Digital Image Processing B y C l a ri ssa Evans
The Structure of Mushrooms I wanted to understand the concept behind the cantilever, how a building can span vast distances creating both a beautiful design and a solution to obstacles at ground level and sheltering. Mushrooms were an interesting organic form which take on this principle, by creating a cantilever they can protect the underneath the spanning waterproof dome. Mushrooms also had an aesthetical appeal, not only do they appear to be structural using the use of fins, they also appear visually structural, using triangulation for structural integrity yet efficiently in the form of a fin I found very appealing.
Conceptual and practical application We used different methods of representation to see how the mushroom can be applied to the human environment on a conceptual and practical scale, discussing what we found intruiging and how a mushroom can be altered to a human scale. Due to Cardiff’s wet climate, the concept of a moving sheltered walkway while also creating potential breakout space was something we all thought would be interesting. We also touched upon the use of a fin as a divider.
Mod e l m a k i n g The use of model making helped us understand the principles behind our designs, this was more to understand the physicality of the structure than recreating the esthetic. We looked at how the fins took the load of the domed roof of the structure. However we also explored the ideas of a tensile skin and lattice structure to potentially create a lightweight roofing system that was structurally efficient. This was an interesting way to quickly test out different theories before choosing one that was really interesting, helping give an overall understanding of the mushroom as a structural system. We first began looking at modelling the dome and tensile waterproof skin in 3ds Max Design to see how this would work.
3D Modelling H ow ev er a f t e r M o d e l l i n g t h e d om e a n d skin c o n c e p t o f a m u s h r o o m we we r e unhapp y wi t h i t . Th e o r i g i n a l i n t e r e s t i n t he m us h r o o m wa s f or i t ’ s cant er l e v e r i n g p r o pe r t i e s f r o m t h e f i n s rat her t ha n t h e d om e i t s e l f . I n s t e a d we rem ode l l e d t h e l o a d t r a n s f e r o f t h e f i n , replica t i o n g t h i s i n t o t h e s h a p e o f a cant ilev e r i n g m u s h r o om . We t ho u gh t o f d i f f e r e n t wa y s t h i s c o ul d be app l i e d , a s e i t h e r a c an t i l ev e r t o o n e side o r a m o r e c i r c u l a r l o a d s p r e a d , sim ilar t o t h a t o f a f r e e s t a nd i ng m ushr oo m .
We st ill f elt unsa t i s f i ed b y t h i s a s t h er e s e e m e d t o b e no beaut y in t he s t r u c t u r e o f t h e s e r e g u l a r f i n s . Pa r t of t he int erest in t h e m u s h r o o m was t h at o f i t ’ s irregualrit y so in s t e a d we d e c i d e d t ha t i t wa s b e s t t o look at how w e c o u l d r eg u l ar i s e t h e i r r e g u l a r i t y o f t h e f in t o creat e a c a n o p y / c a nt i l e v e r t ha t c o u l d b e u s e d i n t he built environ m e n t . Pa r t o f t h e i n t e r es t i n t h i s wa s t o creat e a cano p y s t r u c t u r e t h a t wo u l d c h a n g e a s y o u w alk f orw ard, cr e at i ng d i f f e r e nt p e r s p e c t i v e s .
Final Modelling H av ing dec id e d o n a d e sig n we lasercut t his int o a m odel w here w e c ould te st th e stre n gt h of t he st ruct ure yet ret ain i t ’ s beaut i f ul fo rm. We u se d a m ore regular pat t ern f or t he f in edges mak i ng so me g ro w o u t furt her t han ot hers t o dist purse t he load.
Insp i r a tio n s f o r d e sig n Th e Mu s h ro o m f i n has been appl i ed to the built environment. H ere You can see a fin lik e s tr u c tu r e e n c o m p a s s es th e b u i l d i n g c r e a t i n g a r h y t h m to the bui l di ng and a strongly techtonic feel. I wanted to continue a s i m i l a r p r i n c i p l e to m y m a s te r p l an i ng d e s i gn w h er e t h e r e w a s thi s strong sense of rhy thm across the building, using it to create spac e s s u c h a s a r h y th m i c r o om pa tte r n .
Maste r p l a n I want ed t o cre a te a b u ild in g w hich ran of f t he st ruct ure of a m us h r o o m f i n. I be g a n b y m a p p i n g out a gr id t o th e site , p la cing m y m assing over t his and using t he f i n s t o c r e a t e r o o m d i v i d e r s . I t h en ex pand e d th e lo we r le vels t o creat e a cant ilevered w alkw ay a n d b r e a k o u t g r e e n s p a c e . I c ut out t he circu la tio n sp a ce to act like t he st em of t he m ushroom , wh i c h t he f l o o r s t h e n s p a nn e d f r om . On t he g ro u nd le vel I want ed t o creat e a sense of progress i o n a c r os s t h e s i t e
Mo d e llin g When designing the lasercutting model I wanted to produce a simplistic model which showed the basic regular structure created by the fins. I applied this to design to incorporate a dwelling unit. The organic nature of the fins is not lost however as this is incorporated on a smaller scale as dividers between the shop fronts. The model shows regular rhythm of the structure in jusxtaposition to the organic free flowing lanscape.