S T U D E N T PORTFOLIO
ARCH 473/3522 - DIGITAL DESIGN STUDIO AND WORKSHOP Farah Kamel Fall 2021
The American University in Cairo (AUC) School of Sciences and Engineering - Department of Architecture ARCH 473/3522 - Digital Design Studio and Workshop (Fall 2021) 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: Farah Kamel Student ID: 900181453
© The American University in Cairo (AUC), December 2021
Farah Kamel Architecture Student
translate our intangible thoughts into physical models exploring the intelligence of different fabrics and materials. As well as approaching our creative concepts holistically where complex geometries are generated which are environmentally and spatially sensitive. Despite the challenges which were faced throughout the semester, through this course, I was able to acknowledge the importance of the designing process not just reaching a final result and have gained an insight into the endless bounds of parametric designing, which I can not wait to explore further in my remaining semesters! Entering architecture I had no idea what to expect, my initial lack of passion and interest for the major made it extremely difficult to accept its tough workload and increased my struggles with constantly feeling overwhelmed. However, as I delved into the major I came to appreciate its multidisciplinary nature, which eased the creation of links with my other interests and fields of study I intended to explore. One of the courses which normalised this blur between the different disciplines is 473. Off first impressions, I thought the learning experience would be marginalised behind the computer screen. However, from the first project we were encouraged to
TABLE OF CONTENTS 01. THE BLANK FACADE CANVAS 02. LEARNING FROM NATURE 03. THE PARAMETRIC FACELIFT
Final outcome of one of the material explorations showing solid and void interplay
01 THE BLANK FACADE CANVAS
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The Blank Canvas
3 Inspiration of the production of anti-clastic geometries utilising fabric as framework for concrete
IN THIS EXPERIMENTAL PROJECT, THE OBJECTIVE IS TO PHYSICALLY EXPLORE WITH DIFFERENT MATERIALS AND FABRICATION TECHNIQUES TO DEVISE A UNIT PROTOTYPE FOR A BUILDING FAÇADE. IT IS ENCOURAGED TO INVESTIGATE SEVERAL PHYSICAL/DIGITAL TECHNIQUES AND MATERIAL EXPLORATIONS THAT CAN SUPPORT THE PROCESS OF EXPERIMENTATION. THE FABRICATION APPROACH CHOSEN SHOULD BE RESEARCHED AND USING THAT BACKGROUND INFORMATION, AN PHYSICAL MODEL SHOULD BE MANUALLY PRODUCED DISPLAYING THE DESIRED PROTOTYPE USING THE APPROPRIATE TECHNIQUE ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2021
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FABRIC FORMING
| LESS CONCRETE, MORE COMPLEXITY
THE POURING CONCRETE INTO A FLEXIBLE MEMBRANE MADE OF SYNTHETIC FABRIC MOULDS ALLOWING DESIGNERS TO CREATE DRAMATIC, SCULPTURAL SHAPES. UNDER THE PRESSURE OF THE WET CONCRETE, THE MATERIAL TAKES AFTER THE SHAPE OF THE MOLD.
WHY FABRIC FORMING ? - MORE OPPURTUNITIES FOR COMPLEX GEOMETRIES BEYOND SIMPLE PRISMATIC SHAPES. - GEOTEXTILE FABRIC IS STRONG, LIGHTWEIGHT, INEXPENSIVE AND IS REUSABLE. - USES 40% LESS CONCRETE. - REDUCES MAN’S IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT IN TERMS OF MATERIALS AND ENERGY USAGE. - REDUCES CONSTRUCTION TIME.
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The Blank Canvas
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T H E
O R I G I N
WAS DISCOVERED AS A RESULT OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, BUT SHOWS SOME SIMILARITIES TO ANCIENT ROMAN ENGINEERING. AS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF COFFERDAMS, THE ROMAN ARCHITECT VITRUVIUS EXPLAINS A METHOD OF CREATING TWO RETAINING WALLS THAT ARE FILLED WITH CLAY IN WOVENREED B A S K E T S .
P R E C E D E N T S
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INSPIRED BY THE FLUID FORMS OF COLORFUL TRADITIONAL DRESS OF JALISCO, MEXICO, THE KNITCANDELA STANDS AT 5 TONNES AT THE MUSEO UNIVERSITARIO ARE CONTEMPORANEO. IT WAS KNITTED IN 36 HOURS, THE CABLE-NET AND FABRIC FORMWORK SYSTEM ALLOWS FOR EXPRESSIVE FREE FORM CONCRETE SURFACES TO E CONSTRUCTED WITHOUT THE NEED FOR MOLDS
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KNITCRETE IS AN INNOVATIVE MATERIAL SAVING, LABOUR REDUCING AND COST EFFECTIVE FORMWORK SYSTEM FOR THE CASTING OF DOUBLE CURVED GEOMETRIES IN CONCRETE.
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CASTING/FABRIC EXPERIMENTATION
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C O N C LUS I O N
- A DIFFERENT FABRIC MATERIAL THAT ABSORBS LESS WATER TO BE USED. - RATIO OF GYPSUM TO WATER MUST BE INCREASED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO SHAPE IT INTO DESIRED FORM AND HAVE GREATER RESISTANCE TO THE GRAVITY FORCE. - GREATER THICKNESS OF PASTE TO BE ADDED TO AVOID CRACKS ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2021
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AVOID USING MATERIALS SUCH AS CARDBOARD WITHOUT ADDING A PROTECTIVE LAYER FIRST AS IT WILL BECOME ONE WITH THE MIXTURE AND DESTROY THE FORM
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PREPARING OWN MOLD
R E V I SI T NG
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TES TING
T EXT URES
The Blank Canvas
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D E LV I N G I N T O S M OC K I N G THE AIM OF THIS TASK IS TO PUSH THE USE OF SMOCKING TECHNIQUE PAST FLAT SURFACES
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S O LI D AN D V OI D S X S M OC K I N G THE AIM OF THIS TASK IS TO PUSH THE USE OF THE SMOCKING TECHNIQUE BY ADDING AN EXTRA LAYER OF SOLID AND VOIDS INTERPLAY.
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TA K I N G C ON T R OL PARAMETERS CONTROLLED
- HEIGHTS OF FABRIC - PATTERNS USED AND THEIR INTENSITY - PROTRUSIONS AND RECESSES - GYPSUM TO WATER RATIO
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CRACKS MANIFESTION PARAMETERS CONTROLLED
-FABRIC FORM - THICKNESS OF GYPSUM TO GENERATE CRACKS -THICKNESS OF GYPSUM TO CREATE TRANSLUCENT FOLDS
TO EXPLORE THE INTERACTION OF GYPSYM WITH THE PATTERN FOLDS AND ITS POTENTIAL TO FORM VOIDS AND VARYING OPACITIES
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FOLDS OF LOWER OPACITIES
DUE TO THE LIQUID GYPSUM PASTE’S TENDANCY TO FORM A VORTEX TOWARDS GRAVITY, IT SEEPS UNDERNEATH THE PLASTICINE ADDED. [ FORMING A THIN LAYER ]
THICKNESS OF THE PASTE IS A VARAIABLE THAT DETERMINES 1) THE OPACITY OF THE FORM AT THAT SPECIFIC POINT 2) POINT OF POTENTIAL VOIDS WHEN REMOVING THE PASTE FROM THE MOLD
/ SOLID AND VOID INTERPLAY
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Learning From Nature
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Final pavillion outcome
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LEARNING FROM NATURE ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2021
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Learning From Nature
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1 | GENERATE CURVES
2| TRIM CURVES
3| COPY+ROTATE
/ FIRST ATTEMPT PROCESS
4| LOFT
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5| SURFACE MORPH
EXPLORATION THROUGH [ ABSTRACTION ] DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM THE CRYSTAL STRUCTURES IN IRIDIPHORES, WHICH CHANGE DISTRIBUTION TO ALTER COLORS ACCORDING TO INTRASPECIFIC COMMUNICATION, I HAVE GENERATED A FORM WHICH TRANSCENDS THROUGH THREE STATES : THE RELAXED ( DIRECT ACCESS FROM THE CLASSES) , THE LIMINAL AND THE EXCITED ( DIRECT ACCESS FROM THE PLAZA ) Learning From Nature
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INSPIRED BY THE LIGHT OF DIFFERENT WAVELENGTHS HITTING THE GUANINE CRYSTALS, A TRANSITIONAL SPACE IS DESIGNED WHICH IS CHARACTERISED BY LAYERING,DISSOLUTION, BLURRING, AND AMBIGUITY . THE EXPERIENCE OF LIMINAL SPACE POSSESS A DISCONTINUITY WHICH LEADS TO HEIGHTENED AWARENESS OF THE SPACE AS A TRANSFORMATIVE THRESHOLD BETWEEN DISTINCT SPACES.
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THE LATTICE OF GUANINE NANOCRYSTALS IN S-IRIDOPHORES FROM THE SAME INDIVIDUAL IN A RELAXED (A ) AND EXCITED STATE ( B ) Portfolio
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/ SECOND ATTEMPT A GATE[ AWAY ] [A]
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[B]
INSPIRED BY THE CHAMELEONS MECHANISM OF CHANGING THE SPACING BETWEEN NANOCRYSTALS FOR INTRASPECIFIC COMMUNICATION, A FORM WAS GENERATED WHICH POSSESSES SIMILAR DYNAMICISM IN RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES, GENERATING A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE FOR WHOEVER PASSES THROUGH IT Farah Kamel
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[ SURFACE FORMATION ] Portfolio
[ SET ATTRACTOR POINTS ] Learning From Nature
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/ FIRST PARAMETER
DEFORMATION OF SURFACE ACCORDING TO [ USERS FLOW ]
SURFACE WAS DIVIDED INTO CURVES, THEN ATTRACTED TO THE CHOSEN POINTS AND MOVED IN THE Z DIRECTION ACCORDINGLY, THE ENTRANCE FACING THE PLAZA WAS CREATED TO BE THE HIGHEST IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A WELCOMING, ENHANCED EXPERIENCE FOR THE USERS AS THEY ENTER FROM THE BUSY PLAZA TO THE GATE [ AWAY ]. ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2021
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CRITICAL POINTS, WITH HIGHEST SOLAR GAIN
/ SOLAR ANALYSIS
THE SOLAR GAIN ON THE MODEL SURFACES WAS STUDIED, TO DEDUCE THE SUN ATTRACTOR POINTS
VORONOI PATTERN WAS POPULATED ACCORDING TO SPECIFIED POINTS, [ INTENSIFYING ACCORDING TO PROXIMITY ] Portfolio
[ SURFACE MORPHING ] Learning From Nature
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/SECOND PARAMETER
SCALING OF CELLS ACCORDING TO [ ENVIRONMENTAL ATTRACTOR ]
| GRASSHOPPER SCRIPT
THE INNER CELLS WERE SCALED, ATTRACTED TO THE SAME POINTS, MIMICING THE MOVEMENT OF GUANINE CRYSTALS IN RESPONSE TO HEAT ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2021
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/THIRD PARAMETER
ROTATION OF THE CELLS ON [ SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY ] SPRINGS
/ UNDERSTANDING THE SYSTEM UPON ACTUATION, THE SYSTEM ALTERS ITS HOLLISTIC FORM, WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS REARGANGE THEMSELVES [ MIMICING THE GUANINE NANO-CRYSTALS ], GENERATING OPENININGS AT DIFFERENT ANGLES BY CHANGING THE ORIENTATION OF THE SURFACES DEPENDING ON THE LOCAL SITUATION.
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| GRASSHOPPER SCRIPT [ BREP SURFACES ARE ISOLATED AND SCALED ]
[ SURFACE SPLIT INTO 2 BREPS ]
| FINAL FORM GENERATED
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[ POINTS ARE JOINED TO FORM THE SPRINGS
[ SCALED SURFACES ARE THEN ROTATED& THEIR CLOSEST POINTS ARE IDENTIFIED ]
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CHANGE IN INTENSITY OF PATTERN ACCORDING TO ENVIRONMENTAL ATTRACTOR
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FINAL FORM ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2021
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The Parametric Facelift
COLLAGE OF FINAL FORM OVERLAYED ON AN INTERIOR SHOT
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THE PARAMETRIC FACELIFT ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2021
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Biblography
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Abdelmohsen, Sherif & Massoud, Passaint & Elshafei, Ahmed. (2016). Using Tensegrity and Folding to Generate Soft Responsive Architectural Skins Service, Robert. “The Secret To Chameleon Color Change: Tiny Crystals”. Science.Org, 2015, https:// www.science.org/content/article/secret-chameleon-color-change-tiny-crystals. Teyssier, Jeremie & Saenko, Suzanne & Marel, Dirk & Milinkovitch, Michel. (2015). Photonic crystals cause active color change in chameleons. Nature communications. 6. 6368. 10.1038/ncomms7368. Verma, Sushant, and Pradeep Devadass. “Responsive Building Skin Systems Based On Tensegrity Principles”. Adaptive[Skins], 2018, Accessed 17 Dec 2021. Wang, Yunlong et al. “Chameleon-Inspired Structural-Color Actuators”. Matter, vol 1, no. 3, 2019, pp. 626-638. Elsevier BV, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matt.2019.05.012.
©All rights reserved, American University in Cairo (AUC) December2021 ARCH 473/3522 - Fall 2021
Farah Kamel