Student Portfolio ARCH 473/3522 - DIGITAL DESIGN STUDIO AND WORKSHOP Nancy Mohamed Spring 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: Nancy Mohamed Student ID: 900160129
Š The American University in Cairo (AUC), May 2019
Nancy Mohamed Architecture Student
Portfolio Contents
fell in love with something else, environmental and sustainable architecture. I started appreciating aesthetics that are not just visually appealing but also actually impactful. This extended to more than just my studies and designing. I started experimenting leisurely with materials and the science behind how they interact together. I have tried creating biodegradable alternatives to chemical paints and created milk paint that uses lime as a binder and crushed pastel chalk for pigmentation, and I have tried designing a rammed earth vase for succulents.
I have always loved art and appreciated its ability to resonate with different parts of emotion. My very first inspiration to actually start painting was Bob Ross. I loved his episodes and how he made elaborate landscape scenes seem so easy to do! When I started trying his techniques I instantly fell in love. I did not create masterpieces but found joy in how colors blended into one another and the science of the painting media. I think I admired the science of the media even more than the painting like the drying process of acrylic versus that of oil and the differences the same color could produce with a different base. This admiration particularly grew when I started studying architecture and
This course has added another layer of curiosity to my curious self. It has proved to me that virtual creation is a transcendental type of art. There are infinite options that can be only bound by one’s imagination which in itself is pretty much infinite - the very reason why my processor has reached the verge of a burnout with all the hot meshing activity and infinite permutations :’) RIP CPU. I have, nonetheless, definitely learned a lot and explored a lot in this course. Long talk aside, I will now leave you to view my digital-oriented project compilation.
Nancy
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The Blank Canvas Facade
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The Parametric Facelift
Creating Cement Undulating Fabric Formed Facade Panels
01 The Blank Canvas Facade
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The Inspiration
Project Brief “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. You are encouraged to investigate several physical /digital techniques and material explorations that can support the process of experimentation with your ideas, including: - Casting - Fabric Forming Working individually, you are asked to fabricate a prototype panel that would fit in a volume of 30cm X 30cm X 15cm (physical box/canvas or hypothetical volume). You are encouraged to research the specific fabrication approach and manually produce a physical model for the desired prototype using the appropriate technique.”
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The Blank Canvas Facade Chapter name
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
Nancy Mohamed Student Name
4 The Inspiration
Ideation
Attempt One 5
The Very First Attempt
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The Blank Canvasname Facade Chapter
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
Nancy Mohamed Student Name
6 Materials
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Attempt One
The Blank Canvasname Facade Chapter
Procedure
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
Attempt One 7
Nancy Mohamed Student Name
8 Final Product
Attempt One
Reflections
Attempt One 9
REFLECTIONS 1- THE PROCEDURE THE PROCEDURE WAS SUCCESSFUL IN THAT IT RESULTED IN A STURDY, UNFRAGMENTED CONCRETE SLATE. THE CEMENT MIX (5:1 CEMENT:WATER RATIO) IS THEREFORE SUCCESSFUL. 2- EXPECTED PRODUCT VERSUS REAL PRODUCT THE IMPRESSION OF LONGITUDINAL FOLDS CREATED IN THE FABRIC WAS IN CREATED IN A SATISFACTORY MANNER IN THE FINAL FORM. PROPOSED SOLUTIONS -MAKE SURE THE PLASTIC SHEET COVERING THE FABRIC FOLDS WELL INTO EACH AND EVERY CREASE. -POUR THE CONCRETE ON THE CORRUGATED SURFACE WITHOUT ALLOWING IT TO SEEP DEEP INTO THE FOLDS. THIS WOULD RESULT IN SHALLOWER DEPRESSIONS AND HENCE A BETTER LONGITUDINALLY FOLDED SURFACE. 3- THE FORM RETRIEVAL FROM MOLD THE HARDENED FORM EASILY LEFT THE FABRIC AS EXPECTED. THE PLASTIC SHEETING HOWEVER GOT STUCK IN SOME OF THE FOLDS AS SHOWN AN WAS FRUSTRATING TO GET OFF IF AT ALL. PROPOSED SOLUTIONS -ALLOW THE CONCRETE TO POUR SUPERFICIALLY OVER THE CORRUGATED SURFACE AS AFOREMENTIONED. -OIL THE PLASTIC SHEET GENEROUSLY BEFORE POURING THE CONCRETE Portfolio
name The BlankChapter Canvas Facade
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
Student Name Nancy Mohamed
10 Ideation
Attempt Two
Parameters
Attempt Two 11
Attempt Two: Creating a More Accurate Formwork
Objective: I wanted to create a form that would yield alternatinating, well-curved concaves and convexes parallel to the Y-direction only Approach: I needed to stretch the paper somehow to prevent the weight of cement from falling in the depressions along the Y-axis since the egg carton below it had depressions along both the X and the Y directions.
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The Blank Canvas Facade
Chapter name
Nancy Mohamed
12 Material
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Attempt Two
name The BlankChapter Canvas Facade
Procedure
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
Attempt Two 13
Student Name Nancy Mohamed
14 Final Product
Attempt Two
Reflections
Attempt Two 15
REFLECTIONS USING THE COMBINATION OF PAPER AND EGG CARTON, THE ALTERNATING CONCAVES AND CONVEXES STARTED TO FORM BETTER. UNWANTED DEFORMATIONS RESULTED BECAUSE THE PAPER, ALTHOUGH STRETCHED, SOMEHOW SAGGED UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE CEMENT SLURRY IN THE Y-DIRECTION OF THE CURVES. PAPER DID A VERY MINOR ELIMINATION TO THE CREASES COMPARED TO THE POLYETHYLENE PLASTIC USED BEFORE. Portfolio
name The BlankChapter Canvas Facade
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
Student Name Nancy Mohamed
16 Ideation
Attempt Three
Materials
Attempt Three 17
Attempt Three: Creating a More Accurate Formwork II
Objective: I wanted to create a form that would straighten the Y-direction and accentuate the curves in the X-direction. Approach: The carton had concave dips along the X and Y-directions. The dips along the Y-direction had to be levelled with a solid strip to totally avoid the fabric from dipping under the weight of the cement. Portfolio
name The BlankChapter Canvas Facade
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
Student Name Nancy Mohamed
18 Procedure
Attempt Three
Attempt Three 19
Final Product and Reflections
REFLECTIONS USING THE COMBINATION OF PAPER AND EGG CARTON, THE ALTERNATING CONCAVES AND CONVEXES STARTED TO FORM BETTER. UNWANTED DEFORMATIONS RESULTED BECAUSE THE PAPER, ALTHOUGH STRETCHED, SOMEHOW SAGGED UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE CEMENT SLURRY IN THE Y-DIRECTION OF THE CURVES. PAPER DID A VERY MINOR ELIMINATION TO THE CREASES COMPARED TO THE POLYETHYLENE PLASTIC USED BEFORE.
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name The BlankChapter Canvas Facade
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
Student Name Nancy Mohamed
20 Ideation
Attempt Four
Parameters
Attempt Four 21
Attempt Four: Introducing an Accent 3-Dimensionality
Objective: Since last trial was successful enough, I tried to introduce an emphasized 3rd dimension (i.e. ripples on either face) using a similar technique. I also wanted soft fabric-like thicknesses rather than a rectangular rigid one.
Since the cement was to be pressed from both sides a thickness of 2.5-3 cm had to be maintained to avoid breaking, cement had to be poured to an initial thickness of 5-6 cm in sleeve. Portfolio
The cement was poured to an initial length less than that of the specimen by around 2 cm to avoid excess cement spreading that would cause proplems when breaking o later. name The BlankChapter Canvas Facade
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
Student Name Nancy Mohamed
22 Materials
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Attempt Four
name The BlankChapter Canvas Facade
Procedure
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
Attempt Four 23
Student Name Nancy Mohamed
24 Final Product
Attempt Four
Reflections
Attempt Four 25
REFLECTIONS -INTERESTING CUSHION-LIKE EFFECT. -BUT AGAIN THE STRAIGHT Y-DIRECTION WAS SLIGHTLY DISTORTED. -BENT SIDES COULD HAVE BEEN STRAIGHTENED BY APPLYING PRESSURE ON THEM. -THICKNESS TURNED OUT QUITE WELL IN TERMS OF FORM AND THICKNESS. -BACK AND FRONT WERE SOMEHOW DIFFERENT.
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name The BlankChapter Canvas Facade
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
Student Name Nancy Mohamed
Undulating outer skin freckled with day lit pores
02 The Parametric Facelift
Undulating outer skin freckled with day lighting pores
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Project Brief “In this project, the objective is to explore and parametrically generate a prototype for a building façade skin that takes into consideration issues of environmental comfort, spatial relations and human aspects using a passive approach. You are required to develop a parametrically driven building skin for Blom Bank Egypt SAE - Main Branch, South Teseen Rd, New Cairo). The main façade of the building in a South/Southwest orientation, and so you are required to devise an appropriate envelope that provides adequate shading and sun protection. Your building skin designs should originate from your explorations in Part I: The Blank Façade Canvas. Each student should capitalize on ideas captured in the material exploration exercise and develop conceptual approaches based on the derived parameters, rules and relationships so that you can define extensive iterations for a variety of design alternatives. Your approach should devise a parametric logic for the design of the façade skin based on environmental, spatial, functional, and/or aesthetic considerations. You are to assume functional and behavioral scenarios and settings during your investigation.”
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
Student Name Nancy Mohamed
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Chapter Facelift name The Parametric
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
Student Name Nancy Mohamed
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Chapter Facelift name The Parametric
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
Student Name Nancy Mohamed
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Chapter Facelift name The Parametric
ARCH 473/3522 - Spring 2019
Student Name Nancy Mohamed
ŠAll rights reserved, American University in Cairo (AUC) May 2019