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Section title
Thermo Canopy
by Chihung Liao
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CSA Research Report
Project Details Project Lead:
Chihung Liao
Design Tutors:
Sam McElhinney David Di Duca
Title:
Thermo Canopy
Type:
Responsive Architectural Installation
Location:
UCA Canterbury campus central quad
Project Dates:
8 August 2016 - 25 August 2016 On-site Construction 26 August 2016 - 31 August 2016 Installation open to public
Design Period:
May 2016 - August 2016
Budget:
ÂŁ380
Scale:
2.4 m x 2m x 1.1m
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Research Statement
Research Agenda and Process Overview
Significance and Contribution
This research and design project examines on the importance of repurposing unprogrammed urban space to define a social architectural space for bridging connectedness among visitors.
The project demonstrates the way of using temporary architecture for providing and encouraging social interactions and mindful outdoor activities. It is widely study in the world of design and architecture to have a temporary architecture project that flexibly design for site specific, and purpose driven project among the community space for public good. Also influenced by the world of art, to create an interesting appearance for attracting passengers and wondering curiously.
The goal of this project is to design and build a responsive temporary canopy to encourage spontaneous activities. This responsive temporary canopy is designed and installed with a base platform, timber supporting structure and a fibreglass shading, and using ventilators integrated with a wax tube responses to temperate changes, as it heats up, the shading arises, and closes when it cools down. A pair of the canopy unites are mimicking the natural environment, the shades fold out like an artificial natural environment.
Research Questions
1. Can a mimicked artificial natural environment be effecting general social life? 2. How can designer using temporary canopy provides a coal and live space that encourage interactions among visitors?
Methodologies 1. Developing a system of responsiveness to the temperature through model design. 2. Using natural environment, tree leaves, and plants as resources for form finding and design organic shapes. 3. Design and build a urban city based canopy with shading space through rhino 3d modelling.
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Design Proposal I proposed to design and build a temporary canopy place for an unprogrammed space. And to use an automatic ventilator that responses to temperature, so can be arises and closes to temperature changes. As temperature rises, the canopy and shading with arises and strength up and outward. And closes at night when temperature cools down.
The surface of the canopy is casted with layer of fabric coated with resin as a first layer mould, then complete with the fibreglass layers to in hence the shape and structure mimicking the natural environment.
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Proposal & Context
Design Research Context Field of Work
Work by others
In current section I wish to highlight few designers and architects who have influenced my design strongly over the years as well as this project specifically. And they are designers who also shared similar practice values and principles that their works between the smaller scale of the temporary architectural studies and design practices do bring strong differences and inspire me to think of architecture in the scale of people and relationships with the surroundings and also with materials.
The following are three selected examples that functions as a strongly functional and temporary structure for social architectural space. Stormcloud by Oyler Wu Collaborative. Netscape by Oyler Wu Collaborative. Kinetic Wall by Barkow Leibinger
Key technological outcomes of proposal 1. Control system(attach of ventilator): The attached of the ventilator to the timber structure is the main trigger to initiate the operation this structure. A hammer-like tail attached to the ventilator gives a push to the back side of the timber structure for control the moment. 2. Fibreglass casting system determine the success of the shape forming and casting with elastic wire in a frame, which makes casting curvy and organic shapes possible.
IMG1 : Netscape by Oyler Wu Collaborative.
IMG2:Kinetic Wall by Barkow Leibinger
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Design Methodologies Material choices of flexibility and controllability in terms of shaping and form finding lead me to moulding and casting fibreglass and resin. The method of harden with a coat of resin onto a skin of fabric form allows it to become a mould for second layer of the fibreglass. Which allow me test and demonstrate the organic shapes inspired by the natural environment.
The attachment of the automatic ventilator is the main control system in the timber structure that help operating the shading structure to function and swing up and downwards safely.
Critical Design Elements
1. Mould Design: The fibreglass form is defined with the first layer of the stretchable fabric skin, which is then coated and harden with a layer of resin for second layer of implying fibreglass. 2. Junction design: Timber supporting structure and the shading of the fibreglass are integrates with the specific junction to help supports the movement of the shading. 3. Canopy design: An umbrella-like structure is developed through inspirations of biomimicking. 4. Responsiveness design: Attached automatic ventilator gives the initiate responsive through temperature changes then give the first initial push to operate the structure movement.
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Process & Methods
Prototyping and testing Challenges and Solutions: 1. Support system for the standing timber that held the overall weight of the structure, which is designed to attached to the base platform is ensured the sturdy stand of the timber. 2. The placement of the automatic ventilators determine the initiate movement of the structure, its placement is developed and placed to integrated in the main timber.
3. With the method and technique of using the fabric to pre-defined the shape which will act and function as a hard shell for casting fibreglass pieces give many success for the designed found forms.
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Process & Methods
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Process & Methods
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Process & Methods
Fabrication Techniques Moulding and Casting:
Resin mixture of resin and catalyst is then brushed lightly to The making of the frame: the fabric surface for harden the surface. It is needed to wait over The frame is made with small 2 to 3 hours depending on the hooks spreading along every side weather to dry completely and of the frame and box frame. become harden. Forming fabric: I use elastic string and tie the string on the frame to define the shapes of the fabric, and the elastic fabric is then stretch to finding the designed form. Mixture of Resin for harden fabric skin:
Fibreglass pieces imply: Fibreglass is pre-cut into 4 to 6 pieces to have easier fit on the bending and curvy surface of the fabric. And the mixture of resin is then brushed gently for merging and combining the layers, This is then required another couple hours to dry before another brush of resin mixture to ensure the fibreglass has well soaked in resin mixture.Â
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Process & Methods
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Control Systems The attachment of the fibreglass shading to the timber is attached with a 20 millimetres thick tube allowing for allowing nighty degrees swinging movement.Â
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Process & Methods
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Occupation and Interaction The canopy installation sits on lawns, its height is 2.4 meters, and opening a one meters long canopy shading on top, they are exhibits in pair attaching to a 2 meters by 3 meters base platform which not only sits to help support the timber in place, as well as to provide a relaxing place for activities.Â
Review of Outcomes
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Review of Outcomes
Dissemination and Future Work There are powerful function of flexibility and mobility and meaningful purposes a temporary project in our shared public space can bring in our community. I wish to continue study more on the integration of analog and digital fabrication for material studies and materials functionalities. And to further examine the relationships between the people and surrounding space, and encourage for a connected community.Â
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Materials and Suppliers List Timber (from B & Q, Canterbury) CLS Timber Planed C16 (T)38mm (W)63mm (L)2400mm, Pack of 35 Resin and Fibrglass (from SPEEDY Plastics and Resins LTD) 600g Chopped Strand Matting, 20kg Roll, (31.92m x 1.04m approx size) 30kg General Purpose Premium Resin 5kg Catalyst, Andanox KP9 MEKP 50mm Application Brush
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Appendix
Bibliography E r m a c o r a , T h o m a s a n d L u c y B u l l i v a n t . Re c o d e d C i t y .2 0 1 5 , Ro u t l e d g e . Per Aurora Fernández & Mozas, J., 2012. Strategy and tactics in public space,Vitoria-Gastiez, Spain: A T. Montgomery, C., 2015. Happy city: transforming our lives through urban design,Penguin.
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Credits MA Architecture Course Leader: Sam McElhinney MA Architecture Design Tutor: David Di Duca
Section title
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