Take a Brick Journal

take a brick

once upon a time in the future

Studio Fable Cheuk Yi Lai 690091

Master of Architecture _Studio D ABPL90143 2018 semester 2 STUDIO LEADERS : MATT GREENWOOD & MICHAEL MACK

material profile bioplastic-brick dust composite dried naturally and works in compression curing time: 72 hours ingredients: brick dust (20%), corn starch (20%), water (30%), vinegar (10%), glycerine (10%), borax (5%), methylated spirits (5%)

STUDIO FABLE // 5

experimentation flow chart

wax

phase i

bioplas6ic Material Experiment

heating

mixing

sawdust

testing

coffee grounds brick dust

wall

phase ii

geometries

evaluation

vault metaball

robotics printing

extrusion speed robot speed control

evaluation layer height temperature

phase iii

3d printing new material

phase iv

testing process

STUDIO FABLE // 6

strength flexibility appearance

outcome

drying time difficulty to extrude

shrinkage evaluation

problems

solution

height limit vault testing typologies

evaluation

wall

optimum geomtery

column extrusion speed robot speed

control

layer height

material properties design speculation

geometries

design outcome

user engagement / interation

STUDIO FABLE // 7

// research question

11

// Hypothesis

13

// introduction

15

// preliminary research

23

// Material Research

47

// Design speculation

109

// conclusion

123

// appendix

125

// bibliography

153

// acknowledgement

155

// research question

Recently, progressions in robotic 3d printing promote a more reliable & efficient alternative for building construction. with novel printing materials & methods pointing towards an insitu recycling of construction materials, what might be the opportunities and constraints of the 3D-printed Bioplastic-brick dust composite in terms of structure, spatial quality and fabrication?

STUDIO FABLE // 11

// Hypothesis

Within the next decades, Melbourne will undergo rapid transformation along with extensive construction and demolition activities. However, challenged by problems of excessive waste and scarce resources, we are forced to rethink material/building life cycle, and search for efficient ways to recycle building materials.

3D printed Bioplastic-brick dust composite is potentially a more sustainable and environmentalfriendly alternative to virgin materials. Its unique physical and structural properties will inform unconventional tectonics. Beyond that, we reclaim tactility and a sense of place through its rich texture and history.

To answer my research question, a material experimentation will be conducted to i) discover any structural & spatial opportunities/ limitations, and ii) investigate on necessary fabrication process and techniques. Speculations on architectural moments will be derived from the results.

STUDIO FABLE // 13

// introduction

SITE

the transformative cbd Extensive demolition and construction activities undergo in the Melbourne CBD. While new towers rise to new heights, old buildings crumble; the history and tactility vanish along with the antique bricks. Have you ever walked pass a new building, struggling to recall what was there before?

It is the time to reconsider material life cycles as we are confronted by problems of excessive waste and resource scarcity. How can we maximise the recyclability of construction materials from demolitions?

statistics from aurin

STUDIO FABLE // 17

Sustainability Victoria, waste projection model (2017)

waste figures in melbourne

Aggregates, masonry and concrete, which mainly come from demolition works, make up almost half of the waste in Melbourne. Despite its high recycling rate, a significant amount still ends up in landfills. To mitigate the increasing amount of waste, we shall consider (a) deconstruction methods that enhance the reusability of materials and (b) ways to recycle unrecoverable materials.

STUDIO FABLE // 19

Sustainability Victoria, waste projection model (2017)

However, instead of downcycling unrecoverable construction materials (e.g. converting demolished bricks into roadside aggregates), I propose to develop methods to reuse them in building construction. Hence, this project explores the architectural possibility of a new composite material (comprises of brick dust and bioplastic) as a means to reduce waste.

STUDIO FABLE // 21

// preliminary Research

3d printing in general

First emerged in the 60s, 3d printing has developed with improved efficiency, quality and a wider range of printable materials. This technology is widespread in the globe with growing demand in Asia and Oceania. however, While it is foreseen to become a major fabrication method in the future, its current application is limited to prototyping and proof of concept, and dominated by plastic printing.

"3D PRINTING TIMELINE", MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN STUDIO FABLE // 25

"3D Hubs Releases Worldwide 3D Printing Trends Report for January 2016", 3dprint.com

' The State Of 3D Printing, 2017'', forbes

STUDIO FABLE // 27

robotic additive

nozzle

3D printing hotend e3d v6 aud 120

6-digit robot arm kuka Available at the fablab

fan power

example from bartlett rc4

robotic liquid printing motor

case syringe

hyfrogel

syringe extruder Ameloot-Group diy

developed by self-assembly lab mit

robotic 3d printing

Two emerging printing techniques are robotics air-printing and liquid-printing. They drastically increase the printing speed and quality by printing lattice instead of solid. They also effectively reduce the use of material by printing lattice. Air-printing uses conventional hotend extruder while liquid-printing utilises syringe extruder (which does not require heating).

STUDIO FABLE // 29

filament based printing filament filament

Raw material

powdered material

processing

binder (eg. plastic)

additives (optional)

barrel & nozzle

Filament spooler Model: Filawinder price: usd 170 (aud 266) made in usa

Filament extruder Felfil Evo eur 599 (aud 937) Extrusion Rate: 1.15 m/min Max temperature: 250°C made in italy

switches & control

case

power supply switch

liquid based printing

destop printer resovoir

+

binding material

heated

powdered material

additives (optional)

+

mixed

extruder nozzle size = 0.9 mm temperature = 180 c example from iaac

syringe nozzle size = 0.9 mm temperature = 60 c trial

stored in reservoir

printed

printing filament / liquid

There are filament-based prints (using a hot-end extruder) and liquid-based printing (uses a syringe extruder). While the former involves a firmament making processing that requires special machinery, the latter only requires simple mixing and heating, which is more achievable and cost-effective. Both methods are applicable to both conventional desktop printers or robots arms.

STUDIO FABLE // 31

PATTERN exploration

infill

triangular grid

square grid

weaving pattern

workfliow design model

processing

code

crushing bricks demolition

material collection

processing

mixing ingredients

construction / printing

printing path

Robotics printing requires path generation—the robot arm moves between points that generate a continuous path. On the left, a diagram explores the path generation method for different print objects: infill, grid and weaving pattern. The diagram below summarises the workflow of 3d printing the bioplastic-brick dust composite.

DESIGN PROPOSAL

DOUG MCDONELL BUILDING

PRINT EXTERIOR CLADDINGS

FRANK TATE BUILDING

PRINT FLOORING

working zone PRINT FURNITURE

speculation on application

The image on the left imagines how my proposal can be applied to the new student precinct development. Unlike conventional methods, my proposal ensures minimal disruption to the existing site activities and provides an in-situ, sustainable sourcing of material. Apart from that, the design can benefit the student community by displaying advanced technology, encouraging bold ideas and capturing the history of place.

STUDIO FABLE // 35

precedent

inlucent cellulose

Noor El-Gewely at IaaC (Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia) explored natural resin as a translucent binding material. Beeswax and cellulosic particles are mixed with resin to achieve different properties. finally, The robot arm is used to print the material.

top: material exploration bottom left: robotic 3d printing bottom centre: material close up bottom right: printed material see references for image source

STUDIO FABLE // 37

precedent

bee++ A group of students at IaaC tested on different composite materials, such as mixing beeswax with jute fibres, cotton and strings. a swarm simulation was run to determine the weaving path and dripping points (beeswax). A robot extruder is used to drip beeswax on the structure. the Students envision building rain shelters with this composite material to enhance bring us closer to nature.

top left: material close up top centre: robotic 3d printing top right: printed bottom left: printed material bottom right: printed material students: Burak Paksoy, Michel Alazzi, Nikolaos Argyros, Firas Safieddine, Sameera Chukkapalli. see references for image source STUDIO FABLE // 39

precedent

VOXATILE

students Rc4 lab of Bartlett ucl explores the potentials of robot printing pla plastic. based on thorough research on material and geometry, voxels are designed to create a continuous path for 3d printing. Furthermore, architectural speculations on scaled-up voxels were made.

top left: material close up middle left: : material exploration bottom left: toolpath exploration top right: robot printing bottom right: architectural speculation see references for image source

STUDIO FABLE // 41

precedent

CERAMIC CONSTELLATION PAVILION

The pavilion designed by students at The University of Hong Kong features 200 unique Terracotta ceramics pieces printed by the robot arm. Each tile was printed within 2 to 3 hours and fired. Supported by a timer frame structure, the print ceramic tiles create a textured and sensational ‘interior’.

top left: interior looking up top right: ceramic tiles close up bottom left: tiles before firing bottom right: printing of tiles by students and researchers at the Fabrication and Material Technologies Lab (hku) see references for image source

STUDIO FABLE // 43

precedent

CERAMIC MORPHOLOGIES Pavilion exploring ceramics robot printing. Each tile features one smooth side and one textured size to create different spatial experiences between interior and exterior.

Supported by a steel frame structure with over 500 tiles, with slightly different form depending on location. The printing path and code (for the robot arm) were generated by a parametric model.

top left: tiles prior to firing top right: ceramic tiles close up bottom left: ceramic tiles close up (looking up) bottom right: printing of tiles by students and researchers at the Material Processes and Systems (MaP+S) Group (harvard gsd) see references for image source

STUDIO FABLE // 45

// Material Research

phase i - initial experimentation a variety of materials, including wax, bioplastic, brick dust, coffee grounds and sawdust were explored. Methods such as casting and extruding were also tested. Next, the physical properties of the samples were compared and evaluated, for example. hardness, elasticity and drying time. In particular, various bioplastic compositions are tested, with focusing on i) water to starch ratio and ii) brick dust content, which have significant effects on resulting properties.

STUDIO FABLE // 49

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

results

TLE

adhes

Y FLUIDIT

BRIT

ivenes s

experiment results

ll

sme

NES

S

Transparency

DRAYING TIME

ITY

Wei

STIC

ght

bioplastic 2 : 1 bioplastic 4 : 1 bioplastic 1 : 1

ess

Hardn

Flexib ility

ELA

bioplastic + brick dust ( 8 : 1 ) bioplastic +brick dust ( 4 : 1 ) bioplastic + sawdust ( 8 : 1 ) bioplastic + sawdust ( 4 : 1 ) beewax + bricl dust ( 1 : 1 ) beewax + sawdust ( 1 : 1 )

STUDIO FABLE // 51

findings

Starch to water ratio and brick dust content determine the strength and workability of the composite. The more starch and brick dust, the stronger but less workable the composite becomes. An ideal water to starch ratio, which balances strength and workability, is 2 : 1. the Ideal percentage of brick dust content is 20%.

STUDIO FABLE // 53

the making of bioplastic brick dust composite

STUDIO FABLE // 55

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

STUDIO FABLE // 57

phase ii - testing with pla Phase 2 testing aims to explore the robotic printing tool, printing path generation (in Rhino Grasshopper) and different printing geometries. It is also aiming to understand the opportunities and limitations of robotic 3d printing. Although PLA plastic was used instead of my material, knowledge of layer height, robot speed and extrusion speed will be applicable to future prints.

STUDIO FABLE // 59

1 layer height = 0.5 mm robot speed = 100 extrusion speed = 26 extrution temperature = 240 °C print time = 20 min comments = excellent stength & finish

2

layer height = 0.5 mm robot speed = 100 extrusion speed = 26 extrution temperature = 240 °C print time = 30 min comments = excellent stength & finish

STUDIO FABLE // 60

3 layer height = 0.5 mm robot speed = 100 extrusion speed = 26 extrution temperature = 240 °C print time = 10 min comments = elastic properties

4

layer height = 0.5 mm robot speed = 100 extrusion speed = 26 extrution temperature = 240 °C print time = 5 min comments = too small to show details

STUDIO FABLE // 61

5 layer height = 0.5 mm robot speed = 100 extrusion speed = 26 extrution temperature = 230 °C print time = 20 min comments = cantilever parts (curvature) failed, matte finish due to lower temperature

6

layer height = 0.5 mm robot speed = 100 extrusion speed = 26 extrution temperature = 240 °C print time = 10 min comments = cantilever parts (curvature) severely failed

STUDIO FABLE // 62

7 layer height = 0.5 mm robot speed = 100 extrusion speed = 26 extrution temperature = 240 °C print time = 15 min comments = curvature overhang without failure (good attempt)

STUDIO FABLE // 63

8 layer height = 0.5 mm robot speed = 100 extrusion speed = 26 extrution temperature = 230 °C print time = 10 min comments = curves fail to align due to robot's motion but help the wall to stand upstraigh

9

layer height = 0.5 mm robot speed = 100 extrusion speed = 26 extrution temperature = 240 °C print time = 5 min comments = excellent finish, limbs help the wall to stand

STUDIO FABLE // 64

10 layer height = 0.5 mm robot speed = 100 extrusion speed = 26 extrution temperature = 230 °C print time = 20 min comments = curves fail to align due to robot's motion but help the wall to stand upstraigh

STUDIO FABLE // 65

2

1o

8

4

6 9

3

5

7

1

Findings Curvature adds to the strength and stability of print objects (sample 5 and 7). Adding piers (limbs) to walls also increases the strength and stability (sample 8, 9 and 20). They begin to suggest architectural forms, such as columns (sample no. 5), vaults (sample 7) and walls (sample 8, 9 and 20).

However, often curvature and cantilever cause failure due to i) lack of support (sample 5 and 6) and ii) the displacement caused my robot’s motion (sample 8 and 10),

Furthermore, a combination of extrusion and robot speed can alter layer thickness — slow extrusion and robot speed create thicker prints.

STUDIO FABLE // 67

phase iii - bioplastic-brick dust Phase 3 testing aims to uncover the properties, opportunities and limitations of the 3D printed bioplastic-brick dust composite. It is also an exploration on the tools for extrusion, speed control and layer thickness. Three typologies to be tested are: the vault, the wall and the column. Their physical properties, such as strength, maximum height level of shrinkage, will be compared and evaluated.

STUDIO FABLE // 69

robots arm mount

GT2 Timing Belt

timber piece

epoxy

GT2 Pulley - 16

stepper motor

10ml Luer Lock Syringe STUDIO FABLE // 70

mechanical paste extruder

This machine extrudes paste by having a stepper motor that rotates the cogs and belt, which presses the plunger of syringe. It produces steady prints. However, it has a low print volume (10ml) and a small nozzle size (1 mm), which limit the print size and require rapid replacement of syringe during a print.

STUDIO FABLE // 71

air pipe connected to pressure valve

rubber (glued to clamps)

3d printed clamp (pla)

robots arm mount

3d printed clamp

plunger head

STUDIO FABLE // 72

air pressure paste extruder

This is a much larger machine that relies on air pressure to extrude. A tube connects it to the air supply, which then pushes the plunger down the syringe. An air pressure valve controls the speed of extrusion. The syringe is held by two clamps with adjustable tightness.

While it can print larger objects (nozzle size up to 1.8 mm) for a longer time, careful filling of material is needed to eliminate air bubbles and ensure high-quality prints.

STUDIO FABLE // 73

typology; vault

The vault, which is constantly in compression, is commonly a masonry construction. This experiment is a continuation of sample 7 in phase 2 testing. The objective of the test is to determine the optimum printable curvature of my material. In this experiment, one fourth of the vault is printed and curvature is determined by the height to width ratio.

STUDIO FABLE // 75

Dividing a vault

degree of curvature 1.0

height 0.0

th wid

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1.0

1 on rati 0 e n 5 Ge : 0.

1

2 on rati 0 e n 6 Ge : 0.

1

3 on rati 5 e n 6 Ge : 0.

1

4 on rati 6 e n 6 Ge : 0.

1

n5 atio r e 7 n Ge : 0.6 1

n6 atio r e 8 n Ge : 0.6 1

n7 atio r e 9 n Ge : 0.6 1

n8 atio r e 0 n Ge : 0.7 1

n atio ner .71 e 0 G : 1

9

n atio ner .75 e 0 G : 1

10

n atio ner .80 e 0 G : 1

11

n atio ner .85 e 0 G : 1

layer height = 1 mm robot speed = 50 % 3

n1 atio ner .90 e G :0 1

4

n1 atio ner .10 e G :0 1

machine = mechanical extrusion speed = 20 print time = 5 min

12

1

2

1:0.5 5

3

1:0.6 6

1 : 0 . 67 9

7

10

13

1 : 0 . 75

1:1

1 : 0 . 66 8

1 : 0 . 69 11

14

1:0.9

1 : 0 . 65

1 : 0 .68

1 : 0 . 71

4

1:0.7 12

1 : 0 . 76

1:0.8

results 1:0.5

1:0.6

1 : 0 . 65

1 : 0 . 66

1 : 0 . 67

1 : 0 . 68

1 : 0 . 69

successful

successful

successful

successful

successful

optimal

failed

1 : 0 . 70

1 : 0 . 71

1 : 0 . 75

1 : 0 . 80

1 : 0 . 85

1:0.9

1:1

failed

failed

failed

failed

failed

failed

failed

*cracking and shrinkage occur after curing

STUDIO FABLE // 79

typology: wall

Masonry walls often have piers to prevent buckling. This experiment is also a continuation of sample 8 to 10 from phase 2 test. The objective is to find out the number of piers and depth of piers in order to achieve the optimum wall height.

STUDIO FABLE // 81

material = bioplastic-brick dust composite layer height = 1 mm robot speed = 50 % extrusion speed = 200 kPa print time = 8 min

1

2

3

4

5

6

Frequency

7 Depth

8

9

rs

pie f o r

be

num Dept

h

material = bioplastic-brick dust composite layer height = 1 mm robot speed = 50 % extrusion speed = 200 kPa print time = 8 min

16

17

18

10

11

12

13

14

15

Depth

Frequency

Profile

1

6

no. of piers = 3

no. of piers = 8

2

no. of piers = 4 3

7

no. of piers = 5 4

depth. of piers = 5 mm 8

no. of piers = 6 5

depth. of piers = 7 mm 9

no. of piers = 7

depth. of piers = 9 mm

results sample

1

2

3

4

5

6

FAILING LAYER

22

17

24

22

22

24

tallest sample

7

8

9

FAILING LAYER

17

15

22 talest

five is the optimum number of piers (for a wall of 130mm), and deeper piers allow for taller walls. none of the samples exceeds 25 layers without failing; they bend and collapse after around 20 layers. failure is caused by displacement of layers, as the object fails to stay in place while printing. furthermore, samples shrink, crack and wrap after drying.

STUDIO FABLE // 87

10

15

no. of piers = 8

no. of piers = 3 11

no. of piers = 4 12

16

depth. of piers = 6 mm

no. of piers = 5 13

17

depth. of piers = 8 mm

no. of piers = 6 14

18

no. of piers = 7

depth. of piers = 10 mm

results sample

10

11

12

13

14

15

FAILING LAYER

12

32

24

23

24

25

tallest sample

16

17

18

FAILING LAYER

14

15

22 tallest

four is the optimum number of piers (for a wall of 130mm) and increasing the depth of pier increase the printable height. similarly, the samples begin to FAIL around 20 layers DUE TO DISPLACEMENT. SIMILARLY, ALL WALLS SHRINK, WRAP AND CRACK AFTER drying,

STUDIO FABLE // 89

typology: column

EXPERIMENTS ON COLUMNS AIM TO TEST WHETHER INCREASING COMPLEXITY / irregularity IN FORM ALLOWS for greater height. it is INSPIRED BY SAMPLE 5 & 6 (metaballs) IN PHASE TWO EXPERIMENTS. the test begins with a cylinder and with increasing irregularity in subsequent samples. APART FROM THAT, DIFFERENT GEOMETRIES ARE TESTED: with increasing NUMBER OF FOLDS.

STUDIO FABLE // 91

1

2

4

5

3

material = bioplastic-brick dust composite layer height = 1 mm robot speed = 50 extrusion speed = 200 kpa print time = 5 min

6

7

8

9

material = bioplastic-brick dust composite layer height = 1 . 6 mm robot speed = 50 % extrusion speed = 220 kpa print time = 5 min

1

2

cylinder

4

3

metaball resolution = 0 . 5

5

metaball resolution = 0 . 7 7

6

metaball resolution = 0 . 8 8

quatrefoil

metaball resolution = 0 . 6

trefoil 9

cinquefoil

sexfoil

results sample

1

2

3

4

5

TOTAL NO OF LAYER

24

23

25

30

22

FAILING LAYER

13

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

tallest sample

6

7

8

9

TOTAL NO OF LAYER

30

30

30

30

FAILING LAYER

14

16

15

28

cracked irregularity IMPROVES STABILITY AND allows for GREATER TOLERANCE FOR DISPLACEMENT. HOWEVER, too much irregularity, which means GREATER MOVEMENT of the robot arm, makes the PRINT easier to FAIL. sample 6-9 was printed with a larger NOZZLE hence greater layer height (2.5mm)., and successfully achieve better height. HOWEVER, cracking occurs at sharp concave corners.

STUDIO FABLE // 95

LIMITation: shrinkage

one of the biggest challenge and limitation of this material is shrinkage in the drying process, which leads to DEFORMATION, SIZE REDUCTION, CRACKING AND WRAPPING (especially for the wall).

SHRINKAGE CANnot be eliminated but can BE migatated BY i) increasing LAYER THICKness (=smaller SURFACE AREA), ii) avoid CERTAIN GEOMETRIES (such as SHARP CONCAVE ANGLES) and iii) apply additives (such as borax, an ingredient of slime.

STUDIO FABLE // 97

LIMITation: height limit another limitation is the height limit.

from the experiment results, the maximum achievable

number of layers is around 24 (for layer thickness of 1mm).

However, increasing the layer

thickness to 1.6mm allows for more layers (to over 30 layers, from the column experiment).

one solution is to increase the layer thickness, by using a larger extruder nozzle or by creating an infill. this allows for a greater tolerance to displacement in layers. another solution is to adhere to the height limit and fabricate parts to be assembled.

STUDIO FABLE // 99

LIMITation: lack of strength

the bioplastic-brick dust composite dries in 3 days (72 hours). before that, it lacks the strength to support itself (especially when exceeding its height limit). it could bend, collapse and/or crack easily. it must be kept still and safe before it acquires working strength. it is also effective to use temporary props to support the print object during the print.

STUDIO FABLE // 101

1

2

3

4

5

solution: infill

a infill pattern increases the wall thickness of the print object, which allows the print object to be taller. FOR EXAMPLE, SAMPLE NO 1 AND 3 exceed 30 layers. THE INFILL (WITHOUT THE OUTER LAYERs) also possesses an EXPRESSive quality and tactility. apart from that, cracking is less severe as layers have more connection. furthermore, the infill pattern can be applied to both straigt and curved lines, and potentially be combined with the three typologies explored above: the vaults, column and wall.

STUDIO FABLE // 103

SPEED CONTROL speed control includes extrusion speed and robot speed. a combination of the two affects the layer thickness. meanwhile, they chnage depending on i) the viscosity of the material and ii) the geometry. for example, goemetries with many in-and-outs requires lower robot speed + greater extrusion speed. a more viscous mixture can have fasted robot speed and slower extrusion speed.

high consistency of mixture is the key to a good print, however, the speed must be closely monitored and modified nevertheess, as slight variation in the material can cause failure.

Miscellaneous the material mixture and machine control have been and are to be refined continuously.

in

regards to this, an array of factors are to be considered, such as print time, drying time, material strength and shrinkage. for example, while a higher water content causes more shrinkage and reduces strength, it creates to more adhesive layers and faster prints.

when filling the tube, make sure to eliminate air gaps since they cause the print to fail (as shown in the photo). also, the material is naturally coloured and may stains clothing.

STUDIO FABLE // 105

summary TO SUMMARISE, THE experiments explore the desirable material mixture for 3d printing, along with geometry and machine control over print quality, print time and the maximum height. By narrowing the scope to three typologies: the vaults, column and wall, I have developed simple design guidelines for the optimum performance.

The experiments also highlight some of the biggest limitations of this material, such as shrinkage, height limit and long curing time. solutions are discussed and have been tested recurrently. moving forward, i will emphasise on the design opportunities given by this material, namely tactility, patterning, softness and imperviousness, while keeping its limitations in mind.

STUDIO FABLE // 107

STUDIO FABLE // 108

// Design speculation & fabrication

STUDIO FABLE // 109

design opportunities the design opportunities lie in the tactility and rich texture that express its structural properties.

While the experiment results suggest some restrictions to designing with this

material, it has great morphological freedom; the typologies are only some of the many possibilities.

The rich texture, in combination with lighting design, can curate intense emotional experience, ideal for religious and cultural architecture. also, its immense tactility possesses the ability to communicate with inhabitants through touching. moreover, surface texture/ geometry can be manipulated to achieve specific acoustic properties for a space. Finally, its morphological freedom & imperviousness allows for the creation of 'Furni-tecture' = enclosure + furniture + structure in single material.

STUDIO FABLE // 111

potential application this material could potentially become the structure, enclosure and furniture in a building. its tactility, patterned aesthetic and morphological freedom is ideal for curating emotional experiences. softness of this material (compared to masonry and concrete). although with lower strength, can benefit safer environment. finally, its imperviousness can be applied to environments exposed to moisture.

objects are to be printed in small parts and assembled on site, since it lacks strength prior to curing. however, further research can explore the possibility of creating larger prints in combination with timber/steel frame, which can also act as sacrificial propping when printing.

STUDIO FABLE // 113

vault

the vault adopts the optimal curvature ( h : w = 1 : 0.68) the the experiment results (refer to p.

74-79). the vault is dissected into four parts; the image on the left shows only one quadrant. an infill pattern applies to the vault to increase strength during the printing process. additional support is also added to the tip of the vault,

the quadrant is printed in three

parts and upside down to eliminate cantilever.

STUDIO FABLE // 115

wall

this wall adopts the optimal geometry from the experiment results (refer to p. 80-89) in combination with the infill pattern to extent its height limit. the patterned surface generated by the infill creates gaps that can potentially foster air filtration and act as a breil soleil. the waveform of the wall create niches that facilitate different activities.

similar to the

vault, it is printed in part with 20 layers each.

STUDIO FABLE // 117

column

the column utilise the metaball that adds to the irregularity and strength to the object (refer to p. 90-95). the infill pattern further increases the irregularity and texture on the surface. the column is tapered toward the top to increase stability. at the base, it provides seatings. the column is printed in parts and stacked after dry.

STUDIO FABLE // 119

a wall fabricated in parts

part of a column

inverted bottom part of a vault

inverted middle part of a vault

inverted top part of a vault STUDIO FABLE // 121

//conclusion to conclude, this project explored 3d printed bioplastic-brick dust composite and identified its limiatations and design opportunities as a building material. based on the experiment results, I speculated on its experiencial qualities based on my investigation on three architectural elemens/ typologies.

this project serves as a starting point for further inverstigation into the application of 3d printed bioplastic-brick dust composite in architectural designs; in which the mixture and machine control are to be further refined. there are certainaly some limitations in my research, such as the limited scope and lack of empirical evidence. there are also a lot more to explore on, espeically the effiency of up-scaling and ways to speed up the drying process. nevertheless, i faithfully believe in the potential of this material to become an expressive and sustainable alternative to architectural fabrication.

STUDIO FABLE // 123

// appendix

FRANK Tate

doug mcdonel

flagstaff station

erc New buildings

Refurbishment

Open area

frank tate pavilion 2008 1-storey timber structure

Alice Hoy 2000 2-storey brick

~150 sq. m

~1200 sq. m ~120,000 Bricks

john smyth 1909 3-storey brick bulding

100

M

~610 sq. m ~90,000 Bricks

sw an st on

0M

st

Building 138 Unknown 1-storey glass & steel building ~600 sq. m

grat

tan

st

lot 6 Unknown 3-storey concrete & glass ~200 sq. m

Building Demolition Buildings to be retained Buildings to be demolished New buildings estimated total volume of bricks sw an

John Smyth + Alice Hoy

st on st

= 90,000 + 120,000 Bricks = 210,000 Bricks ro ya lp de

10 0 m

g

Campus

an ratt

st

0

site analysis A possible testing ground for the application of 3d printed bioplastic-brick dust composite would be the new student precinct at Melbourne University. Opening in 2020, part of the existing fabric will be demolished to make way for the new development. A rough estimation of 210,00 pieces of bricks can be reused to construct new buildings and communal space more sustainably.

New Student Precinct sidney myer alice FRANK Tate

doug mcdonel

flagstaff station

erc Refurbishment

Alice Hoy

New buildings

Open area

frank tate pavilion 2008 STUDIO FABLE 1-storey timber structure

// 127

light and shadow STUDIO FABLE // 128

initial sketches

These are spatial imaginations in response to the characteristics of the new material. For example, manipulation of transparency for special light effects, morphological freedom for sculptures and ‘furnitecture’ and layered/ patterned texture. These spaces aim to curate a spiritual experience that evokes strong emotions.

STUDIO FABLE // 129

gradient transparency

acoustic and light STUDIO FABLE // 131

furnitecture

sculptural quality STUDIO FABLE // 133

vaulted patio

weaving nature STUDIO FABLE // 135

digitised sketches

Further development on initial sketches with a focus on scale and construction. Speculations are made on architectural moments that can be applied to all buildings. texture, light and form are further explored based on the initial sketches.

human figures from p. 136, 138 - 143 taken from pimpmydrawing.com

STUDIO FABLE // 137

design considerations hearing

incorporating the five senses Sight

taste

touch

hearing

smell

sound reflection

sight

light & shadow effects

sound penetration

smell

patterns

natural scent

plantation

touch

door handle

furniture

handrail

moveable parts

STUDIO FABLE // 143

strength : 40 ratio : 10 : 7

form-finding exploration

strength : 20 ratio : 10 : 4

the form-finding process has switched from grasshopper scripting to physical material observations. however, many of the scripting components were later reused in material-form

strength : 10 ratio : 10 : 3

studies, such as the 'metaball' component.

layering

STUDIO FABLE // 145

robots arm code generation (BY ryan pennings)

curve (input)

orient

control points

cull duplicate points

object plane definition target

num (tolerance) num (speed) tool definition

wall

num (amplitude) (y) num (wave count)

pi

range (x)

y sin ( z * x )

points

interpolate curve

num (frequency) (z) num (layer height)

unit z

num (layer height)

series

negative

FILE PATH write code program simulATION

PREVIEW

NUM SLIDER (TIME)

grasshopper scripts outlining the major components and workflow in grasshopper that generates the machine array linear

scale

code and form of the wall, vault and column.

Working in grasshopper allows me to easily

graph mapper make changes in my models.

STUDIO FABLE // 147

Column

num (width) populate 3D

metaball

num (height)

flip matrix

resolution

step

branch (0)

series

area

move

larger than

xy plane

vault num (length) num (width)

rectangle

box rectangle

rectangle

deconstruct brep

deconstruct brep

list item (vertices)

num (height)

list item (vertices)

num (length) num (width) num (layer height)

weave list item (edges)

evaluate curve

area (centre)

cull pattern

area (centre)

orient

scale

xy plane

length

series

graph mapper

solid difference rotate nurbs curve

revolve surface

cap

contour

STUDIO FABLE // 149

INFILL 1

-pi

0.5 pi curve (input)

divide curve

tangent

rotate

rotate

num (count)

line sdl

end points

num (length)

INFILL 2

connect

num (length)

offset

divide length

cull pattern (0/1)

offset

curve closest point

cull pattern (1/0)

division

radius

curve (input) num

STUDIO FABLE // 150

negative

dispatch dispatch start pt

arc

end pt

arc

merge

join

region

circle

trim with region

start pt

line

end pt

line

join

end points

circle shift list 1

STUDIO FABLE // 151

// bibliography "3D Hubs Releases Worldwide 3D Printing Trends Report for January 2016." 3d print.com. accessed august 15, 2018. https://3dprint.com/113928/3d-hubs-trends-january-2016/.

"3D PRINTING TIMELINE." MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN. accessed august 15, 2018. https://madmuseum.org/sites/default/ files/static/ed/3D%20Printed%20Timeline%20Resource.pdf. sustainability victoria. waste projection model. victoria, 2017.

"The State Of 3D Printing, 2017." forbes. accessed august 15, 2018. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ louiscolumbus/2017/05/23/the-state-of-3d-printing-2017/#3e09e33e57eb. inlucent cellulose (image) : http://www.iaacblog.com/projects/inlucent-cellulose-manifolds-synthesizingmateriality-functional-gradient-material-anisotropy-using-biomaterials-3/ bee++ (image) : http://www.iaacblog.com/projects/bee/ voxatile (image) : https://designcomputationlab.org/rc4-voxatile CERAMIC CONSTELLATION PAVILION (image) : https://materialdistrict.com/article/ceramic-constellation-pavilion/ CERAMIC MORPHOLOGIES (image) : https://research.gsd.harvard.edu/maps/portfolio/cevisama-2017/ *all project photos and diagrams by cheuk Yi lai, except p46 & 102 photos by yiting liu; and human figures on p. 136, 138 - 142 from https://pimpmydrawing.com/

STUDIO FABLE // 153

STUDIO FABLE // 154

// acknowledgements I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my tutors, matt greenwood and michael mack, for their guidance, support AND ENCOURAGEMENT throughout the semester. i am also deeply grateful to the robotics lab for their continuous help and support: loren adams (robotics lab coordinator) for her assistance and valuable advice; ryan pennings (robotics lab lead technician) for his technical support, advice and assistance; lewis edwards (robotics lab technician) for lending me the paste extruder; and catherine pusey (robotics lab technician) for her kind support.

Thank you everyone who walked pass the lab, said hi and shared their thoughts on my project. thank you jingyi zhang, my roomate, for not saying a word when i messed up the kitchen. lastly, i would like to thank my peers in studio fable for giving me a fun and rewarding studio experience.

STUDIO FABLE // 155