Portfolio
ARCH 473/3522 - DIGITAL DESIGN STUDIO AND WORKSHOP Gihan Amin Fall 2020
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: Gihan Amin Student ID: 900153449
Š The American University in Cairo (AUC), May 2019
Gihan Amin Architecture Student
I am also obssessed with cultures, history and psychology. This is my drive in architecture, looking for clues about culture, personalities and history to create my designs. In architecture I am usually a person who enjoys the process, and praises the outcome, knowing quiet well I can still do better and it can still be criticised for a better design.
About me: Outside of architecture, a positivity bomb who happens to be obssessed with pets and netflix! I have 2 dogs, Kala and Rexi and they are the ones responsible for many many material exploration failed attempts. Yes, you guessed it right, they play with the clay, eat it, throw it in the water, or just miraculously find another way to ruin my architecture work!
This course was so rewarding on so many levels, not only have I met the smartest and kindest team ever, but also learned a lot! I learned to look at buildings differently, analyzing not only the building but also its setting, learned how to use rhino, grasshopper and their plugins. Learning parametric design has always been a dream of mine, unravelling what it is like to design using a tool, and combining both my creativity with that of a tool.
HOMELESS SHELTER SUEZ CITY
The shelter is located in Suez governorate, in the NorthEernEastern part of Egypt.
CLIMATIC ANALYSIS Windrose
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OCTOPUS -An Octopus has 3 hearts, 9 brains, 8 amrs, 1 head and zero bones. -Its body is covered in a series of suckers that act as strength centers to catch preys. -It can adapt to environmental changes. -99&% of the Octopus body is composed of muscles. -Its lifespan is from 3- 5 years. -It changes its skin colour and size to hide or match the surrounding environment.
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Key words: FLUIDITY
RESILIENCE
ADAPTABILITY
PROTECTION
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
FORM GENERATION: The suckers were a main focus for my inspiration, where the circle-like form of it seemed so fragile, it held strength and resilience.
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FORM GENERATION FROM CONCEPT TO FORM FORM 1: Exploring the capabilities of Rhino and trying to merge different curves together. Struggles: The lack of the know-how to use the software.
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FINAL FORM
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The initial form started as a merge of different curves, in an attempt to visualise a restricted yet curvilinear buidling. This form then got less restricted, more inď€ spired by the keywords and shapes of the Octopus.
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
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PLAN
commerď€ cial zone
green shading
social zone
private zone
Indoor and outdoor garden + south oriented solar panels to maximize the performance of the building
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Design Concept: The design aims at creating multiple hearts for the building immitating the 3 hearts of the Octopus, and allowing the users to do different activitities in each center. The merge of multiple independent twisted curves by different tentacle like cubes to reunite at a higher point from ground morphologically resembles the shape of the Octopus head.
Night shot
Plan View
Private Open Court yard Commercial zone
section 1 scale 1:50 ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
section 2 scale 1:50 Student Name
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Fabrication
The building base (the 4 main centers) will be fabricated using layering (slicer) of polywood to minimize materials waste. The upper part of the building will be fabricated using 3d printing (Cura).
base
The topography (site) can also be fabricated using layers of polywood to show levels.
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3D SHOTS
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2. THE
E BLANK FACADE CANVAS Material exploration
Material Casting:
A manufacturing process through which a material in liquid state is poured into a mold and left to solidify into its deď€ sired shape. 1-Sand Casting: A process through which fnely ground, spherical grains are tightly packed together in a smooth molding surface. Die casting is a method of molding materials under high pressure and usually involves non-ferrous metals and alloys, such as zinc, tin, copper, and aluminum. Plaster Casting: it is done using a mixture of gypsum, strengthening compound, and water in place of the sand.
The Learning Hub, Heatherwick Studio Nanyang Technological University.
Juan Zurita residence
THE PARAMETRIC FACELIFT
03 © The American University in Cairo (AUC), May 2019
Chapter Title
WIND ROSE & WIND SPEED
MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES
PERCIPITATION AMOUNTS
SUN SHADE AND SHADOW SUMMER AT 8 PM
SUMMER AT 12 PM
SUMMER AT 4 PM
WINTER AT 8 PM
WINTER AT 12 PM DETECTED FACADE ISSUES: South Facade: -No proper shading. -The outer skin is made of glass -The lack of sun penetration control -Direct glare inside the space
WINTER AT 4 PM
FLOW ANALYSIS: WIND ANALYSIS
Ground floor analysis
2nd floor analysis DETECTED ISSUES: -Wind tunels are created in the ground the floor -The upper floors are well ventilated -The outdoor area features a wind tunel that elevates the quality of the space
RESPONSIVE PARAMETRIC SHADING SYSTEM: Parametric design is a tool that can be used to alter simple AI technology to fit the context in which a building is set.
METHOD:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/50404833_Parametric_Performative_Systems_Designing_a_Bioclimatic_Responsive_Skin https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333844951_Parametric_Patterns_Inspired_by_Nature_for_Responsive_Building_Facade
2Integration
of material exploration phase: Experiment 1 & 2 featured different approaches, so to integrate the forms onto a parametic design that serves the building, I chose to make a curved shading device with circular openings.
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PRECEDENTS:
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Capital Gate Abu Dhabi The Southern Facade of the tower is shaded by a free form splash like shading device that has an organic form and made of stainless steel.
A sculptural stainless steel ‘splash’ flows down the front and at low level forms the hotel entrance canopy, flowing over the existing grandstand and acting as a solar shading device for both the building and the grandstand seating. ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
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4 Trials
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and Development
This trial was composed of straight panels rotating according to a curve direction. This inspired the following trial to add more components and commands to the algorithm in order to curve the panels and customise them accroding to the facade direction.
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Trial 2
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
This trial was inspired by the material exploration phase, where the panels were customized to curve according to the algorithm. This trials inspired the last and chosen facade louvers that are more sophisticated and organic. Trial 1 &2 lacked the sense of sophistication, for the panels were stiff and not flowy.
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6Concept: To design a flowing second skin system that responds to the climate of New Cairo. The shape of the vertical panels are inspired by the material exploration phase where a curved form inspired me to develop a flowing set of panels that increase towards the South and decrease towards the North. This trial was more sophisticated and inspired by the climate, where the facade was divided into 3 parts to design the panels accordingly.
Condensed panels towards the
Spaced Panels towards the North
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Facade Proposal on building:
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Design Logic and demonstration
The most spaced panels are located towards the West, admitting inside the space light
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The middle space is characterised by an organic play of extrusions and intrusion, where extrusions shade the intrusions and the intrusions create a unique user experience
The most Condensily spaced Panels are located toward the South to prevent the Southern glare ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
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10 Slab
F L O O R S L A B S U N A L L I G N E D
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Analysis
Visual Connectivity by reforming the slab
The vertical panels widely spaced create an experiential mood of connectivity with the outside
Creating different spacial experiences Slabs borders
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Slab Analysis
a su Vi lC c ne on tiv ity
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Section
Lounge/ Social space overlooking the preceding floor
Offices
Multi-purpose floor
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Interior Shot: Last floor lounge experiencne
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14Floor
Plans
First Floor
Second & Third Floor
Fourth Floor
Fifth Floor
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Southern Elevation
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Western Elevation
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
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16 Algorithm:
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ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
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18 Reflection:
This project was an eye opening experience, a new lens from which I perceived a building from a completely new perspective. Analyzing the envvironment and climate in which a building is located solely in order to design a second skin for it, hence providing thermal comfrot and an adequate natural light experience, was a enriching experience. Using grasshopper and rhino, parametric design and understanding the language of algorithm was also a challenge at the begining, however, with time and practice, the algorithm became part of the creativity of the proeject.
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