Module 4 derekhuynh 640183

DEREK HUYNH #640183 GROUP3 2/2013 VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS

VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS 1

CONTENTS

1 IDEATION

3 FABRICATION 18 5

19

3

5

6

10

11

17

13

21

22

12

14

2 DESIGN

23

Reflection 25 References 28

4 REFLECTION 1 VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS

1 IDEATION

Formulating design ideas through research, exploration and careful analysis of the material system and associate object.

VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS 2

IDEATION KITE AS A SKIN AND BONE SYSTEM The kite is an example of a skin and bone structure: the bamboo (naturally strong under compression) acts as a frame to resist predominantly compressive forces while complementing the lateral strength provided by the polyethylene terephthalate body (a thin, plastic layer). A unique structure is created as a result of the bending of bones under compression – in this case, the spreader.

The thin, triangular prism shape of the kite allows measurements to be recorded using simple tools and methods. Furthermore, the object is not designed to hold volume - therefore there were no challenges faces in measuring the thickness of components.

Main methods used: laying tape measure parallel to areas which required large measurements; and a scaled ruler for smaller spaces (such as the tails).

A reference point, the front corner of the kite, was used to improve accuracy of measurements.

(Heath, Heath, and Jensen 2000)

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IDEATION MEASURED KITE DRAWING SET Unlike the croissant, the kite is relatively flat. Therefore, only two sections (Section AA and Section BB) were analysed and drawn. Both sections are taken from the centre of the kite, but in perpendicular angles from each other to maximise efficient information presentation. Section BB displays detailed information about dimensions relating to the different coloured stripes. (Enric and Carme 1988/1991)

VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS 4

IDEATION EXPERIMENTATION Digitisation

Object reconfiguration

Aspects I analysed to be similar to the kite: Skin and bone system Bamboo stickes under compression Skin is light-weight and semi-transparent Opportunities I missed in this experiment: Create bending of compression members through tension of the skin Testing of other functions of skin and bone systems Changes in performance through materiality 5 VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS

IDEATION GENERATING IDEAS Measurements based on spaces between faces seemed to be the most easily determined in comparison to other areas of the body. Personal space boundaries around arms and legs, for example, were much less obvious.

(Dimensions recorded were based off the context of a general conversation between friends) Measurements were not symmetrical and changed in different contexts (Sommer 1969). I found it to be important to therefore measure personal space when standing and sitting to ensure my second skin could adapt to both standing and sitting.

Creating a system of smaller skin and bone structures

IDEA

1

Transparent skin or opaque skin on some sides of the structure

Focusing on personal space surrounding the head Plan view “Bone� frame

Ability to rotate the layers: adjusting personal space sizes in different contexts Plastic attachment - similar to that of the kite

More flexibility in modelling Side view

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IDEATION GENERATING IDEAS

IDEA

2 Melbourne: Federation Square - shyaman, 23 February 2012 Mixed

Triangles

Quadrilaterals

Visualising information through a network-like second skin Use of skin-and-bone inspired by the complex design of Federation Square Areas of most concerns in terms of personal space intrusion are represented through the size of the cells Larger cells indicate areas which would provoke a much stronger reaction if invaded

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I was most interested in progressing with this design. I was willing to sacrifice movement for aesthetics and deeper design contentions. However, I felt it would not deeply integrate my new found knowledge of personal space (especially that presented in the Sommer (1969)) as effectively as Idea 1.

IDEATION GENERATING IDEAS

IDEA

3 Muyu hills forest - coccoon - Vmenkov, 27 March 2010

Cocoons as a protective barrier, surrounding the entire insect Areas of most concerns in terms of personal space intrusion are represented through the size of the cells

I could investigate the three-dimensional structure of the second skin based on the properties of certain geometries as mentioned in Loh’s lecture (Loh 2013a).

For example, a spherical shape can naturally created by joining pentagons to a hexagonal grid while a rigid structure can best be constructed from triangles (Buckminster Fuller Institute 2010).

VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS 8

2 DESIGN

Developing ideas of the second skin through exploring ideas of personal spaces, focusing on its intended effects and digitisation.

SquareENVIRONMENTS wall cladding - Mick Stanic, 22 November 2006 9Fed VIRTUAL

DESIGN PRELIMINARY GROUP IDEAS

My group decided to merge two of our strongest ideas into the one design - the notion of portraying personal space through a network of bones and confronting personal space invasion rather than avoidance or attraction.

We believe this choice would have given us the deepest connections with precedent and research ideas and the most flexibility in modelling the form of the design (which can be particularly difficult given the natural rigidity of skin and bone systems).

Initial design concepts - India McKenzie, 2013

VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS 10

DESIGN IDEA DEVELOPMENT - RESEARCHING PRECEDENTS Precedent Study #1 Federation Square Geometry Triangles tessellate in a pattern which creates larger and larger triangles - this also forms lines of symmetry throughout sections of the walls.

Tessellation and symmetry through expressing a design which looks asymmetrical. This relates to the body being physically symmetrical but its personal space barrier is psychologically unsymmetrical.

Precedent Study #2 Buckminster Fuller Adding a pentagon to a plane of hexagons can create a natural curvature in the structure.

This idea could be manipulated to create the volume in the helmet section of the design.

Precedent Study #4 Exoskeleton Experimentation of tension and bending of the bone structure through creating a skin layer inside and exposing the bone structure outside.

The idea of “flipping” conventional design contentions was inspired by Heatherwick’s TED Talk - rather than planting trees around the apartments, he built the apartments around the trees (Heatherwick 2011).

R. Buckminster Fuller - Design Museum, date unkown

Federation Square - Sabine Reinhart, 2005

Precedent Study #3 Visualising Information Pattern of geometry could represent information (i.e. areas where personal space is concerned most could be hidden by bone or revealed by the layer of skin between the bone structure).

To + Fro table - NEX, 2011 11 VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS

Sow Bug Labelled Body Segments and Exoskeleton - Iceclanl, 2012 Precedent Study #5 Human Spine The spine acts as the central connection platform for the human bone system. This could be a line of focus for the second skin structure while also being the figurative “backbone” of strength.

DESIGN IDEA DEVELOPMENT - DIGITISATION

DESIGN

1

DESIGN

2

Experimented with geometric patterns to create volume for the helmet using the Federation Square concept Placed the ribs in a direction which “protects” the heart - the central organ for life Ensured all major components were connected to the spine to emphasise the strength of the back bone

Further enclosed the second skin around the body to reduce excess space - this was done to ensure the body could not move once the skin was placed on (emphasising one of our main design intentions) Emphasised the tessellating triangles through introducing a sub-bone structure which separates sections of the “skin” Accentuated exoskeleton effect of having skin inside and bone outside

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DESIGN IDEA DEVELOPMENT “Developable surfaces S are characterized by the property that they can be mapped isometrically into the plane.” (Pottmann, et al. 2007) Method: Planar Quadrilateral Strips (Pottmann, et al. 2007) q1

q2 q2

q3 q3

unfold

unfold

Simple

Displays less rigidity - reduces characteristics aesthetic of a skin and bone system

Detail achieved from addition of subbone system

Main bone system becomes the detail

q4

Due to these reasons, the left variation is our preferred option. In reality, we believe the bone system should not be detailed and should be the main structural framework such as the design of the kite. The skin’s natural flexibility and fluidity can also incorporate detail in a more abstract manner.

The method of this labelling system is an example of reduction. Rather than writing a script about a script (abstraction), this style of data storage focuses on portraying the same information but in the most efficient manner. In this case, there is an instruction to connect lines between r and p values to create the main unfolded layer of the helmet. This is taken to the next step where p and q lines are then connected based on their number tag (i.e. p1 connects only to q1, etc.). This is also a great example of how hierarchy exists in parameter space (Scheurer and Stehling 2011).

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DESIGN PROTOTYPING Experimenting with movement

Prototyping movement - India McKenzie, 2013

Inspired by Heatherwick’s creation of a mobile bridge, our idea of creating movement in an object focused on achieving a similar goal. We wanted to see whether we could move the skin in a manner which would allow the user of the final model to “pack away” the skin when they were not wearing it.

We thought this was an interesting idea that could have been developed further.

However, we decided not to take this path as it would contradict our design intention of creating stillness.

This prototype allowed us to have a stronger focus on developing the form of the bone system.

It was a very beneficial method in testing variations of how the bone would “rigidly” wrap around the human body.

An opportunity which we did follow was the ability to create a semi-permeable, varied size, tensile skin interface.

Experimenting with volume

Prototyping volume - India McKenzie, 2013

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DESIGN FURTHER PROTOTYPING Materiality: Light weight gutter mesh as bone structure Semi-opaque tulle fabric as skin Successful aspects / opportunities explored: Gutter mesh, even when layered over itself, was malleable and flexible - this allowed the structure to be tailored more successfully to the body Opportunities we missed in this experiment: Relating to the kite - in particular, creating a skin under tension and flexing of bone components Seeing a stronger relationship between the skin and bone (and also seeing the skin perform a greater role in the overall design) Implementing geometric ideas into the helmet Experimentation with other materials

Initial Prototype - Derek Huynh and India McKenzie, 2013 15 VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS

Things we learned / feedback: The design lacked the sense of a rigid skinand-bone system. This could be solved through altering the bone system to allow the skin to wrap around its components (in a way which creates tension). There was also a lack of hierarchy in terms of design intentions such as emphasising the strength of the spine and the ability for the model to encourage stillness.

These major weaknesses of the design were addressed in Module Three.

3

FABRICATION Refining, prototyping, templating and tailoring the final design solution and its intended effects to the body.

ENVIRONMENTS 16 Second Skin - Derek HuynhVIRTUAL and India McKenzie, 2013

FABRICATION PROTOTYPING #1: GEOMETRY

180

85 85

175

120

175

85

240

100

210

155

210

115

115

115

115

137.5

137.5

230

230

230

230

105 Side view

Back view

Taking on-board the feedback received from Module Two, we decided to create our bone system with wood - this would provide a much more rigid structure.

As a result, we re-measured the second skin dimensions and began prototyping the detail of the geometric helmet.

Prototyping Materials: Skin: Calico fabric and Aluminium foil Secondary bone structure: Plywood This prototype allowed us to learn the best geometric coordination in creating a strong secondary bone structure causing the skin to be in tension. The tessellation proved to be a success even when the interface was angled 45 degrees to test the conditions of the helmet’s form.

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FABRICATION PROTOTYPING #2: JOINTS

Aptek Bar - Dopludo Collective, 2011

Precedent Study #6 APTEK Bar (Dopludo Collective) Elements we were inspired by: Clean aesthetic detailing of timber furniture (joints were nearly all hidden) Insight into the digital fabrication of the plywood - this is a material we were interested in fabricating as well.

(Iwamoto 2009) Prototyping Materials: Bone: 25mm x 25mm Balsa wood Creating these models allowed us to investigate two major ideas: Workmanship of Certainty vs.

Workmanship of Uncertainty (Loh 2013b) This experiment emphasised the effect of workmanship in detailing of joints.

It was very challenging to create a replica of the sketches.

This made us question whether we should fabricate the bone system rather than manually cutting - it would eliminate the risk of uncertain workmanship.

Oblique Joinery As depicted, sections were sliced off the timber to allow joining with other components. This proved to be very challenging in the respect of creating a neat and accurate design. However, the joints were fairly secure and functioned well as a rigid structure which could hold skin in tension.

VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS 18

FABRICATION PROTOTYPING #3: SKIN

Prototyping We decided to develop the idea of a semi-permeable skin as that would allow us to wrap it around the bone system in a way which emphasises tension - these characteristics were missing in the module two prototype.

Prototyping #3 - Derek Huynh and India McKenzie, 2013 19 VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS

Precedent Study #7 ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion 2012 This building is a robotic-fabricated structure emulating a design intention similar to our goals.

The main idea we took from this study was the creation of a system (shown to the right). This would allow a sense of organisation, pushing for us to view the design with an informational perspective such as the Matrix simulation (Loh, 2013c).

ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion 2012 University of Stuttgart, 2013

FABRICATION PROTOTYPING #3: SKIN

Screen capture of collapsed Rhino file, prepared for final fabrication.

Prototyping #3, applying the skin - Derek Huynh and India McKenzie, 2013

Slight bend in the centre of the ribs allows the skin to be securely tightened and kept under tension.

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FABRICATION PROTOTYPING #4: REVISED BONE SYSTEM Two-dimensional fabrication makes use of a high-pressure beam - in this case, a laser cutter. It is ideal for a job such as the fabrication of the bone system as it is can accurately erode desired sections off a thin material quickly. We used this method of subtractive digital fabrication as it was appropriate to the scale, materiality and aesthetic. (Kolarevic 2003) However, this method of fabrication causes burns to the immediate surrounds of the cutting lines and can hinder the aesthetic effect of any design. Selecting black coloured material, such as the choice of black Perspex, can prevent this issue.

Prototyping #4 - Derek Huynh and India McKenzie, 2013

A

B

C

Things we learned: A 1mm Boxboard Deeper understanding of the fabrication process Measurements needed to be refined again 1mm thickness must be significantly increased and a change in material was required to gain more rigidity Tapering the ends of the bones would increase representation of central areas of strength in the system Shape of notches changed to improve holding the skin B 1.5mm Plywood Burning of wood from fabrication lessened aesthetic effect Thickness needed to be increased (still deflection) and possible change in materiality again

Prototyping #4 - Derek Huynh and India McKenzie, 2013 21 VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS

C 3mm Perspex Perspex was ideal material for our design - not affected by burning from fabrication and very rigid Precision of cutting improved - no expansion from heat

FABRICATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SKIN SYSTEM 6, etc.

5k-o 5f-j

5a-e 5&6, etc. 5chk

5bgl

5afk 5afk 4k-t

5bgl

5chk 5&6, etc.

4f-j, 5a-e 4a-e, 5f-o

4, etc.

4, etc.

4a-e 3k-o, 4f-j

Instructions Labelling the ribs: Each row (starting down-up) is labelled a number: 1, 2, 3...

Each groove (starting centre-outwards) is sub-labelled three letters: 1a + (number of grooves+a) + (2x number of grooves+a)...

Labelling the spine: Each group of three grooves below and above an intersection is labelled a number (starting down-up): 1, 2, 3...

Each groove (starting centred to rib intersection-outwards) is sub-labelled a five letters (in alphabetical order): 1a-e, 1f-j, 1k-o...

Application of the skin: Hierarchy of labels: numbers > letters Start from the lowest value combination (1a, 1a, 1a, 1a) and increase by joining with adjacent grooves (1b, 1b, 1b, 1b... 1o, 1o, 1o, 1o, 2a, 2a, 2a, 2a... 2o, 2o, 2o, 2o...)

Images: Final Fabrication - Derek Huynh and India McKenzie, 2013

3, etc.

3cgk

3bfj

3f-j, 4k-o 3a-e, 4p-t 3aei 3aei 2p-t, 3a-e 2k-o, 3f-j

3bfj

3cgk

3, etc.

2f-j, 3k-o 2ejo

1ejo

2din

2chm

1din 1chm

2bgl

1bgl

2a-e, 3p-t 2afk 2afk 2a-e 1k-o, 2f-j 1f-j, 2k-o 1a-e 1afk 1afk 1a-e

2bgl

2chm

2din

2ejo

1chm

1din

1ejo

1bgl

1f-j 1k-o

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23 VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS

Images: Second Skin - Derek Huynh and India McKenzie, 2013

Second Skin - Derek Huynh and India McKenzie, 2013

VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS 24

REFLECTION OVERALL DESIGN PROCESS

Overall, Virtual Environments has been a subject focused on technological integration of design ideas, concepts and precision in making. I have faced many challenges, psychological, physical and technological, over the entire semester but have learnt to appreciate the naturally challenging path of designing.

One of the biggest psychological challenges I faced was attempting to follow my group’s design intention of producing an exoskeleton (skin inside, bone outside) while still relating to the characteristics of my kite (initial object). It seemed very difficult to achieve an outcome which complied with both characteristics since the kite saw skin in tension (pulled by the bones) while an exoskeleton saw the skin holding the bones (which are pulled outwards). Adding to that complication was the feasibility of incorporating an exoskeleton idea to our design – we went through numerous trials of skin prototypes and sketches in order to arrive at a skin and bone interaction where the skin would still be on the inside of the structure while also being in tension. We were influenced by the “this is not a pipe” notion brought up in the first lecture where we then thought: what are the definite properties that would have to define our skin; and what were the assumptions we made which were not exactly attributes of a skin which we could remove (Loh 2013c)? We arrived at creating a semi-permeable skin layer through the collection of threads of string which was a unique characteristic of our design. Furthermore, we had to create a system to thread the string across the bone structure which was another challenge. Taking inspiration from the Matrix clip shown in the first lecture combined with the Croissant reading, I ended up with a complex labelling system, instructed by simple commands (Loh 2013c; Enric and Carme n.a). This was a great example of the challenges faced around the world of transferring knowledge from humans to computers (Marble 2008).

Evolution of the skin - Derek Huynh and India McKenzie, 2013 25 VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS

REFLECTION OVERALL DESIGN PROCESS One of the physical challenges was countering the notion of “workmanship of certainty and uncertainty” (Loh 2013b). This appeared to be a large problem when manually fabricating our second prototype (cutting balsa wood by hand to produce a bone structure). We faced many issues, particularly the handling of joints and the overall accuracy of cutting. Even through the use of precedents such as the Aptek Bar, we found it difficult to replicate our design sketches into real life models.

Fortunately, our change of fabrication method from manual handling to 3D printing allowed us to reduce the degree of design risk and workmanship of uncertainty (Marble 2008; Loh 2013b).

Evolution of the bone - Derek Huynh and India McKenzie, 2013 Virtual Environments has allowed me to learn the basics of Rhino modelling and, through that, I was faced with the technological challenges of replicating design ideas on the computer through to the detailing of materiality from fabrication. However, we did learn to appreciate the power of fabrication and the flexibility and accuracy of design which follows (Rifkin 2011). With technology becoming more and more advanced, new systems of making, sprouting from the traditional methods of Abstraction and Reduction (Rifkin 2011; Scheurer and Stelhing 2011) are being introduced, increasing the range of possibilities and design opportunities. We are about to enter a world where there is a horizontal hierarchy of designers, rather than a vertical hierarchy (Rifkin 2011). Digital technology allows us to work “bottom-up”, rather than “top-down” (Loh 2013d; Rifkin 2011).

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REFERENCES Bibliography Buckminster Fuller Institute 2010, Buckminster Fuller Institute, New York, viewed 25 October 2013, <http://www.bfi.org/about-bucky/buckys-big-ideas/geodesic domes>.

Enric, M. and Carme, P., ‘How to lay out a croissant’, El Croquis 49/50 Enric Miralles, Carme Pinos 1988/1991, 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, 2000.

Heatherwick, T (March 2011) Thomas Heatherwick: Building the Seed Cathedral [Video file] retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/thomas_heatherwick.html Iwamoto, L. 2009, Digital fabrications: architectural and material techniques, Princeton Architectural Press, New York, Selected Extracts.

Kolarevic, B. 2003, ‘Digital Production’ in Architecture in the Digital Age - Design and Manufacturing, Spon Press, London, pp. 30-54.

Loh, P. 2013a, Lecture 2: Material System, the University of Melbourne.

Loh, P. 2013b, Lecture 7: Making, the University of Melbourne.

Loh, P. 2013c, Lecture 1: Measuring Space, the University of Melbourne.

Loh, P. 2013d, Lecture 8: Fabrication, the University of Melbourne.

Marble, S. 2008, ‘Imagining Risk’, in P. Bernstein and P. Deamer (eds) Building the Future: Recasting Labor in Architecture, Princeton Architectural Press, New York,

pp. 38-42.

Pottmann, H., Asperl, A., Hofer, M. and Kilian, A. 2007, ‘Surfaces that can be built from paper’ in Architectural Geometry, Bentley Institute Press, pp. 534-561.

Rifkin, J. 2011, ‘Distributed Capitalism’, in The third Industrial Revolution Palgrave Macmillan, New York, pp. 107-126.

Scheurer, F. and Stehling, H. 2011, ‘Lost in Parameter Space?’ in AD: Architectural Design, vol. 81, pp. 70-79.

Sommer, R. 1969, Personal space: the behavioral basis of design / Robert Sommer. Englewood Cliffs, N.J. : Prentice-Hall, c. 1969.

Images Aptek Bar – Dopludo Collective, 2011 http://dopludo.com/678/1185624/gallery/aptek-bar Federation Square - Sabine Reinhart, 2005 http://www.fedsquare.com/information/about-us/history-design/ ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion 2012 – University of Stuttgart, 2012 http://icd.uni-stuttgart.de/?p=8807 India McKenzie, student from the University of Melbourne Melbourne: Federation Square - shyaman, 23 February 2012 http://www.photoblog.com/shyaman/2012/02/23/ Muyu hills forest – cocoon - Vmenkov, 27 March 2010 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:VM_5252_Muyu_hills_forest_-_coccoon.jpg R. Buckminster Fuller – Design Museum, date unknown http://designmuseum.org/media/item/4856/-1/105_10Lg.jpg Sow Bug Labelled Body Segments and Exoskeleton – Iceclanl, 2012 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sow_Bug_Labeled_Body_Segments_and_Exoskeleton. jpg To + Fro Table – NEX, 2011 http://designplaygrounds.com/deviants/to-fro-table-by-nex/ 27 VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS