Module 4 brett mccoll 832138

DIGITAL DESIGN + FABRICATION SM1, 2017 The Disturbing Connection Brett McColl

(832138) Josh Russo + Tutorial 1

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Contents 7 - M1: Ideation

8 - Drawings 9 - Measurements 10 - Model 11 - Analysis 12 - Reconfigured Object 13 - Sketch Design 1 14 - Sketch Design 2 15 - Sketch Design 3

17 - M2: Design

18 - Sketch Designs 19 - Refined Sketch Model 20 - Personal Space 21 - Design 1 22 - Design 2 23 - Design 3 24 - Napkin Table 25 - Catenary Pottery Printer 26 - Steilneset Memorial 27 - Application of Precedents 28 - Design Development 29 - Final Proposal 30 - Bone Prototyping 31 - Metal Prototyping 32 - Skin Prototyping 35 - Testing Effects 36 - Reflection

M3: Fabrication - 39

  Exploring the System - 40 Positive and Negative Personal Space - 42 Form Finalization - 43 Connection to Body - 44 Development of Nodes - 45 Week 6 Reading Response - 46 Week 7 Reading Response - 48 Deliberation - 50 Consideration - 51 Redefining Personal Space - 52 Joint Development - 53 Form Refinement - 54 Curve Refinement - 55 Digital Model - 57 Kerfing - 60 Assembly - 62 Panel Refinement - 63 Final Model - 64 Process - 66 The Disturbing Connection - 72

M4: Reflection - 83 Appendix - 87

Credits - 88 Bibliography - 90 Image List - 91

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M1: IDEATION

Out of the possible objects for this task, the party whistle was chosen to focus on. From here, the deceptively simple object opened up the world of skin and bone structures, which would be explored throughout the entirety of the semester.

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Ideation - Drawings

62.5 mm

20 mm

TOP

20mm

40mm

90 mm

26 mm

FRONT

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RIGHT

Ideation - Measurements The whistle measured against a ruler to determine full length, width, and height

In order to accurately sketch and document the party whistle, it had to be measured accurately. However, the whistle is more complex than it appears, and so the whistle had to be broken into two sections: the foil paper which would be unrolled, and the plastic tube. The plastic tube has moving parts inside, so this section needed to be cut into two halves. A combination of careful and accurate measurement, and sharp observation, helped to determine the location of the internal components. In order to determine the length of the foil, when inflated and deflated, the foil was unrolled and laid flat, and then measured.

The plastic tube removed from the foil paper to determine the change in diameter from start to end

The plastic tube cut in half with a hacksaw. The inner components can be seen within, and can be easily measured

The foil components, both rolled and unrolled, were measured to determine the diameter of the foil when deflated, and the length of the foil when inflated

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Ideation - Model

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Ideation - Analysis

20mm

For the whistle to work in any way, human interaction is required. As it is a skin and bone system, the skin section, in this case the foil paper, reacts to the change in pressure caused by the blowing of air.

The bone section, which is the plastic tube, is designed to support the skin and provide an overall shape to the whistle.

However, within each system is elements of the other. The skin system acts similarly to the rigid bone, as a plastic coil ensures the foil returns to a cylindrical shape when deflated. Likewise, the plastic bone also has element of a skin system within it, as there is a small tab that vibrates when air is blown past it, which is what causes the loud whistling noise.

40mm

290 mm

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Ideation - Reconfigured Object

The reconfigured object was designed to be the first proper exploration into the skin and bone system.

However, I underestimated the system. Of the three systems presented at the outset of this semester, skin and bone is perhaps the trickiest to master. The materials that make up the party whistle seem to connect and work properly, but when reconfigured, they become convoluted and distorted. Originally, this design was supposed to be ovoid in shape, which could compress when held and then reform.

Although it did work to an extent, the pre-stressed materials reverted to their original form as much as they could. However, this exploration indicated to me that any materials used in this system have to be custom designed to suit the entire design.

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Ideation - Sketch Design 1

Space by Exclusion

Eyeholes can be opened or closed to allow user to see or block sense of sight Cloth stretched over thin, yet strong skeleton

Long nose can block sense of smell, as well as allow user to peer at hands

Sense of hearing can be blocked by headphones integrated into design

Sense of touch negated by large cloth draped over body

This concept is based upon the bird-masks worn by doctors to combat the black death. By blocking all five senses, the user would not know whether or not their personal space is being invaded, and they remain safe inside their own world.

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Ideation - Sketch Design 2

Space by Defense When fully expanded, cloth is stretched tightly between members. Material would be very stiff, and would require Cloth wrapped over strong members

considerable force to break or move

When fully expanded, cloth is raised behind the users head, in order to protect their blind side from unwanted contact

Whilst in storage, cloth and members fold inwards to protect the mechanism

Unfolding mechanism pushes outwards, meaning that anyone in the radius of the “frills” will be pushed out

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Based upon the frills of a lizard, this design enables users to create their own personal space. The “frills” can be retracted close to the body for storage. They can easily expand outwards to push people away from the user, and creates a large space where people cannot reach the user.

Ideation - Sketch Design 3

Space by Aggression

Blade can be retracted when not in use. A protective cover will need to be used to ensure the user doesn’t accidentally hurt themselves or others

Sharp blade is attached to underside of arms. This is so the user can instinctively hurt an attacker by raising their arms to their head whilst protecting themselves.

Strong, tear-proof clothed underneath strong skeleton

The skeleton is hinged at the elbow, allowing the user to move their arms freely. The design only covers the arms, so any other movements are unrestricted by this design

The idea for this concept came from medieval suits of armor. This design is not meant to defend the user against general personal space intrusions, but rather when the users personal space is intruded by aggression. Such an intrusion could be if the user was being mugged or assaulted. As such, the design focuses on protection of the arms, with a blade mechanism attached to protect the user, which can be retracted. The design also allows the user to function normally.

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M2: Design

For this stage in the design process, the main focus was to cement a final idea, after exploring the different options available. During this time, we also explored the material system, as well as the materials chosen for our final design.

Group Members: Thomas Huntingford (835306) Natalie Keynton (615887)

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Design - Sketch Designs SKETCH DESIGN 1

SKETCH DESIGN 2

SKETCH DESIGN 3

Through the exploration of the interaction of the skin structure and the bone assembly Natalie’s preliminary sketch design focused on how the skin structure could be used to control and move the bones. The proposed piece was to be worn on the body like spikes that would be activated through the user pulling on a skin structure to increase the volume around themselves.

This volume was created using the rigid bone structure. The fluctuating personal space could therefore be controlled by the wearer depending on their personal comfort levels and situation.

My sketch design, focused around creating a barrier between an individual’s own personal space, and the world around them. This would be achieved by removing all of the individual’s senses, and allowing them access to only the world within the design. The physical design is based around the bird masks doctors wore during the time of the black death, as this also had the idea of removing the senses of a person from the world in order to protect them. This idea of solitude and separation from everything beyond one’s personal space was carried through in my designs.

Tom’s initial design focused on the elasticity found in the skin and bone system of the party whistle with the intention of creating a sense of compression on the wearer. The skin of the design is extremely elastic meaning it can be pushed and distorted but will always returning to its original form. The bone system of the design was intended to distort the appearance of the wearer and create volume in certain areas. The property of the whistle explored here was carried through to the next stage however the bone system was adapted to also represent the properties of a spring.

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Design - Refined Sketch Model SKETCH DESIGN 1

SKETCH DESIGN 2

My model developed through exploring how to create volume using the skin and bone components I identified in the first module.

SKETCH DESIGN 3

Tom’s sketch model developed by exploring the curves given by the coiled wire and skin surface from the original found object.

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Design - Personal Space

Through a consideration of personal space as a positive and negative balance where the body became the negative space and the ‘personal space bubble’ the positive, our group considered how two positive areas would interact. Choosing to represent through a wearable architecture the interaction between two close friends we examined how this bubble would react and change to accommodate the inclusion of a second, equal bubble

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Design - Design 1

This first propposal continues to build upon my original sktech design, by focusingo no masking the form of the wearer and increasing their isolation ot the outside world, whilst still receiving all the stimuli within th epersonal space, particularly the emotional sensory stimuli. After discussion with the other group members, the design was modified away from a panel and fold system, and instead moved closer towards the skin and bone structure that was required. The second propsal focuses more on the combined personal space that would be experienced by the two identical units, although this design was more about function than form

Seperate Units

Doors connect magnetically

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Design - Design 2

Generative model making - testing the technique.

Became interested in a rigid structure as a skin system.

Scan of figureing out how to put on body

Interaction between skins

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Maison Martin Margiela 1988

Thinking about how it may sit on the body

Design - Design 3 This proposal builds upon Tom’s sketch design with the bone elements translated into curves following the form of the unfurled spring of the reconfigured object. The skin was again intended to be stretched across the frame and compression the body between the framing elements. The idea of joint personal space is also beginning to be introduced with a system of interlocking loops beginning to develop.

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Design - Napkin Table

The Napkin table by Hung Lu Chan, graduate of industrial design at Tunghai University, is focussed on the experience of two people eating together and is intended to combat the impersonal communication through technology while eating. The table connects two people via neck straps and when being worn forms a small table between the two people. The concept of personal space in this design is very interesting as the conjoined personal space of the wearers is a symbiotic relationship governed by the rules of common courtesy. Were one user to remove themselves the entire system would fail and the other would be unable to enjoy their meal thus although the physical connection is easily undone the connotations of the shared space are binding.

Napkin Table. Hung Lu Chan. 2014

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Napkin Table. Hung Lu Chan. 2014

Design - Catenary Pottery Printer The Catenary Pottery Printer is designed to create parametrically designed objects using an analogue system. The frame system has various measurements marked out so that the skin system will take a specific shape when the weight of the clay is added creating irregular forms with a very precise and regular system. The progression of our design has been inspired by the fabrication of irregular forms through a highly regulated program. In this way we attempt to emulate a seemingly disorganised form through a set of rules.

Catenary Pottery Printer GT2P 2013

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Design - Steilneset Memorial The Steilneset Memorial designed as a collaboration between Peter Zumthor and Louise Bourgeois addresses the persecution of suspected witches in the 17th century. The project is composed of two distinct parts the frame and the cocoon like skin form that hangs within it. What is interesting is the frame and the infill were designed separately with Zumthor conceiving the scaffold-like frame as a response to the ideas of life and emotion and the internal form composed by Bourgeois representing more transient ideas of burning and aggression. This is reflected in our design with the metal curving frame conveying the constant emotions surrounding personal space and the flexible skin surfaces the more personal, emotional connection to the body.

Steilneset Memorial, Andrew Meredith, 2012

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Steilneset Memorial, Andrew Meredith, 2012

Design - Application of Precedents

Above: the Good Things 2 People example showed us the importance of creating an ordered system to create disordered form.

Left: the napkin table influenced our thinking of the effects of our design. This ties the users together while also creating an unusual image for any passerbys.

From Catenary Potter Printer precednet examples we considered the relationship between the two systems and briefly explored different join types possible for connecting our two different materials.

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Design - Design Development A single unit with both male & female connections points can be mirrored to perfectly connect seemingly random forms.

Intersectng shapes Development of connections between two forms

Skin supports bone, bone supports skin

Skin

Bone

Development of skin and bone

Development joints and form

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Laser cut skin panels curve in two directions

Bone can be joined purely by the points of contact with the skin

Design - Final Proposal The final proposal explores the bone system as a seemingly irregular group of forms that reach into space as an incomplete entity which can only find balance through connection to an identical, opposing system. This is representative of personal space as a concept which inherently does not exist and is therefore incomplete when one is alone. Furthermore, the curved skin panels form the connection to the body like infill between the cold metal structural members; a humanising element that grounds the connection of the two people onto each while obscuring and confusing the forms of the two joined bodies.

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Design - Bone Prototyping

The metal bone structure was prototyped first using very small models composed of paper and the wire from the found object , as shown in the sketch below, however the paper was unable to prevent the wire from coiling.

The coiled wire was therfore abandoned for a bone system that was stganant . This system was tested for its ability to interlock with similar forms on the small scale , top right, and then at full scale using aluminium rods curved by hand and held together using fabric and thread. This large prototype tested joining the bone and skin for the first time as well as the structural capability for the skin to support the bone. It was decided that a more rigid skin would be preferable to limit the movement of the bone structure.

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Design - Metal Prototyping

Prototype 1

Prototype 2

Prototype 3

Prototype 4

Prototype 5

Prototype 6

Each of the above experimental prototypes follows a set of rules based around 2 types of curves. The first being a general curve who’s variable is number and angle. And the second set being on each arm of curve 1, whose variables are the number and direction in the z axis.

Bend 1: 90 degrees 1 bend, 2 arms Bend 2: bends in opposite directions

Bend 1: 60 degrees 1 bend, 2 arms Bend 2: same direction in Z, more bends

Bend 1: 90 degrees 2 bends, 3 arms Bend 2: opposite direction in z plane

Bend 1: 30 degrees 5 bend, 6 arms Bend 2: opposite z directions, multiple bends

Bend 1: 1 bend, 2 arms Bend 2: opposite z, 1 bend in 1 arm, 2 bends in other

Bend 1: 1 bend, 2 arms Bend 2: same z, 1 bend in 1 arm, 2 bends in other

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fequalsf.com Design - Skin Prototyping

parametric kerf #2 fequalsf.com

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fequalsf.com

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Design - Testing Effects Our final design creates an interconnected space between two users who are locked into place by their fluctuating personal spaces. This creates a sense of connection between the two, but onlookers will feel a sense of discomfort when witnessing two people conjoined in such a way.

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Design - Reflection

At the end of this second module, the project had progressed well. The notion described by Scheurer and Stehling (2011) that “design is a process of communication�. At the beginning of this task, each group member had different ideas about the final design, and not many compromises were made along the way. Once the group had agreed upon the specific instance of personal space we wanted to explore, we began removing the useless and superficial components of the various designs and ideas we had put forward. Once the excess had been trimmed away, we had a strong idea to move into the third module with.

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M3: Fabrication

At this stage, our group had a idea that was ready to be refined, and then fabricated. The group went through a few modifications throughout this phase, but the end result reflected our ideas around personal space.

Group Members: Thomas Huntingford (835306) Natalie Keynton (615887)

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Fabrication - Exploring the System

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After presenting our second module, we came away with realizing that our design required further work due to unresolved issues. These issues were focused on the fabrication of the model, as well as the overall form and effect of the design. However, the exploration of the skin and bone system during this module proved to be invaluable. Similar to how the party whistle had elements of skin and bone within the opposite component, the group experimented with whether the bone material used could become a skin, and if the skin could be used to support the structure. As such, we kept this design, using the MDF panels that had been laser-cut so that they could bend in two directions. This flexible design fits in with our exploration as how the positive personal space bubble will move and transform when interacting with another positive bubble.

Catenary Pottery Printer GT2P 2013

Above: Catenary pottery printer This project was especially influential in our design as it provided an excellent example of how to achieve irregularity through rule making regularity.

Below: original kerfing pattern prototype

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Fabrication - Positive and Negative Personal Space

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Our consideration of personal space was informed with the view that the concept of personal space represents both positive and negative space. In this case, the body would represent negative space, while the bubble would become positive space. The line between the body and the personal space bubble is clearly defined.

However, when this positive space comes into contact with another positive personal space, how would these two react? We considered the flux of such spaces through diagrams and this ultimately helped to inform our form.

In order to help focus our design we also chose to consider personal space through the particular scenario of two close friends meeting. In this situation the friends may shake hands or hug and as they meet and come into contact with one another their personal space bubble would change and fluctuate to accommodate the other.

We found this particularly interesting and explored this further through form finding.

Fabrication - Form Finalization

Our resolved form plays on the idea of a hug. We imagined how two friends would greet each other and simulated the hug action by branching one arm up and over the shoulder, extending across to meet the other person. For our model, two people would wear identical systems so that the hug would link over the shoulders, and bind the wearers in place reinforcing our personal space concepts of connection and flux.

Resolved form

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Fabrication - Connection to Body I explored how the cantilevered structure could be attached to the body, which culminated in experimenting with straps to hold a base rod in place and also with magnets to consider the connection between the two systems. We also considered a fabric sleeve and leather binding straps but felt that none of these solutions were appropriate or offered a quality solution. We would also be introducing another material group which may have disallowed a cohesive and aesthetic model.

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Fabrication - Development of Nodes Sketch model

More developed model

Consideration of criteria etc.

Weave 1

Weave with tabs

Other connection

Materiality

Materiality

Materiality

Fabrication

Fabrication

Fabrication

Aesthetic

Aesthetic

Aesthetic

Effects

Effects

Effects

Efficiency

Efficiency

Efficiency

Overall

Overall

Overall

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Fabrication - Week 6 Reading Response Architecture in the Digital Age: Branko Briefly outline the various digital fabrication processes. Explain how you use digital fabrication in your design.

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With the recent rise in popularity of digital fabrication, multiple different methods of production have been created, improved upon, or refined. These fabrication techniques are grouped under three main categories: additive, subtractive, and formative fabrication.

Additive fabrication is the process of adding components or materials in layers to create a design from a digital model. Examples of this are 3D printers, which have become cheaper over time. There are a range of these printers. Some work with melted plastic in layers to create rough three-dimensional forms, whilst others use layers of powder and glue to produce a complicated and finalised sculpture.

Subtractive fabrication is the opposite of additive fabrication, as rather than adding onto previous work to create a model, machines are removing parts to create a physical model from a computer.

An example of such a method of fabrication includes a machines such as a Computer Numerical Controlled Router, more commonly known as a CNC Router. This router will remove sections of a material, typically wood, and can produce a wide range of forms based on the type of router. Simple CNC routers work only in two directions, only cutting the surface of a material. By adding a third direction to the router, the machine can raise and lower the height of the drill bit. A five-axis CNC router can move in all directions, and can easily produce complex models based on a computerised design. Other subtractive fabrication techniques includes Laser Cutting, which uses a high powered laser to burn through materials, and Water Cutting, which uses a highly pressurised stream of water mixed with additives to cut through any material. These two techniques work in similar ways, and can only work on a surface of an object.

The last method, formative fabrication, is unlike the other two processes. Rather than removing or adding to an existing object, this process merely modifies and bends the existing material. An example of this is bending steel rods or plates with robotic arms into regular forms and designs. Alternatively, heat, water, or steam can be used to bend materials that would otherwise wouldn’t into new forms. An example of this is the process of hot rolling steel bars into steel I-beams in factories. Of the fabrication methods, this method is possibly the most commonly used.

For this design, the main digital fabrication method used was subtractive fabrication. This can be seen in the MDF panels on the design, which were created by uploading a custom designed pattern to the laser cutter for printing. Subtractive fabrication was also used in the creation of the nodes which connect the rods together, as a simple router was used to drill into the wood. Although only subtractive fabrication was used, it would be possible to use additive and formative fabrication in this design. The wooden nodes could easily be replaced by customized, 3D printed parts, and the steel rods could have been bent using a robotic system, rather than by hand.

How does the fabrication process and strategy affect your second skin project?

Digital fabrication affects the design and development of this second skin project in a vast number of ways. Firstly, it can assist in making prototyping simpler. By designing an idea and printing or cutting it out mechanically, it allows one to see if the design will work realistically. It also allows for the idea to be shown to others to assist with explanation.

However, the main benefit of digital fabrication is the result. Digital fabrication can result in creating designs and shapes which would have been all but impossible or impractical to by hand. It also allows for the computer to control the exact size and shape of the elements being created, reducing the risk of an error being performed. These processes also allow existing materials to be used in new and interesting ways, while still retaining their basic functionality and their materiality.

Digital fabrication also has the ability to fabricated “mass-produce one-off” designs in a process described by Kolarevic as “masscustomisation”. This process allows for a series of similar, yet distinctively unique designs to be fabricated quickly and simply. An example of this is the wooden panels seen in this second skin project, which are all similar in design, yet unique with custom triangle based patterns on each panel. These panels also showcase the previous paragraph’s statements, as by allowing a computer to control the placements of the laser, the panel is crafted to a higher quality than a human can achieve with a blade. The panelling design also allows for the MDF board, which is a rigid material, to bend and twist, whilst still maintaining the basic strength and properties of the material.

Time is also affected by the use of digital fabrication. As these processes are practically fully automated, this allows for other tasks

to be accomplished at the same time, allowing for an improved and productive workflow.

This automation allows for complex designs to be completed quickly, and machines can be programmed to run overnight, allowing for lengthy waits in production to be mitigated.

However, the one downside to digital fabrication is the cost. Although the prices for these processes have decreased over time, they are still expensive, and so fabricating digitally needs to be performed selectively, so that a budget is not spent on unnecessary processes.

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Fabrication - Week 7 Reading Response Digital Fabrication: Lisa Iwamoto Describe one aspect of the recent shift in the use of digital technology from design to fabrication.

Digital technology has created a dramatic shift in the way society transfers ideas from a pure design into a fabricated model. One of the largest aspects of this shift is the size and scale that designers can work with.

Previously, if designers wished to fabricate a large design, or if architects wished to design a house, they would often have to outsource the actual fabrication. With the advent of a widespread use of computerised processes and fabrication, it is easier for these design companies and architects to fabricate their own designs. Previously, this would be small scale production only, maybe a prototype model or a few finalised products. However, this scale is now increasing. This can be seen in many of the works depicted in Lisa Iwamoto’s article, such as “Mafoonbey”, which was designed on computer and then had “720…sheets…cut…using a computer-controlled cutter”. Laser cutters are also used by Facit Homes, a company that uses these cutters to “fabricate a bespoke home on-site”. By simply supplying the material and the machines to laser cut panels into the correct size and shape to simply erect a single story house, designers are using these digital fabrication technologies to increase the scale they can design and fabricate.

Referencing from the lectures and readings, what is the implication of digital fabrication on your design?

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Digital fabrication allows for a wide variety of techniques and materials to be incorporated into the second skin project. However, digital fabrication also implies that the entire design may not even need to be prototyped or even assembled by hand. All the various digital technologies that have been introduced throughout the lectures and the readings, such as the CNC Router, or the 3D printer, are almost fully automated, and require no assistance in the fabrication process unless something goes wrong. Future improvements of technology can also remove the assembly process by programming robots to assemble the final model. This idea can be seen in a video shown during a lecture, wherein a number of drones were programmed to follow a predetermined path to create a floating sculpture out of string. This idea could mean that it would be entirely possible and plausible to be able to create intricate, highly complex designs on a computer, and then receive the finished product without having to

assemble or participate in any fabrication processes. Although this type of technology is not readily available, it is but one thought on how the progression of digital technology could affect the designs of a digital model.

REFLECTION ON READINGS AND DIGITAL FABRICATION PROCESSES These readings encouraged us to reflect upon how we would actually go about fabricating our object. We came to the realisation that our design may not be the most easy to fabricate due to the randomness of the curves and would therefore also be difficult to model in the computer. We would have to consider how we can use digital techniques to enhance our design and also assist us in building it. There is the possibility for us to develop some standardised nodes which can be 3D printed and also for us to arrange the curves through a digital design so that we can assess form before fabrication. If we had the time and the skills we could also use the robots to bend the aluminum rods so that they would all be uniform.

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Fabrication - Deliberation

At this point, we felt like our project has come to a stand still. We had encountered several problems, including how to connect a cantilevered structure to the body. We also felt that our joining connection remains unresolved as we do not like the aesthetics of our chosen method. Our Prototype 1 works well at a small scale, however we foresaw major issues down the track. We were unsure that the structure would be able to selfsupport itself without additional bracing. At this point, we were feeling underwhelmed by our current design path. This was ultimately due to the lack of digital design processes so far in our design journey, which is difficult to perform when working with such a flexible material. The next step was to consider what digital methods we can incorporate into our final design.

The aluminum rods lend themselves to being bent by automated robots, however as our skill set is not great enough for this yet, we ended up bending them by hand. In order to finish the model, we had to produce a standardised curve. There was the possibility for some kind of 3D printed joint, and the panels had be laser cut. However, it was discovered quickly that the design process is much more fluid for this particular project through quick ideation sketches and prototyping.

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Different projects lend themselves to different design generation methods.

We felt that our particular project was easier to explore during more traditional design methods due to the undulating, random curves. However, as observed the projects our classmates were working on, we can understand that some projects would indeed offer greater opportunities to be explored digitally. It is always important to test your materials, but we had been working with the same materials from the beginning and testing their limits. We felt that we needed less material testing than some of the other groups. It is important to remember that while digital design and fabrication processes may be useful, sometimes traditional methods can also generate quality results.

Fabrication - Consideration To help us overcome our design block, we decided to look back to our main precedent example,the napkin table, and to consider what we liked the most about our design, as well as what we were trying to achieve. We decided that what we liked the most was the complex mass of undulating curves.

We also rethought the desired effects: we aimed to create an experience for the viewer, much like any piece of art. In order to achieve this, we drew focus away from the experience of the user and instead projected it back out to the viewer.

In doing so, we wanted to create an emotional response of discomfort. This would be created through observing two people in the surreal experience of being physically and intimately joined.

With our objects now set clearly we thought it would be useful to reconsider of stance on personal space. We thought again about the concept of flux and change but through the different lens of creating a discomforting visual.

51 Napkin Table. Hung Lu Chan. 2014

Fabrication - Redefining Personal Space Photo Tom

Photo Tom

Photo tom and nat

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We explored how, when two personal spaces come together and join, there still exists another undefined line of proximity which, when broken, creates a sense of discomfort for the models.

We also considered how a viewer would feel when observing two people whose personal space bubbles have combined and joined.

This only creates perhaps a mild discomfort, but when emphasized through creating a physical connection it augments the sense of discomfort for the observer.

Fabrication - Joint Development Photo

Initial concept

Photo of all the joints together

Materiality

Development of types

Photo

Addition of slot

Photo

Clip addition

We felt that the timber opposed and complimented the metal rods nicely. It felt like a warmer touch to the metal which felt cool and binding. We feel that this emphasizes the human part of our concept - the human connection.

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Fabrication - Form Refinement

In order to achieve our new effect we decided to shift slightly the form of our design. We opted for a single structure which would connect and bind the two wearer’s in place. In doing this, the effect created for the viewer is reinforced: witnessing two people intimately connected and locked in place so that it is difficult to move away. They are indeed forced to stay together once the structure has been placed on and around the body.

This creates a sense of unease and discomfort for the viewer, reinforcing our concept of personal space.

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Fabrication - Curve Refinement

By observing and recording the natural position of the arm when moving in for a hug, we found the angles that can translate into curves for the bone system of the final design

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By positioning identical metal toy parts side by side, we observed a variety of similar angles which can be used in the bone structure alongside the curves found in the observation of the hug

Fabrication - Digital Model

We were able to transfer the angled curves that we found using an analysis of the hugs and of our wire precedent into Rhino. From here, we created the radius based on their classification as a hug curve or wire curve. We then piped these curves and combined them in an additive process to generate our 3 final curves we would use to fabricate our model. We assembled these together in a module of 3 that could be easily replicated to assist in the construction of our system.

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Fabrication - Kerfing The original design for the kerfed panels were incredibly flexible for such a rigid material. However, issues arose, mostly with the fact that they could not bend and support weight, as this would cause them to snap along the seams. We encountered this problem numerous times, mostly when we were demonstrating their unique ability.

During the presentation for module three, it was recommended that panelling tools in Rhino should be used to create perforations in the material to allow light in. As such, new panels were designed and cut, which had triangular patterns cut into the design. These panels were stronger than the previous ones, at the cost of having as much flexibility. As such, the two panels were used in the final design. The larger panels, seen to the right, were used along the steel rods created from the hug curves, whilst the smaller, more flexible panels were used on the curves determined by the metal toy. By placing the larger panels on the hug curves, a stronger emphasis on this connection is created.

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Photo of final kerfed panels

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Fabrication - Assembly

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Fabrication - Panel Refinement Drawing of looking at areas of most open against closed - overlaying of two drawings. + Defining attractor points

One area of feedback from our M2 was that the triangulated panels looked violent as if they were trying to protect the user. This wasn’t our intention at all and so we decided to reconsider the form of our panels. We looked at several options before deciding on a long strip.

This long strip can be attached to any of the curves to emphasize their flexibility.

We have chosen to add the panels to the hug curves, with an opening gradient dependent on their location, as the hug curves conceptually speak to the notion of a human connection.

On the left we also quickly tested how an overlapping mesh of triangulated patterns with varying density would work when overlap. What we found was that at the areas of the greatest overlap: in-between the chests, even the smallest triangles create the effect of increased density. This influenced how we specified the density or openness of our triangulated pattern of our panels. We simulated 2 attractor points on the chest of each wearer and also in a central point between them. In this way, the place of greatest overlap would be the most transparent but still create the impression of density.

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Fabrication - Final Model

Our final proposal for the second skin project involves a series of modulated wire curves which symbolize human connection and fluctuating personal space which is reinforced using curved MDF strips. These strips add integrity to our design as they reflect the angle of the curves and well as selectively reinforcing the hug curves. They add complexity to our design through a change in material, yet also harmonize as they mimic in colour and texture the nodes.

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Fabrication - Process Image of all the curves we need from rhino

Curve 1 68°

Curve 2 180°

Curve 3 153°

Curve 4 109°

Curve 5 87°

Curve 6 43°

Curve 7 91°

This initial joint type we tried was unfortunately unsuccessful as shown in the photos. It did not keep the curve of the metal and bent it straight away. It seemed much easier for us to simply laser cut a jig and manually bend the curves around their set angles.

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Fabrication photo

Fabrication photo of second jig

This second jig worked much better. We were able to efficiently program the curves and cut the panels. The jig also worked very well. Overall it was a much better solution than the one first tested as it used fewer materials, was easier and cheaper to cut than the CNC milling would have been and saved us time. It was also easy to put together.

Photo of bending metal on curves

Photo of curved metal rods

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Photos of jigs and curves

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Photos of nodes

Assembly

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Fabrication - The Disturbing Connection

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Photo from behind We were able to translate our final Rhino model proposal into our fabricated model with very little compromise. The final model is aesthetically intriguing, with a tangled web of interconnected rods given order by the accentuation of the kerfed MDF panels. These panels, combined with the bent rods, link the two wearers together in an inescapable, yet tangible connection, alluding to the hug. At the same time, observers will be repelled by the physicality of the connection, and will be forced away by their disturbed emotions. The disturbing connection explores this connected personal space, and how the people near it react to it.

Another nice image of our final product

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M4: Reflection

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Digital Design and Fabrication has been an interesting subject, focusing on a different approach to the design process than other subjects do. Although all the skills learnt in this subject can be applied to the popular stream of Architectural Design, focusing on a wearable sculpture is a unique change of pace which encourages to think outside the usual parameters given to us. Having to choose a system to further define our final product continues to add to this unique twist on a design subject. But this combination of an unknown system and a new design topic is challenging, especially considering I have never focused any design works at the human body. It is perhaps because of this challenge that I did not think that my final vision for the wearable sculpture was completed. I believe that given more time and exploration, the initial concept our group had of two identical, connecting sculptures, would have been a marvellous piece of design.

The crucial piece of knowledge I gained from this subject is not design related, but technological in nature. I came into this class only ever having worked with Sketchup. Coming out of this class, I feel incredibly confident in using Rhino, and can now understand why it is so used in the designing industry. It is an incredibly complicated tool, capable of so much, yet it was important to learn how to use it, as it is so crucial to not only this class, but to have the skills to use it in the future. Using the Fabrication Lab was also a crucial part of this class. Before this subject, I had not used any features of the FabLab, but after having done several experiments with the laser cutter and exploring other options, I understand that it is such a vital tool to use in this degree. By forcing us to perform what Rifkin (2011) calls “distributed manufacturing�, it has prepared me to design more complicated designs, complete with the knowledge that I have the skills to assemble them.

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Appendix

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Appendix - Credits CREDITS Page Cover 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

Drawings

Model Fabrication

Model Assembly

Photography

Writing

X X

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X

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X

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XXX XXX X X X X

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X XX X X X X X

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X X X X X X XX XX X X X X X X X X X X X X

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X Brett McColl Thomas Huntingford Natalie Keynton

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Computation

X X

X X X X X X X X

Graphic Design X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Page 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84

Drawings

X X X X X

Computation X

Model Fabrication

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Model Assembly

X

X X X X X

Photography XX X X X

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X X

X

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Writing X X X X X X

X

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X X X XX XX X X

X X X XX XXX X X

X X X X XX XX X X X X X X X X X X X X

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Graphic Design X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

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Appendix - Bibliography Enric Miralles,Carme Pinos, 1988/1991, “How to lay out a croissant” El Croquis 49/50 Enric Miralles, Carme Pinos, En Construccion pp. 240‐241 Heath, A., Heath, D., & Jensen, A. (2000). 300 years of industrial design : function, form, technique, 1700‐ 2000 / Adrian Heath, Ditte Heath, Aage Lund Jensen. New York : Watson‐Guptill.

Cheng, R. 2008. Inside Rhinoceros 4 / Ron K.C. Cheng. Clifton Park, NY : Thomson/Delmar Learning, c2008.

Sommer, R. 1969. Personal space : the behavioral basis of design / Robert Sommer. Englewood Cliffs, N.J. : Prentice‐Hall, c1969.A Scheurer, F. and Stehling, H. _2011_: Lost in Parameter Space? IAD: Architectural Design, Wiley, 81 _4_, July, pp. 70‐79 Asperl et al, 2007,Surfaces that can be built from paper / In H.Pottmann, A.Asperl,M.Hofer, A.Kilian (eds) Architectural Geometry, p534‐561, Bentley Institute Press Kolarevic, B 2003, Architecture in the Digital Age ‐ Design and Manufacturing /Branko Kolarevic. Spon Press, London Marble, S, 2008. Building the Future: Recasting Labor in Architecture/ Philip Bernstein, Peggy Deamer. Princeton Architectural Press. pp 38‐42 Rifkin, J 2011, The third Industrial Revolution. Palgrave Macmillan.pp107‐126 Hunh Lu, C, 2014, napkin portable dining table for two encourages friends to eat together, viewed 7th June 2017, < http://www.designboom.com/design/napkin-portabledining-table-for-two-05-23-2014/>.

Oswald, A and Fennell, N 2017, The Napkin Table is made for a two-person picnic, viewed 7th June 2017, < https://www.businessinsider.com.au/napkin-table-creates-a-twoperson-picnic-2017-1?r=US&IR=T> Etherington, R 2013, Catenary Pottery Printer using analogue parametric design by GT2P, viewed 7th June 2017, < https://www.dezeen.com/2013/11/04/catenary-potteryprinter-analog-parametric-design-gt2p/> Rosenfield, K 2012, Steilneset Memorial / Peter Zumthor and Louise Bourgeois, photographed by Andrew Meredith, viewed 7th June 2017, < http://www.archdaily. com/213222/steilneset-memorial-peter-zumthor-and-louise-bourgeois-photographed-by-andrew-meredith> Fearson, A 2012, Steilneset Memorial by Peter Zumthor and Louise Bourgeois, viewed 7th June 2017, < https://www.dezeen.com/2012/01/03/steilneset-memorial-by-peterzumthor-and-louise-bourgeois/>

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Appendix - Image List All images belong to the authors, except for the images listed below.

Page 22 Left Margiela, MM n.d., maison-martin-margiela-arisanal, CONFIRMED: MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA DESIGNED FOR H & M, viewed 7th June 2017, < http://www.thisisjanewayne.com/news/2012/06/12/bestatigt-maison-martin-margiela-designt-fur-hm/> Page 24 Left Hung Lu, C 2014, napkin-portable-dining-table-for-two-designboom-06, napkin portable dining table for two encourages friends to eat together, viewed 7th June 2017, < http://www.designboom.com/design/napkin-portable-dining-table-for-two-05-23-2014/> Page 24 Right Hung Lu, C 2014, img_1_1400814628_99fa858c383f5d14cb669b9ea5c08f8d, napkin portable dining table for two encourages friends to eat together, viewed 7th June 2017, < http://www.designboom.com/design/napkin-portable-dining-table-for-two-05-23-2014/> Page 25 Great Things to People n.d., gt2P_AMD2014-8019_670, Abierto de DiseĂąo, viewed 7th June 2017, < http://www.gt2p.com/Abierto-de-Diseno-Mexico> Page 26 Left Meredith, A 3023, a4544443, Steilneset Memorial / Peter Zumthor and Louise Bourgeois, photographed by Andrew Meredith, viewed 7th June 2017, < http://www.archdaily.com/213222/steilneset-memorial-peter-zumthor-and-louise-bourgeois-photographed-by-andrew-meredith>.

Page 26 Right Meredith, A 3023, a4544350, Steilneset Memorial / Peter Zumthor and Louise Bourgeois, photographed by Andrew Meredith, viewed 7th June 2017, < http://www.archdaily.com/213222/steilneset-memorial-peter-zumthor-and-louise-bourgeois-photographed-by-andrew-meredith>.

Page 41 Middle Top Great Things to People 2013, Catenary-Pottery-Printer-by-Guillermo-Parada_dezeen_20sq, Catenary Pottery Printer using analogue parametric design by GT2P, viewed 7th June 2017, < https://www.dezeen.com/2013/11/04/catenary-pottery-printer-analog-parametric-design-gt2p/> Page 47 Top ETF Robotics 2016, ABB-IRB-120, Laboratory, viewed 7th June 2017, < http://robot.etf.rs/index.php/laboratory/> Page 51 Left Hung Lu, C 2014, napkin-portable-dining-table-for-two-designboom-06, napkin portable dining table for two encourages friends to eat together, viewed 7th June 2017, < http://www.designboom.com/design/napkin-portable-dining-table-for-two-05-23-2014/>

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