (one metre) apart, creating space for a series of vertical cedar louvres.

Façade construction: These are mounted on motors and controlled by a rooftop weather station – programmed to track the sun throughout the day.

Galleria Centercity

Location of the building: Kansas, United States

Ventilation of the cavity: The outer skin is made up of two separate layers of insulated glass, spaced 3.5 feet (one metre) apart, creating space for a series of vertical cedar louvres.

Façade construction: These are mounted on motors and controlled by a rooftop weather station – programmed to track the sun throughout the day.

Grasshopper Command

Experiencing our facades first hand.

Exterior Shots

Too much sun entering the building.

Interior Shots

No structure found

Single louvre is too large and not hollow. Louvres need to be thinner

Rod Mechanism needs to be attached to top of louvre.

Experiencing our facades first hand.

Sun Path

Enviromental Analysis

June Through July December and January

Wind Rose

June Through July December and January

Radiation Analysis

Winter

Roof has less radiation then in summer.

(without the facade)

Summer

Roof has very high radiation. Needs to treated to acommodate roof seating

West has the highest radiation amount.

Sun is lower and more sun enters through the building

Plan 3

Added atrium to help light reach through dark areas of building

Added shading on roof to help shade roof seating

Vertical shading towards the west facade

Horizontal shading towards the south facade

Raditation Analysis after Slab Configuration

Before After

No sun entering the indoor garden

Almost no sun is entering through facade

Less length in louvers at indoor garden More sunlight entering

Roof not shaded; needed to have roof seating

Shading added in roof

Rotation of Louvers for the Winter

Louvers laying flat and causing minimal light to enter

When louvers are twisted, more sunlight is allowed to enter

Total Time: 97.5 Hours

Fabrication

Snapmaker Luban

Facade was first imported up right. This would cause it to need many supports.

Inputting one louvre strip and adding supports Total Time: 4 Hours

aligning all louvre strips together Total Time: 22 Hours

roof strips added after louvres

Total Time: 11 Hours

New Total time for facade: 33 hours instead of 97

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