DIA - SCHOOL WORK

DIAA HASSAN • SCHOOL WORK

HABITAT CONTINUUM A. HUNTINGTON ANNA REDUX

C. DEL FASCIO FLEXAGON HYPERBOLIC P. REACT. DIFF. MOTION

BUAN

BUAN

BUAN

WE DON'T DWELL BECAUSE WE HAVE BUILT, BUT WE BUILD AND HAVE BUILT BECAUSE WE DWELL, THAT IS BECAUSE WE ARE DWELLERS.

MARTIN HEIDEGGER

Project was done in collabora�on with Yu Zheng. Work included here represent my contribu�on

LOCATED AT STAPLETON, A VIBRANT COMMUNITY AT THE NORTH SHORE OF STATEN ISLAND, BUAN IS A RESIDENTIAL COMPLEX THAT AIMS TO CHALLENGE THE NOTION OF DWELLING AS A BY PRODUCT OF MASS PRODUCTION. THE PROJECT IS AN INVESTIGATION OF OPEN DWELLING, A PROCESS IN WHICH THE DWELLER IS AN ESSENTIAL CONSTIT UENT OF THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND PRODUCTION OF THEIR OWN SPACES.

THE AGENCY OF THE DWELLERS TO INCREMENTALLY BUILD THEIR OWN SPACES IS AUGMENTED BY THE ADDITION OF STATEN ISLAND MAKERSPACE IN THE FIRST FLOOR. COM BINED WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF A GRADIENT OF NEGATIVE SPACES TO BE SHARED BY THE DWELLERS, THE MAKER SPACES IS ALSO A PIECE OF SI URBAN AND HISTORIC FABRIC THAT LINKS THE NEIGHBOURHOOD TO ITS INDUSTRI AL PAST.

HABITAT 67 A CASE STUDY HABITAT 67 CASE STUDY

“I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT WE HAVE TO REINVENT THE APARTMENT BUILDING. WE NEED TO FIND A WAY OF DOING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF A HOUSE.”

MOSHE SAFDIE

AS A PART OF OUR HOUSING STUDIO, WE WERE ASKED TO ANALYZE HABITAT 67 BY MOSHE SAFDIE. LATER WE REALIZED HOW MUCH THIS PROJECT HAS INFLUENCED OUR BUAN PROJECT AS IT SETS A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR HIGH QUALITY HOUSING IN DENSE URBAN ENVIRONMENTS.

SAFDIE EXPLORED THE POSSIBILITIES OF PREFABRICATED MODULAR UNITS TO REDUCE HOUSING COSTS AND ALLOW FOR A NEW HOUSING TYPOLOGY THAT COULD INTEGRATE THE QUALITIES OF A SUBURBAN HOME INTO AN URBAN HIGH-RISE.

AT ITS CORE IS THE INSTINCT TO ANTHROPOMORPHIZE THE NON HUMAN, WHETHER ANIMAL, INANIMATE OBJECT OR EVEN NATURAL PHENOMENON, ONTO OTHER ENTITIES AS A MEANS OF BETTER RELATING TO THEM

RUAIRI GLYNN

FENDING OFF ASTHMA ATTACKS IS A FACT OF LIFE FOR MANY RESIDENTS OF THE MOTT HAVEN-PORT MORRIS SECTION OF THE SOUTH BRONX. THE MAJORITY BLACK AND HISPANIC POPULATION HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST ASTHMA RATES IN THE US. 1 IN 4 CHILDREN SUFFERS FROM THE DISEASE. MOREOVER, RATES OF HOSPITALIZATION AND DEATH ARE RESPECTIVELY THREE AND FIVE TIMES HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

IN AN EFFORT TO MITIGATE THIS ENVIRONMENTAL DISCRIMI NATION, AN EXISTING PLAYGROUND WAS REDESIGNED TO INCROPORATE A NEW SOFT ROBOT THAT AIMS TO REDUCE MICRO-POLLUTANTS IN AIR.

SOFT FLUID ACTUATORS CONSISTING OF ELASTOMER MATRI CES WITH EMBEDDED FLEXIBLE MATERIALS ARE OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO THE ROBOTICS COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY ARE LIGHTWEIGHT, AFFORDABLE AND EASILY CUSTOMIZED TO A GIVEN APPLICATION. DRIVING UPON THE VAST HISTORY OF INFLATABLE ARCHITECTURE, THE DESIGN AIMS TO APPLY THE RESEARCH OF SOFT ROBOTICS TO REASSESS QUESTIONS OF INFLATION, CONTINUITY, BENDING AND MOTION TO ACHIEVE A DESIGN THAT INTERACTIVELY AND RESPONSIBLY REACTS TO ITS SURROUNDINGS.

TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE AN INFORMED EVIDENCE BASED DESIGN, AN AIR QUALITY SENSOR WAS USED TO MEASURE INHALABLE PARTICULATE MATTER OF DIAMETER 2.5 MICRO ETERS AND SMALLER. THE MEASURED DATA WAS LATER VISUALIZED USING PROCESSING PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE AS SHOWN IN THE SIMULATION.

THE RESULTS REAFFIRMED THE CONCLUSION OF PREVIOUS STUDIES THAT SOUTH BRONX IN PARTICULAR SUFFERS A HIGHER RATE OR AIR POLLUTION WHICH COULD BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS ITS CHILDREN HAVE ONE OF THE HEIGHEST RATE OF ASTHMA HOSTPITALIZATION IN THE US.

IN AN EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM, DIFFERENT SCHEMES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED TO CREATE A SERIES OF INDOOR SPACES THAT CAN DYNAMICALLY OPEN/CLOSE BASED ON THE AIR QUALITY SENSOR READINGS AT THIS EXACT POINT.

ANOTHER STRATEGY WAS TO CREATE AN OBJECT THAT FUNCTIONS AS AN URBAN LUNG, WHICH INHALE THE POLLUTED AIR AS IT INFLATES, THEN PASS IT THROUGH NANOSIZED PHOTOCATALYTIC FILTERS EXHALING CLEAN AIR AS IT DEFLATES AGAIN.

TO ACHIEVE SUCH A STRATEGY, SOFT ROBOTIC ARMS WERE WRAPPED INTO A TITANIUM DIOXIDE COATED FABRIC THAT FUNCTIONS AS A SECOND LAYER OF PASSIVE AIR PURIFICATION SYSTEM.

THE PLAYSCAPE CAN BE OCCUPIED BY THE CHILDREN SINCE THE SOFT ACTUATORS FUNCTIONS AS A DYNAMIC STRUCTURE THAT CONTINUOUSLY AND PLAYFULLY CHANGE THE TOPOLOGY OF WRAPPER AS IT PURIFY THE SURROUNDING AIR.

THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN TESTED DIGITALLY THROUGH SIMULATIONS AND PHYSICALLY BY USING SILICONE CASTS, AIR PUMPS, PRESSURE SENSORS AND A MICROCONTROLLER.

ANNA HUNTINGTON

A LIBRARY IMPLIES AN ACT OF FAITH VICTOR HUGO A.HUNTINGTON A BRANCH LIBRARY

A BRANCH LIBRARY

AUDUBON TERRACE IS A LANDMARK COMPLEX OF EIGHT EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY BEAUX ARTS/AMERICAN RENAISSANCE BUILDINGS LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF BROADWAY, BOUNDED BY WEST 155TH AND WEST 156TH STREETS, IN THE WASHINGTON HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD OF UPPER MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY.

HOME TO SEVERAL CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS, THE ARCHI TECTURALLY COMPLEMENTARY BUILDINGS, WHICH TAKE UP MOST OF A CITY BLOCK, ARE ARRANGED IN TWO PARALLEL ROWS FACING EACH OTHER ACROSS A COMMON PLAZA.

A LIBRARY AT AUDUBON TERRACE PRESENTED EXCITING POSSIBILITIES DUE TO ITS SPECIAL LOCATION AND THE PARTICULAR EXIGENCIES OF THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WAS HOW COULD THIS LIBRARY PARTICIPATE TO THE PLAZA AND SUPPORT THE VISION OF ITS FOUNDER, ARCHER HUNTINGTON, AS A CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC HUB IN NYC.

that designing a library poses is how the library, as an ever evolving typology, could respond to surroundings. To answer this question a lot of factors came into play to define the unique chances a library building could possibly seize to enhance the wellbeing of the whole community. Audobon terrace presents even more exciting possibilities due to its special location and the exigencies of the community it serves. One of the challenges was how could this library participate and support the vision of its founder, Archer Huntington, as a cultural and artistic hub in NYC. Huntingtons Library aims to answer this question by blending the three prevalent taxonomies in the building that functions as a library, museum and a community center, and connects the people of the not only spatially but also visually and experientially, to the Hispanic Society of America. is a suspended path from a tensegrity roof system that adds to the overall floating sensation of juxtaposes tectonic rigidity of the massive stone buildings around. This museum path is inter spaces of the library to provide a unique experience of the library spaces as they are surround ed by floating artwork on every level of the space. path then continues to fluidly form a community center on the upper floor and provides an

THE ANNA HUNTINGTON LIBRARY AIMS TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION BY BLENDING THE THREE PREVALENT TAXONOMIES IN THE TERRACE. A BUILDING THAT FUNCTIONS AS A LIBRARY, MUSEUM AND A COMMUNITY CENTER THAT CONNECTS THE PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY SPATIALLY BUT ALSO VISUALLY AND EXPERIENTIALLY, TO THE TERRACE.

made by/for the community members is mounted and connecting both worlds.

AUDUBON REDUX A BRANCH LIBRARY

“ALL THAT IS SOLID MELTS INTO AIR” KARL MARX AUDUBON REDUX A BRANCH LIBRARY

ON A SECOND TAKE ON AUDUBON LIBRARY, PROJECTS WERE SHUFFLED BETWEEN CLASSMATES AND WE WERE ASKED TO WORK ON A REINTERPRETATION OF THE ORIGINAL PROPOSALS. IN THE SECOND TAKE I FOCUSED THE QUESTION ON THE FUTURE OF THE LIBRARY TYPOLOGY ITSELF AS PUBLIC SPACE.

THIS PROJECT POSED THE QUESTION OF THE EPHEMERALIZATION OF THE PHYSICAL SPACE AND THE HYBRIDITY BETWEEN THE PHYSICAL AND THE CYBERSPACES. THIS HYBRIDITY IS ACHIEVED THROUGH A BUILDING THAT DISINTEGRATES OVER TIME AND GRADUALLY SURRENDER ITS PHYSICAL SPACES TO THE CYBERSPACE LEAVING ONLY ITS CORE BY THE END OF ITS LIFE-CYCLE.

THE CASA DEL FASCIO DO-OVER ADDRESSES ISSUES OF NORMALIZATION, SURVEILLANCE, AND THE PANOPTIC DISCIPLINE. THE MAIN STRATEGY HERE WAS TO ADDRESS THE BUILDING AS A PANOPTICON, AND REINTERPRET ITS EXISTENCE THROUGH THE LENS OF BERNARDO BERTOLUCCI’S MOVIE THE CONFORMIST. BY REVERSING THE PROCESS OF DISCIPLINARY NORMALIZATION, THE NEW DESIGN AIMS TO DECENTRALIZE THE COURTYARD AND DECONSTRUCT THE HIERARCHICAL ORDER OF SPACES.

THE NEW CASA DEL FASCIO IS THEN REIMAGINED THROUGH TWO MOMENTS IN HISTORY, ONE DURING A FASCIST PAST AND THE OTHER DURING THE REVOLUTION TO SHOW HOW THE SPACES COULD BE OCCUPIED TO BREAK THE HEGEMONY OF THE POLITICAL ORDER.

permutations

a . TRIHEXAFLEXAGON PERMUTATIONS

A.TRIHEXAFLEXAGON

TRIHEXAFLEXAGON & KALEIDOCYCLES WERE INVENTED BY ARTHER STONE, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, IN 1939. THEY POCCESS THE QUALITY OF DYNAMICALLY CHANGING THEIR FACES WHEN FLEXED. IN 1940 A FLEXAGON COMMITTEE WAS ORGANIZED TO FURTHER STUDY THE MATHEMATICS OF FLEXIGATION. RICHARD FEYMAN WAS ONE OF THE NOTABLE MEMEBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE.

STARTING FROM THE PHYSICAL MEDIUM BY FOLDING THE PATTERN, THE GEOMETRY OF THE SHAPE WAS EXPLORED IN DEPTH TO COMPUTA TIONALLY REPRODUCE THE FLEXAGATION PHENOMENON. THE MODEL WAS THEN ADAPTED TO DIFFERENT ARCHITECTURAL USES IN VARIOUS CONTEXTS.

A FLEXAGON IS MADE OF 6 TETRAHEDRA

EACH TWO ADJACENT TETRAHEDRA ROTATE ABOUT THEIR COMMON AXIS

EACH TWO DIHEDRAL ANGLES CHANGE RELATIVELY BUT IN IN A NON-LINEAR RELATIONSHIP

permutations

C . HYPERBOLIC PARABOLOIDS PERMUTATIONS C.HYPERBOLIC PARABOLOIDS

EXPLORING THE CAPACITY OF FLAT SURFACES TO GENERATE 3D OBJECTS THROUGH FOLDING BENDING AND SHAPING. THIS PAVILION WAS MADE ENTIRELY OF ONE PIECE OF PAPER THAT HAD BEEN FOLDED TO FORM FOUR HYPERBOLIC MODULES. THESE MODULES CAN BEND IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS CAPITALIZING ON THE ANTICLASTIC QUALITY OF THE SHAPE TO MAKE FOR A STRUCTURALLY STABLE PAVILION.

permutations

D . MOTION PERMUTATIONS C.MOTION

ANALYZING AND INTERPRETING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RECORDED MOVEMENT AND A REFERENCE SYSTEM TO GENERATE A MAP WHICH EXPLORES NEW AND UNEXPECTED GRAPHIC ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN SPACE, TIME OF THE PROJECT. BY USING LINEAR VECTORS AND OTHER NOTATIONS TO QUANTIFY THE INDIVIDUAL POSITIONS OF THE BODY IN RELATION TO THE REFERENCE SYSTEM, NEW WAYS OF OVERLAPPING MOVEMENT AND ARCHITECTURE ARE EXPLORED.