Nadine Elnomrosy- 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 (Fall 2022 )

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: Nadine Elnomrosy Student ID: 900191578

© The American University in Cairo (AUC), May 2019

Nadine Elnomrosy Architecture Student

Having a bright future is undoubtedly what most people seek for, but frequently it can be rather difficult to obtain such a thing. As a student searching for that type of prospect, I established that the American University in Cairo would be a worthy starting point to begin my journey.

my home-grown culture made the American University in Cairo appear like the prime decision.

I am currently a fourth year student studying Architectural Engineering at AUC with plans to graduate in the spring semester of 2024.

I trusted that the American University in Cairo would have delivered a great opportunity for myself to advance me into my interest of Architectural Engineering due to the assortment of courses that are offered from all realms of the architectural world. Being a part of the digital age with an appreciation of recognizing

In this experimental project, the objective is to physically explore with different materials and fabrication

Material experimen

Fabric Formwork

Trial #1: The Flower

Precedents:

Analysis:

Experiment:

Fabric Formwork

Trial #2:

Experiment:

This was my first time using gypsum so it was hard for me to figure out the exact quantities needed and the exact ratio that would work with the mold I had created.

The gypsum was very runny at first, however, I kept adding gypsum until felt like the consistency was perfect.

It dried out pretty fast, however, I should have waited a little bit more as it was still wet when I removed it from the mold, which believe could have affected the final shape.

The fabric was also not supported well enough in comparison to the weight of the gypsym.

Final Selected Panel

Analysis:

The ratio was much easier to deal with this time since I had already had previous experience with it.

didnt put into consideration how the wrappers would be too light for the gypsum which was much heavier, which resulted in the wrappers collapsing on top of each other.

The exact shape and form I was intending to have didnt really show up in the end, however, I dont consider it a complete failure.

Walter Jack

Jack Zeitguised

In this stage, you are each asked to individually present your research of the specific fabrication approach

What are the specific lessons that you learned from the physical interplay of materials, as opposed to say a purely digital exercise to produce a similar design/form?

 What specific techniques did you use/learn from during your experimentation with materials and the casting/fabric form process?

 During your experimentation, what are the specific variables, rules, relationships, or constraints that you implicitly developed in order to produce the required model? Please be as specific as possible, using analytical diagrams, sketches, images and sequences from your process.

Trial #3: Precedents:

Analysis:

Experiment:

had any cracks n it

The plastic a so held itself we l due to the a r be ng blown nside of t wh ch caused it to not collapse It wou d be interesting for next tiime if I cou d have a sort of curved surface w th an irregu ar pattern unlike

Fabric Formwork

Trial #4: Precedents:

Analysis:

This experiment had fa led due to the foil gett ng stuck in between the gypsum

Experiment:

I think foil as a material is much th nner than fabr c which s why I was unab e to remove it from the mo d unl ke the fabr c

However from the parts that I was aable to remove I did ach eve the crushed wal texture I was aim ng for I just need to figure out how to make it all stay in p

and not crack

Conclusion of material experimentation stage

Grasshopper trial: Grasshopper trial 2:

F i n a l W o r k f l o w D i a g r a m

Translation of workflow diagram to Grasshopper

Abstraction of the flower

Take the connections of the flower petals and create curves, resulting a 3D polygon shape

In this stage, you are asked to use lessons learned from the material exploration to inform the generative rules of a parametric unit or building block. You are required to develop a parametric design strategy, including the derived parameters, rules and relationships from your material experimentation, and to use Grasshopper to develop your initial building block. The inspiration for this building block should follow a specific logic, related to an inspiration from nature, abstract rule, or otherwise. You are required to demonstrate the conceptual storyboard of how you adopt this logic and present the necessary abstraction and translation process. Your submission should include documentation of your process/storyboard and the native Grasshopper model.

Final Grasshopper Script

Different variations and possibilities of the single panel design

First iteration

Second iteration

The first iteration is based on the original goal of abstracting the flower and having a triangle like shape with curves.

Cescita nestiore num hilit pa in eum venduciur sedis vendelit volupti quo de dit ad quos re pre invelest venimpore moluptas re quundipit ab im nihiliquiae ipsapiendel explabo. Nam quia nones nobis eum aditium rerum nonestrupta dit enimodi psapitis es autati as idus, voleces truptate optaerovide volores utem fuga. Neque res vellaboria nem acea aut qui reium illes dolestibus etum que et aut expliquat atium verume nos mos maior re, sim facearum facerfe ristiatem doloris eius enimaximet fugit omni odior as doluptatati consecto con corem illectatium idere-

I played with the radius of the polygon, creating a circle shape instead of a triangular one and lowering the height whilst also increasing the lines and changing their angles.

Third iteration

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Lastly, I went towards a triangle shape at the top with sort of a circular base, combining the first and second iteration together.

Propagation

First iteration

Cluster Design

Second iteration

Reflection

Personally, I had struggled at first to understand the link between what we were doing with the gypsum and how we would reiterate it into grasshopper and rhino. However, as the process came to an end, I was very happy with the outcome and how one script could produce endless iterations of the same product.

In this experimental project, the objective is to physically explore with different materials and fabrication

Double Skin Facades

What is a double skin facade?

Double skin facades are façade systems made up of two layers, generally of glass, through which air flows. This distance (which can range from 20 cm to a few metres) functions as insulation against severe temperatures, winds, and noises, boosting the thermal efficiency of the structure in both hot and cold temperatures.

Environmental Performance

Double-skin façades may be used in both cold and hot climates. It is their adaptability that makes them so appealing: simple changes, such as opening or shutting inlet or outlet fins or activating air circulators, affect the behaviour of the façade.

The airflow through the intermediate space can be natural or manually generated, and the two glass layers can contain sun protection measures.

Double-skin façades are strongly reliant on external variables (such as solar radiation and temperature), which have a direct impact on inside comfort and user quality of life.

In cold areas, the air buffer acts as a heat loss barrier. The cavity's sunheated air may heat places outside the glass, minimising the need for interior heating systems.

To reduce solar gain and reduce cooling demand in hot areas, the hollow can be vented outside the structure. Excess heat is drained via the chimney effect, in which changes in air density generate a circular motion that allows warmer air to escape.

In this project, the objective is to explore and parametrically generate a prototype for a building façade skin.

How can parametric modeling be exploited for creative design exploration?

• How does parametric design inform form-finding as a bottom-up approach?

• What strategies can be developed to extract data from parametric models for fabrication, analysis, and documentation?

• What visualization and representation techniques best communicate the resulting design ideas?

Different approaches for the design

Double skin facade approaches Responsive facades

Wind driven kinetic responsive facades are systems that adapt to natural air currents and wind to deliver high rates of natural ventilation to the inside of buildings while maintaining good indoor air quality.

Parameters established feasible shapes, shading devices, apertures, and ventilation channels, as well as operation control schedules.

cube berlin Smart Office Building / 3XN

Facade segments are pulled inward to create outdoor patios on all floors. The roof is envisioned as a "fifth façade," completing the cube design. A large rooftop terrace serves as a common space for renters and may be utilised for meetings or events. The façade reflects neighbouring Berlin landmarks from all angles, allowing this iconic structure to cast a dynamic new light on its surroundings both day and night.

Precedents

Al Bahar Towers

Simulates the functioning of the actuated facade panels in response to solar exposure and varying incidence angles throughout the year by using a parametric description for the geometry of the panels.

Due to its osmotic skin and intelligent design, the completely glazed façade of cube berlin is highly energy efficient. This includes a pioneering use of solar coatings on the outer surface of the double façade. This, together with a suite of technical solutions such as energy capture from heat, enables cube berlin to function as a highly energy efficient completely glazed structure.

The screen functions as a curtain wall, sitting two metres outside the building's perimeter on its own frame. To decrease solar gain and glare, each triangle is covered with fibreglass and programmed to adapt to the movement of the sun. All of the screens will be turned off in the evening.

Double skin facades typically consist of two layers of glass through which air may flow in the intermediate void. To avoid overheating and condensation, natural ventilation of the cavity, a fan aiding air circulation, or mechanically operated ventilation flaps are required. Stick, double skin, and unitised systems are among the more expensive elements of a structure due to their many and diverse pieces.

Technical Details

Affordances and limitations of double skin façade systems

Pros Cons

reduce the need for cooling and heating allow for natural light and unobstructed sights enhance thermal and acoustic insulation allow for natural ventilation and air renewal, which will result in a healthier environment

much higher initial building costs consumption of space maintenance requirements if the context changes dramatically, it may fail to work correctly

Basic analysis of site conditions and environmental factors

No shade from North, West or South. This can cause major overheating.

The 3 most effective techniques that should be implemented in the site are the internal heat gain (30.8%), natural ventilation cooling (29.8%) and sun shading of windows (23.8%)

Direct solar radiation in Cairo reasonably high during the whole year especially in May Dry bulb temperature is below comfort during January, February and December

Between May & October: dry bulb temperature exceeds comfort zone

During the morning between December and June, Cairo is under heated

From May to July and starting noon from July to October, the weather is over heated

Main Facade Problems:

1. 2. 3.

Direct sun facing the facade causing major overheating Mostly glass, resulting in the greenhouse effect which causes the sun to penetrate and get trapped inside of the building.

The facade is relatively smooth, resulting in no obstruction of the sun's rays

The south is below the comfort zone in the wind wheel, however, there are no neccessary solutions since there is no prevailing wind in the south direction.

Overcast sky conditions in January

Choice of operational mechanism of the façade

Twin faced DSF is more dependable since it provides natural ventilation owing to the inclusion of movable windows, which is desired, whereas Buffer DSF does not.

Offer a mixed mode system This might suggest that the building is partially naturally ventilated/partially air conditioned, or that it runs with natural ventilation in the spring/autumn and air conditioning in the summer.

Building energy modelling of double-skin facades is intrinsically more challenging due to varied heat transfer parameters within the cavity, making energy performance modelling and savings projection dubious. Therefore, adding an adaptive layer that uses mechanics to operate will make it much harder.

1 Angel Square

Nakara residenial hotel

Proposed Approach

Transition from previous phase: 3D View

The specific strategy you will be adopting

Parameters Requirements Application to DSF

High demand for natural ventilation

allowing occupants to sense air flow to boost ventilation rate

externally accessible windows can be added

Use of the building operating hours are only during the daytime see where glare affects the building the most and have different sized openings depending on where rays hit Cost economical dsf maintenance is already expensive avoid making a responsive dsf as it requires high technology and cost

Cold winters area reaching optimum heat and sun have an accessible DSF where users can go and sit in a heated up area that is accessible to the sun

Functions

areas that require natural light areas that require minimal light areas that require privacy

force field effect showing attraction and repulsion through the dsf

Sections

Environmental Analysis

From the solar radiation analysis, we can tell that the facade will help proturde alot of solar radiation which is good for the winter time with small areas protruding little to none solar radiation.

However, this can be resolved sue to the facade not being completely smooth, causing the sun rays to get obstructed and not completely to pass through as the openings are not that large.

Plans

Ground First

Second Third

Fourth Fifth Sixth

Fabrication and

When I first added my model into Ultimaker Cura and scaled it up and said it would take around 15 hours and 15 minutes, therefore I tried to think of how I can optimize it to lower the printing time.

and Optimization

I then rescaled, rotated and sliced again and noticed that it would take almost half of the time it had provided me at the beginning.

Course Reflection

This course in specific was very new and interesting to me as it taught how to think in more of a tectonic way. Whilst working on any project, I never thought of the tectonic language of my project, nevertheless, the parameters that could have an effect on a project.

Overall, this course helped me discover new ways and technologies that I could use to enhance aspects of my future projects and explore many different ways and possibilities of designing whilst thinking of parameters and tectonic language.```

Biblography

• Souza, Eduardo. “How Do Double-Skin Façades Work?” ArchDaily, ArchDaily, 20 Aug. 2019, https:// www.archdaily.com/922897/how-do-double-skin-facades-work.

• Cao, Lilly. “What Are Kinetic Facades in Architecture?” ArchDaily, ArchDaily, 14 Aug. 2019, https:// www.archdaily.com/922930/what-are-kinetic-facades-in-architecture.

• Heidari, Aliakbar & Taghipour, Malihe & Yarmahmoodi, Zahra. (2021). The Effect of Fixed External Shading Devices on Daylighting and Thermal Comfort in Residential Building. Journal of Daylighting. 8. 165-180. 10.15627/jd.2021.15.

• “Cube Berlin: 3XN, Iguzzini, Guardian Glass.” Archello, https://archello.com/project/cube-berlin-2.

• Cilento, Karen. “Al Bahar Towers Responsive Facade / Aedas.” ArchDaily, ArchDaily, 5 Sept. 2012, https://www.archdaily.com/270592/al-bahar-towers-responsive-facade-aedas.

• Castro, Fernanda. “Nakâra Residential Hotel / Jacques Ferrier Architecture.” ArchDaily, ArchDaily, 30 Oct. 2015, https://www.archdaily.com/776240/nakara-residential-hotel-jacques-ferrier-architecture.

• Channing, Paul. “Walter Jack Studio: Crushed Wall.” Designboom, 28 Mar. 2012, https://www. designboom.com/art/walter-jack-studio-crushed-wall/.

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