MODULE 2 - DESIGN ENVS10008 Virtual Environments
Cindy Edelene Arief Student No: 600604 Semester 1/2013
Group 6
READING QUESTIONS - Week 4 Scheurer, F. and Stehling, H. (2011): Lost in Parameter Space? IAD: Architectural Design, Wiley, 81 (4), July, pp. 70-79 What are the key differences between ‘abstraction’ and ‘reduction’? Can you relate these ideas to process analysis you undertook in Module 1 (and the reading by Poling)? In his article about the Parameter Space, Scheurer points out two main processes involved in designing things, particularly the architectural design. These are the abstraction and reduction processes. Abstraction aims to reduce the complexity to a very simple level where little but effective information is contained to desribe the properties of an object without ambiguity. What defines the complexity of an object itself lies on the length of the shortest possible description. In contrast to abstraction, reduction process is more about rewriting the object’s descriptiong without changing any of the content. It does not intend to reduce the amount of information but rather seeks out the optimal way to transport it. As reduction is an irreversible process, every designer has to make sure of the part they are going to eliminate. Otherwise, as Scheurer suggests, reduction will become further abstraction that has a significant effect to the model. The abstraction and reduction processes have also been applied by Picasso where he illustrates process of gradual abstraction and reduction of the original form, in this instance a bull, to its abstracted essence.
This drawing by Picasso is a very good example of abstraction and reduction process applied to an image of a bull.
ENVS10008 Virtual Environments
Cindy Edelene Arief - 600604
REVIEW OF PREVIOUS SKETCH MODELS Of all the three sketch models I produced in the previoius module, I realised that there was one crucial aspect missing from the way the lantern is going to be held. As we are limited to hold the lantern only by using the arm, I thus stepped back into the previous process before going further into the process of digitisation. The second sketch model is the one I have picked up to work on as it is primarily based on the emerging form of my chosen natural pattern extrusion, which are shown below.
Sketch Model 1
Sketch Model 2
Sketch Model 3
These figures above sum up the development process of my proposed lantern form, starting from the very basic analytical drawing of my chosen pattern, which then continues on to the emerging form of analytical drawing up to the shape of the lantern itself. It is worth noting that this form of lantern is only at the very initial stage as there will certainly be a series of further development and refinement process once this model is digitised and paneled using Rhino.
ENVS10008 Virtual Environments
Cindy Edelene Arief - 600604
ORTOGRAPHIC IMAGES To produce the contours of my proposed lantern form, I have used the method of tracing the profile curves which best suits the closed shape with volume inside.
Top View
Clay model
Digitised model
Front View
Clay model
Digitised model
ENVS10008 Virtual Environments
Cindy Edelene Arief - 600604
DIGITISED MODEL There are 2 layers built to digitise my model, the one being the inner and another is the outer layer of the lantern skin. This will then create a hollow inside which is intended for the users to easily hold the lantern using their arm. The idea of having 2 layers will also have significant effect of the lighting I want to achieve through this form. The layered effect, as shown earlier in the project called “Cold Wind Sphere” by Olafur Eliassion becomes my reference study in doing this project.
Layering effect of lighting as produced by the “Cold Wind Sphere” by Olafur Eliasson.
ENVS10008 Virtual Environments
Cindy Edelene Arief - 600604
DIGITISED MODEL - PANELING TOOLS The digitised model is then developed in the paneling tools in Rhino software. There are several varieties of paneling to choose from, depending on the complexity of the object itself, In this instance, I chose only three types of paneling techniques that best translate my proposed lantern form, with each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Angle Box
Tri-basic
Triangular
Further development of the digitised model
ENVS10008 Virtual Environments
Cindy Edelene Arief - 600604
DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITISED MODEL Realising that my first attempt on digitising the model wasn’t quite successful, I thence looked for another way to rebuild the model. The processes undertaken are shown in these images below, which gives a closed lofted surface as compared to the open air form on my first attempt.
4
3
5
2
6 1
1. Firstly, I drew 3 curves vertically for the overall form of my lantern, followed by circles in the middle to give it a hollow structure inside. 2. I then lofted the curves, with the order of selection as indicated by the numbers shown in the picture. A closed loft surface is thence created. 3. It then began to be paneled, and here I show different number of control points for paneling which gives the structure a considerable change and details. It might look rather too simple when using too few control points, in this instance 5 and 10 respectively, as well as losing the aesthetic look of my proposed form.
ENVS10008 Virtual Environments
Cindy Edelene Arief - 600604
PANELING EXPERIMENTS
2D panel using the paneling tools gives quite a firm structure on the outside but messed up on the inside. Overlapping triangular surfaces on the inner part.
Whilst adding control points gives rise to the aesthetic look, it tends to get much more complicated when dealing with the inner structure of the lantern form. Most of the triangular surfaces are overlapping, thus making it rather impossible to unroll and make strips out of the 3D form. One alternative approach could be to build a separate paneling for each of the inner and outer layer, and manually build up planar surfaces to fill up the spaces between these layers.
The use of more control points to give a more curvy structure.
One way is to make a separation between the outer and inner layer, which gives it a flat surface.
ENVS10008 Virtual Environments
Cindy Edelene Arief - 600604
PANELING EXPERIMENTS This is the image of 3D custom paneling that I want to achieve as it is basically the pattern I had chosen earlier, that is the spider web. Nevertheless, it does not seem to work out very well due to the curvy shape of my lantern form. The images below show some possible forms that are closest to the paneling I want to achieve. Problems arise with unrolling the surface, thus I decide to use the simple 2D surface to make the prototype.
ENVS10008 Virtual Environments
Cindy Edelene Arief - 600604
MAKING THE PROTOTYPE
Because of the messy and overlapping parts of the inner layer, the prototype I constructed consists of only a small portion of the outer surface. Further redevelopment needs to be taken in order to get a much more buildable structure, as well as adding a 3D custom panel to achieve the layered lighting effect I want to achieve.
ENVS10008 Virtual Environments
Cindy Edelene Arief - 600604