PORTFOLIO. Dinorah Martinez Schulte
Selected Works
BArch / MASDFAB Master in Advanced Design in Architecture and Digital Fabrication / ETH Zurich Graduated Specialty in Creative Design Code / CENTRO DiseĂąo, Cine y TelevisiĂłn Bachelor in Architecture / Universidad Iberoamericana
2011 - 2020
PORTFOLIO. Dinorah Martinez Schulte
Selected Works
BArch / MASDFAB Master in Advanced Design in Architecture and Digital Fabrication / ETH Zurich Graduated Specialty in Creative Design Code / CENTRO DiseĂąo, Cine y TelevisiĂłn Bachelor in Architecture / Universidad Iberoamericana
2011 - 2020
Dinorah Martínez Schulte Architect.
dinorahmtzschulte.com dino.schulte97@gmail.com +41 76 415 8344 / 12/03/1993 Zurich, Switzerland / Mexico City, Mexico.
Professional Experience
Acoustic Designer SAAD Acustica / TEKTIL Mexico City, Mexico January - May 2019
- Public relationships - Sales Strategy - Digital Marketing and Community Manager - Acoustic Design
(saadacustica.com/)
Urban Designer Arquitectura 911 Mexico City, Mexico May - August 2018 (arq911.com/)
Architect Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos Mexico City, Mexico January - May 2018 / 2017 (sordomadaleno.com/)
Architectural Intership MAD Architects Beijing, China August - December 2017 (i-mad.com/)
Media and Marketing Director Rojkind Arquitectos Mexico City, Mexico May 2016 - May 2017
(rojkindarquitectos.com/)
Education
Projects: Distrito Chihuahua, Chihuahua. - 3D Modeling in Rhino. - Graphic Design: SD / DD Documents and diagrams. - CAD: SD / DD Documents drawings. Projects: C6, Rancho Valle de Bravo and Bogota 92 - 3D Modeling in Rhino. - Graphic Design: SD / DD Documents and diagrams. - CAD: SD / DD Documents drawings. Projects: LA Landing, Changsha Highrise, Kindergarten and HK Henderson Highrise. - 3D Modeling in Rhino. - Graphic Design: SD / DD Documents and diagrams. - CAD: SD / DD Documents drawings. - Collaborated with management on the marketing plan and brand strategy. - Created mediakits for all projects and submit them to print and digital media. - Created, manage and published content for their website, social media accounts and newsletters, and submit content to architectural blogs and websites. - Prepared and monitor awards submissions. - Updated company profile. - Coordinate lectures and presentation between media.
DFAB ETH Master in Advanced Studies in Architecture and Digital Fabrication ETH Zurich
Social Service, Education Organization
Zurich, Switzerland September 2019 - 2020 / (masdfab.com/)
Foi et Joie
Graduate Specialization in Creative Design Code CENTRO Diseño, Cine y Televisión
Port Au Pried, Haiti June 2014
Mexico City, Mexico January - December 2018 / (centro.edu.mx/)
Workshop: Bodies in Formation By Andrew Kudless ACADIA 2018 Mexico City, Mexico October 2018 / (acadia.org/)
International Exchange
UTS University of Technology Sydney Sydney, Australia January - July 2016 / (uts.edu.au/)
Bachelor of Architecture and Urbanism Universidad Iberoamericana Mexico City, Mexico 2011-2017 / (ibero.mx/)
Awards / Honors / Publications 2019
Scholarship at Robotic Atelier 2019 Norman Foster Foundation https://www.normanfosterfoundation.org/es/educational/norman-foster-foundation-workshop-2019-robotics/
Flextructure” published in the magazine: “FORUM” Edition no. 33 March 2019 https://www.forummexico.mx/arquitectura-y-diseño/flextructure/
2018
Flextructure” published in the digital magazine: “The Archiologist” https://thearchiologist.com/student/dinorah-schulte?fbclid=IwAR1guEiRDxW2mQSl-h9399XDlF1dg7sAt_-ZsVQPQML0n-Q9TpVNypdszzgw
2017
“Topographic Suture” published in the digital magazine: “The Archiologist” https://thearchiologist.com/student/topographic-suture
2016
“Manuel Garibay” Award / 1st place Topographic Suture, Best thesis project, by Universidad Iberoamericana. Project : Sutura Topografica / La Cuenca de México. Tutors : Marq. Diego Ricalde / Marq. Emmanuel Rámirez Team: Ricardo López + Dinorah Martinez Schulte.
MCHAP Student Award 2016 / Nominated Project Topographic Suture by IIT Chicago. http://www.arch.iit.edu/prize/mchap/selected-works/project/ universidad-iberoamericana-cuidad-de-mexico
Interviews
2018
“ONE ON ONE” by CEMEX México
2019
“Overcoming struggles in the career” Podcast by: The Archiologist
Facebook and Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj5EEScVsJs&t=6s
Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, Soundcloud, Anchor F.M. https://thearchiologist.com/podcast/dinorah-martinez-schulte
Skills
Autodesk Autocad 2D + 3D Autodesk Revit. Rhinoceros Grasshopper Processing / Python (Basic) Autodesk 3Ds Max Design. Autodesk Maya 2017 Adobe Suite Package (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Premiere, and Lightroom CC)
Languages
Spanish English
About me
Native language Toefl IBT: 80 / IELTS: 6.5
- Strong verbal and personal communication skills. - Decision making, critical thinking. - Problem analysis, use of judgment and ability to solve problems efficiently. - Self-motivated, initiative, maintains a high level of energy. - Competence for fast learning. - Organization and prioritization skills.
THERMODULAR
Description: Project at the Robotic Atelier 2019 Tutors: Xavier De Kestelier and Manuel Jiménez García. Location: Madrid, Spain Institution: Norman Foster Foundation Date: 2019 Collaboration: Ramon Weber and Nik Eftekhar
Described by the Workshop Mentor, Xavier De Kestelier, as ‘the inception of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,’ the third edition of the Robotics Atelier, which took place from the 4th to the 8th November of 2019, tested the limits of 3D printing and its potential applications. The third instalment of the Robotics Atelier we will focus on large scale 3D printing with recycled plastics. One of the advantages of 3D printing with plastics is the inherent freedom of form. With that comes the potential of an integrated approach to design. The field of application will be building skins. These are often built up out of a series of materials that each have their own shape and function. But what if we can start to blur the lines between these different materials, forms and performances? What if we can design a building skin that can have multiple functionalities embedded within one complex geometrical system? Can we integrate a variety of functions that respond to specific environments into one 3D-printed element?
We are living in a time of change and above all we are facing consequences such as the climate change that we are experiencing today. We are running out of the planet and our nature is demanding a change, a solution. In this workshop, it encourages us to think of new solutions and create initiatives to improve our capacities as designers and architects hand in hand with technology, creating awareness and using recycled materials for their production. THEMODULAR is a proposal contemplated the ubiquity of prefabricated façade systems used throughout Europe, speculating how these could be transformed using 3D printing and recyclable materials. seeks to create a facade solution from an architectural and ecological perspective and with the support of technology such as 3D Printing tools and robotics, we seek to generate a response to put a grain of sand to this emerging issue that seeks a way out, creating a 3D printed facade using recycled plastic obtained from the oceans (collaboration with Parley parley.tv/#fortheoceans) to create a building skin with the ability of thermal insulation to address and optimize responses to new climate changes.
Firstly, we analyze the function and the meaning of what a Facade is from both an architectural and social perspective. We take as reference the exercise: ‘Façades’ is a series of photographs by French photographer Zacarie Gaudrillot-Roy. The photographer attempts to imagine a world where buildings are stripped of their “buildings” with nothing but their surface left. Zacarie isolates the surfaces of buildings and photographs the hauntingly incomplete images. The facades look like icing if it was removed from its cake. According to the artist, the facade of a building is “the first thing we see ... it can be impressive, superficial or safe.” The photographs explore a world in which first impressions and surfaces are all there is. There is nothing to discover beneath. Essentially it’s what we’d see if in a holiday photograph, there was only the outside of the building. But why is the outside more important than the inside? The same can be said about people. We are all more than what is on the surface.
10
Prototyope Proposal.
01
02
03
Assembly System.
One of our main objectives was to seek to make a prototype of a faรงade that would allow it to be erected, stable, re-adaptable, standard and that would be light so that it would allow you to transport it easily and its assembly was a fairly simple, flexible and replicable process on any scale. 11
01
01
02
02
03
03
Interlocking modular elements defined by offset curves.
Therefore, the basis of the project is a very simple geometry defined by offset sine curves, which could be easily stacked and interlocked in both directions. to give fluidity and dynamism to the project and allow us a fairly simple and rigid assembly between part and part.
radiation. One solution is to generate an empty structure and fill it inside with some material that generates thermal insulation, To address this issue, the group created several prototypes incorporating air gaps, printed infill patterns and recycled PETG pellets, whose energy performance was tested using a thermal camera . Inserting PETG pellets made from plastic waste recovered from the ocean proved to be a satisfactory insulating technique, and the concerns about the weight increase could be resolved by transporting hollow modules which could then be filled with locally available materials. Therefore, we generated 5 different line patterns for each insulation infill and we measured them and with the captured information, we analyzed which were more efficient and which were not so efficient.
On the other hand, one of the objectives was to create a faรงade that would create a solution to dramatic climatic changes, which is why we focused on how to face solar radiation through a thermal insulation system. Solar radiation directly affects objects that have contact in a range of influence with the heat transfer. A thermal insulation system reduces thermal conductivity and
no infill 45 mins print
filled with PETG particles 1.5h print
2cm diam infill 3.5h print
5mm curved 8h print
5mm rectangular 6.5 h print
0min
1min
2min
70ยบC
Thermal proponents of varying insulation proposals curves. 12
According to JimĂŠnez, there are still some important questions that need to be addressed within the world of large-scale 3D printing. For example, short production chains have yet to be improved and the reduction of building elements is a subject that continues to carry many complexities within the building industry. However, the ambiguous position between the Parametric approach and the Fordist production, he said, has opened a new horizon to digital fabrication and its adaptation to the everyday world. 13
Development of the prototype’s design and print.
Largely focused on prints made with recycled plastics recovered from the planet’s oceans, the Workshop aimed to continue the ground-breaking innovations made possible by 3D printing within the architecture and construction industries.
Its design possibilities were considered by both students and professors alike, reconciling the dimensions of form, material and performance into one complex system capable of responding to the various questions, both ethical and technical, raised by its use.
14
By only using recycled plastics for large scale 3D printing in construction, we can start to reuse our planetary excess of plastic waste, upcycle it into performative construction material and therefore hopefully start to reduce the amount of waste plastics in our environment. The design also prioritized optimal insulation properties. Thus, as remarked by Lord Foster, ‘Technology has the power to create the new vernacular’.
Final 3D prints of the façade’s components.
15
16
Development of the prototype’s design and print. 17
CONCRETE CALLIGRAPHY
Description: Project made by MASDFAB 19/20 and Digital Building Technologies Tutors: Ana Anton, Eleni Skevaki and Yoana Taseva Location: Zurich, Switzerland Institution: DBT Digital Building Technologies by ETH Zurich Date: 2019 Collaboration: Jomana Baddad and Frédéric Brisson
In the Master in Advanced Design in Architecture in Digital Fabrication (MASDFAB), we explored new possibilities to manufacture a concrete facade system with an Extrusion 3D Printing (CE3DP) System. “The context of digital fabrication allows architects to reinvestigate material, process and the design decisions they entail to explore novel expression in architecture. This demands a new approach to design thinking, as well as the relevant tools to couple the form of artefacts with the process in which they are made. It is a customized computational design tool developed for exploring the novel design space of Concrete Extrusion 3D Printing (CE3DP), enabling a reinterpretation of the concrete facade building typology. This tool allows the designer to access generative engines such as trigonometric functions and mesh subdivision through an intuitive graphical user interface. Balancing process efficiency as understood by our industry with a strong design focus, we aim to articulate the unique architectural qualities inherent to CE3DP, energizing much needed innovation in concrete technology.” - A.Anton, A.Yoo, P.Berdarf, L.Reiter, T.Wangler, B. Dillenburger
Our main goal of this task was create a building skin that followed the research made by the Digital Fabrication Technologies team at ETH Zurich called “Concrete Calligraphy”, that filled 3 different approaches: architectural, fabrication and structural perspective. Our concept proposed a deep, permeable wall in the context to address to factors: The deep as a visual connector between two spaces, providing a horizontal surfaces to create shades all the way through. Address visual connection promoting interaction between users address sustainability where is applicable by shading the interior space specially in hot climates and also allow to be habitable. - A variety of temporary programs and/or displays can be housed within the porous habitable façade that becomes a mediator between the busy surrounding urban condition and the interior of the building. - The resulting spaces are accessible from the interior through large openings that reveal the inside of the building to the passerby and vice versa. These spaces are connected allowing the dweller to navigate within the façade.
Main goals of the project.
22
Early explorations.
Geometry generation using Axolotl pluggin and Grasshopper.
We use parametric tools to create an organic design that shows fluity in the geometry of one single panel. Once this is completed, we reuse the same process to develop a multitude panel with varies geometry by quickly changing the parameters the algorithmic formula used to developed first panel. Moreover, those same parameters are adjustable to address the different scale of panels needed. Allowing flexibility in the design and these parametric tools also allow to transfer the design into an output readable by a robotic fabrication tool. In this particular case we take random points and we generate several arrangements of them to create different possibilities of design panels and then with the aid of a digital tool call “Axolotl�, created by the Digital Building Technologies, we played with the thickness of the panel to generate a very fluid geometry able to assemble in different ways.
23
1. Architectural Plan and Axonometric
Concrete Slab Embedded steel knife plate welded to HSS stell tube (PTD)
Extruded concrete panel Steel fasteners (PTD) with isolation membrane between concrete and steel
Neoprene membrane
HSS Steel tube (PTD)
Steel plate cap (PTD)
2. Technical Details of the panel connector.
3. Exploded Axonometric of one 3D printed panel.
4. Architectural Axonometric, how it can be use for an architectural space.
Material Sensitivity. We adapted and play with concrete properties to allow to use them to create new expressions and approaches to design thinking Firstable, our team worked on understanding the properties of the concreted to be use in combination with an accelerator agent to dry faster. Allow layers of concrete to be extruded in top to each other. With that information, we prepared the concrete with the research team and tested it in a few prototype.
26
To materialize this project we follow this process: 1. We validated the design to be perform by the robot. The design pattern should be a continues line that can not have 2 o 3 more intersections in the same point. 2. Testing it, we re considering some design elements about our panel design. We made some modifications to address those. (Back and forth between the design and the fabrication in the sense). In the end, for example the where sharp turns concrete is deposit it in a wider pattern contrary to straight lines in extraction where the concrete remain narrow. 3. Once the extruction was completed, it took a few hours only to the panel to dry and after 1 day we got the final 3D concrete printed panel for our building skin.
27
We concluded this research reinterpreting a new and flexible typology of construction and design of a concrete facade through technology (in this case, manufactured and extruction made with a 3D printing CE3P system). Moreover, we optimize the design, fabrication, geometry and material through the computational design and technology to get the most efficient result. As a future research, we are interest in investigate a formal and structural optimization that can improve the project and do it more resistable and efficient.
TOPOGRAPHIC SUTURE
Description: Thesis project at Catedra Blanca CEMEX 2015/2016. Tutors: MArq. Diego Ricalde, MArq. Emmanuel Ramirez Location: Mexico City, MĂŠxico Institution: Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City Date: 2016 Collaboration: Ricardo LĂłpez
The atelier objective was to analyze the terrain from the biggest scale that would have an impact on the city, which meant studying the Basin of Mexico. This is the name given to the region of four valleys in the central part of the Mexican territory, which not only contains Mexico City but also other federal states. To study it properly distinct binomials that create city were assigned: water, landscape, urban and infrastructure. Our project studies the binomial of water and landscape, understanding the effect of the ever-growing metropoli against what used to be the dominant natural environment. Numerous zooms were made in search of the critical point of that binominal, which turned out to be the heart of the Basin of Mexico, what was once known as the great Lake Texcoco.
In colonial times, rivers were sent underground and lakes began to be drained; the sinking of the city and floods are a consequence of those actions, problems that consume the city today.
WATER + LANDSCAPE
Neither the city nor the Basin of Mexico are auto sufficient; and it is ironic that a region shaped to contain a great body of water has to bring it from other hydrologic systems; that the lowest point of the basin is not covered by rainwater which instead of being stored, is ejected from the territory. Through an urban proposal and later an architectural proposal, we address all these factors from the macro scale and reflect them on a micro scale Mexico City has grown disproportionately eliminating its connections with the natural environment. We believe that to amend this, the territory should answer to its topographic vocation where natural systems correspond to the heights of the land. In today’s context it is impossible to go back to depending on only one great lake, because of this we seek to divide the magnitude of this lake in various fragments that adapt to the contemporary infrastructure. The project strives for a topographic suture of the surroundings of Lake Texcoco.
34
If we join the sites of water with the sites of landscape we can have a suture, weaving the programmatic axis of the city with the natural axis of the basin which is its natural drain, the sewage of Mexico City. Naturally, the high points of the basin are where landscape emerges and the low points are where water accumulates. The project strategy places the ecologic as its first hierarchy, followed by the urban and finally the architectural. The essential action is to regenerate a withering landscape. Because of the absence of an immediate urban context we use topography as a means of order, where the same natural trend of the basin is replicated in order to be able to reconfigure the terrain. We elaborate a network of high points which is where we can build, and another network of low points which become bodies of water. The places where these two meet become areas for mangroves and natural reserves.
Gulf winds
Rain
Watershed
Slopes Water evaporation Volcanic cracks
01. Landscape in the Basin of Mexico.
02. Water in the Basin of Mexico.
03. Sinking in the Basin of Mexico.
04. Floods in the Basin of Mexico.
Freshwater Water filtration
Underground currents
Deep acuifer in the Basin of Mexico
ARTICULACIÓN URBANA Línea. (Del lat. linĕa). 1. f. Geom. Sucesión continua e indefinida de puntos en la sola dimensión de la longitud. f. límite. f. Sucesión de personas o cosas situadas una detrás de otra o una al lado de otra.
01. The meaning of basin.
!
( (
!
Nodo. (Del lat. nodus). m. Fís. Cada uno de los puntos que permanecen fijos en un cuerpo vibrante.
X eje programatico.
ritmo de nodos, secuencia de ordenadores
!
Y
eje natural. (Agua-Paisaje)
Vincular B A Topografia Respirar
(
X
Articular Paisaje natural
Y
06. Suture strategy between the landscape and water axis (Natural Axis) against the programmatic axis (Urban Axis) of Mexico City.
35
05. Overlay of water, landscape, and various problems in the Basin of Mexico. Resulting in the critical point of water and landscape.
ZONE 02: LANDSCAPE
ZONE 01: INFRASTRUCTURE
ZONE 04: ENERGY
ZONA 03: WATER BODIES
TOPOGRAPHIC SUTURE
01. URBAN LEVEL The project proposes a solution of four sectors, where the program corresponds to the terrain that now lies divided by its own infrastructure.
02. LANDSCAPE LEVEL Topography high points where landscape emerges and construction is possible.
01. Low points topography network: Water
03. WATER LEVEL Topography low points where water naturally accumulates; navigation channels and connection network.
02. Low points topography network: Water
04. ECOLOGICAL LEVEL Because of the absence of an immediate urban context we use topography as a means of order, where the same natural trend of the basin is replicated in order to be able to reconfigure the terrain.
05. CONTEXT In today´s context it is impossible to go back to depending on only one great lake, because of this we seek to divide the magnitude of this lake in various fragments that adapt to the contemporary infrastructure.
03. Water + Landscape Network 36
SU TU R AR RAR TOPOGRAPHIC SUTURE
SUTURA TOPOGRĂ FICA
08. Mapa
37
Suture: Step 01
Ecosystem Rescue Plan (0-5 years)
Suture: Step 02
Ecosystem Development (5-15 years)
Suture: Step 03
Ecosystem Maduration (15-30 years)
03. ARCHITECTURAL PLANS
Axonometric
Texcoco Train Station
Texcoco Train Station
ROOF
P2
Texcoco Train Station
Texcoco Train Station
P1
PB
SECTIONS
FACADES
Exploded Axonometric
Concept Strategy Model
Building Infrastructure Model
Facade Model
At the architectural level it creates the suture by means of a train station whose purpose is to link to the City with this new natural paradise as with the new airport. The composition of the building responds to this same concept of arrangement where low points store water for future use. It is thanks to this that the territory is completely reconfigured, the final piece to solve the border problem and heal the critical landscape and water point. A suture is a seam whose purpose is to rejoin what was separated or damaged. It is only through a new connection to the city between the old and the new, that we managed to rethink the metropolis through a water and lansdcape perspective. 42
43
SMART SHELL
Description: Project made by MASDFAB 19/20 and Gramazio Kohler Research Tutors: Joris Burger, David Jenny and Nizar Taha Location: Zurich, Switzerland Institution: Gramazio Kohler Research by ETH Zurich Date: 2019 Collaboration: Mahiro Goto
Eggshell is a novel fabrication process for the creation of non-standard, reinforced concrete structures. The process exploits the controlled hydration of concrete as developed in Smart Dynamic Casting. By carefully controlling the early age strength gain of the concrete, 3D-printed recyclable formworks can be used for the casting of full scale, concrete building elements. Traditionally, concrete casting relies on two separate processes for the fabrication of a concrete element. A formwork is put in place, after which concrete is casted and the element is left for demolding. Eggshell aims to combine these processes by 3D printing a thin-shell formwork whilst simultaneously casting concrete inside. Using this approach, geometrically complex structures can be fabricated efficiently, minimizing formwork waste. The control and synchronization of material properties for both printing and casting are essential to the fabrication process, as the hydrating concrete helps resist buckling behavior of the thin shell formwork during printing. An advantage of Eggshell is the easy integration of reinforcement, which is often considered to be a challenge for other digital fabrication methods such as concrete extrusion. Furthermore, the extended design space brought by the process grants the possibility of producing structurally efficient shapes such as branching columns which are difficult to fabricate otherwise.
Based in the Mini Eggshell researched developed by Gramazio Kohler Research team, we developed Smart Shell. We were inspired by the sound. The sound, in physics, it is any phenomenon that involves the propagation of mechanical waves (whether audible or not), usually through a fluid (or other elastic means) that is generating the vibratory movement of a body. Humanly audible sound consists of sound waves and acoustic waves that occur when air pressure oscillations are converted into mechanical waves in the human ear and perceived by the brain. In this project we were looking to do a framework system addressing thermal comfort properties, acoustic performance and allow to get lighting performance as well.
To get the acoustic performance, the shell can can reflect and defuse the sound by the concave and convex geometry made by 3D printed plastic with different sizes of patterns. The small size reflect high frequencies and the big ones are allow to reflect low frequencies. The concrete layer can insulate the sun radiation from outside to inside and create thermal comfort to control the temperature. Finally, the lighting performance is got by the plastic holes can project the light path inside and through the geometry and surface to outside to inside. In addiction, we created a flexible formwork generating a triangular pattern which repeat many times in different scale could allow us to cast the concrete with different curvatures. In conclusion, we found a non-typical way to make shape with 3D printing, combining 2 materials, concrete and plastic to get several performance like: lighting, acoustic and thermal. A wall that make a space but doesn’t separate a space.
46
Development of the prototype’s design and print. 47
FLEXTRUCTURE
Description: Thesis project at Graduated Specialization of Creative Design Code. Tutors: Yoshi Fukumori, Eduardo Obieta and Eduardo Ramirez Location: Mexico City, Mexico Institution: CENTRO DiseĂąo, Cine y TelevisiĂłn Date: 2018
Traditionally, architectural design has been prevailed by top-down design methods, which generally subordinate material and manufacturing considerations for the geometry learned. While bottom-up strategies have increasingly been explored in design processes, such as biomimetic approaches, they often follow a top-down manufacturing solution. Unlike conventional design methods, both the design development and the materialization process can be considered equal design drivers through the use of biomimetic design principles and the simultaneous development of new manufacturing methods (La Magna et al. ., 2013; Menges, 2013) . Biomimetic approaches have proven to have significant potential for design implementations through their systemic complexity and multiple logics (Gruber 2011). The morphological principles of natural organisms are absorbed and transferred to architectural applications for their performative geometries and their functional integration. The evolutionary biological processes offer a remarkable example for the integration of multiple requirements in the morphogenetic process. This project seeks to make a replicable structure optimized from biomimetic studies to support anti-earthquake loads and to make a new and innovative construction process for the engineering and architecture market. Based on the spiderwebs, the most resistant natural structure in the world, this project was developed in six different explorations to study the physical and mechanical properties about them and how they work as a structure.
Traditionally, architectural design has been prevailed by top-down design methods, which generally subordinate material and manufacturing considerations for the geometry learned. While bottom-up strategies have increasingly been explored in design processes, such as biomimetic approaches, they often follow a top-down manufacturing solution. Unlike conventional design methods, both the design development and the materialization process can be considered equal design drivers through the use of biomimetic design principles and the simultaneous development of new manufacturing methods (La Magna et al. ., 2013; Menges, 2013) . Biomimetic approaches have proven to have significant potential for design implementations through their systemic complexity and multiple logics (Gruber 2011). The morphological principles of natural organisms are absorbed and transferred to architectural applications for their performative geometries and their functional integration. The evolutionary biological processes offer a remarkable example for the integration of multiple requirements in the morphogenetic process. This project seeks to make a replicable structure optimized from biomimetic studies to support anti-earthquake loads and to make a new and innovative construction process for the engineering and architecture market. Based on the spiderwebs, the most resistant natural structure in the world, this project was developed in six different explorations to study the physical and mechanical properties about them and how they work as a structure.
Spider silk is a protein fiber spun naturally by spiders. The spiders use it to develop hunting nets or webs, nests, protections for their eggs or even to be transported by air as a paraglider. Thanks to this form of transport, some sailors have reported the presence of spiders among their sails after having sailed, even at distances of 1,600 km offshore. They have also been found in atmospheric globes in their tasks of analysis of the atmosphere at heights somewhat less than 5000 m.
the spiderwebs.
Funnel webs Velvety fiber that is meshed to form a large hole in the center in layers to go unnoticed and then entangle its prey to hunt peacefully.
¿Why are they so resistant?
Sheet webs They are the most common and you can find them in trees or human objects. - Silk bed elongated, flat and white. - Against the attack of wasps and birds because of their thickness and complexity with their target deficit.
¿Why are they
so resistant?
classifi cation.
The cobwebs or spiderwebs, one of the most efficient and unsurpassed natural processes in the world. There are 700 m in a continuous thread, increasing the image 12,000 times the spider has in the adomén 4 organs called “rows” each contains taps, which produce liquid silk a few thousandths of a millimeter thick.
the
nodes.
The spider pulls these threads and turns liquid silk into solid and twists several rows together to give strength to the thread. Each thread has a thirtieth part of hair that contains a force outside its scale. His genius and secret of his resistance is in the drops of water that there are of each crossing. Within each drop there are strands of cobwebs strongly entangled, when the victim collides, these strands unravel, causing the fabric to bend and stretch without breaking.
53
exploration 01:
study of flexible structures. The first exploration consisted in studying how flexible structures work with and respond with square shaped nodes with flexible materials (clips). Experimentation from a digital process, gave us the result that when using square modules are easily deformed, but when adding a module in the form of a triangle, tension is created and its deformation is prevented by the properties of the geometry.
exploration 02:
study of natural spiderweb. I bought a tarantula of species The orange baboon tarantula (Pterinochilus murinus) is a species of tarantula of the genus Pterinochilus, belonging to the family Theraphosidae. It can be found on the African continent, specifically in the central and southern regions of Africa. This species was chosen for its quickness to make cobwebs in a short time and its dense web was studied in the original container.
54
exploration 03:
mapping the process of a spiderweb.
55
We build an acrylic box of 15 x 15 cm. where perforations were made so that the spider could breathe and also the mapping of the cobweb process was simple.
Then guides were built so that the spider would lean and could weave its web through them, as well as leaving food and drink at strategic points for more than 3 weeks.
After the estimated time, the record of how the spider made its web was mapped and a line was woven that crossed from point to point to be able to manipulate the design.
The process was extracted and that is how we chose the guidelines to be able to do the process of programming, simulation and solidification of the process.
56
From the points and lines of the process mapping of the natural web, a simulation was made with a pluggin called: Kangaroo, which gave us the following diagram as as result and which allows us to simulate the mechanical properties of the web.
As a final result, this polygon mesh was optimized, using the Cocoon plugging, which allowed us to solidify the process and obtain a structure that is the result of a natural process, whose properties come from a natural web and can be edited to our own taste , depending on the necesity.
“Spider mind doesn’t completely reside in their body as their web constitude a form of spatial thinking. Information from their web becomes integral part of their cognitive systems. The web provides a medium of interaction with embedded intelligence. Form (web morphology), matter (spider silk) and production (spider behaviour) are interfered with an algorithmically designed and machined printed spatial scaffolding. The object and it’s spatial architecture becomes ambiguous as spiders are both behavioral model informing the digital substratum and active agents of artistic production”.
“The development of manufacturing strategies based on the material behavior allows an integration early logics of manufacture in the design process and an exploration of new structural typologies. “
exploration 04:
simulation of the spiderweb.
Programming the spider web.
exploration 05:
study of a flexible node.
01. Slack increase study.
02. Study of increase of vertices and slack.
03. Study of increase of vertices to tension.
59
designing with nature.
BONE BRICK
Description: Project made by MASDFAB 19/20 and Digital Building Technologies Tutors: Mathias Bernard Location: Zurich, Switzerland Institution: Digital Building Technologies by ETH Zurich Date: 2019 Collaboration: Lรกszlรณ Mangliรกr
The successful realization of the 1:1 scale prototypes was made possible only by the chosen fabrication method, a large-scale sandstone binderjet 3D printer. Working in the Processing programming framework using Python, the students were introduced to generative computational design methods, mesh modification and subdivision strategies as well as volumetric modelling and the requirements to file preparation particular to additive manufacturing SmartBrick explores the production of specialized building components in a speculative manner. Over the course of two weeks, working in groups of two, the students developed computational design strategies for a construction element of their choice. Design drivers were among others, an embedded evaporation and ventilation system, acoustic absorption, structurally efficient material distribution, various degrees of porosity and transparency or precisely controlled, functionally graded translucency.
For reference and inspiration we rely on the anatomy of the bones to understand its geometry and function, as well as its assembly system. In the nature, each skeleton has its own system, dimensions and functionality which respond to different needs. Which seems quite interesting to us to create a particular system in which we can use computational design and digital fabrication tools to design and materialize the project with the purpose of parameterizing the radius and the size of its elements and being able to play with different assembly systems and creating a flexible design tool.
R=04
R=04
R=04
R=03
R=04
R=02
66
We designed a lightweight system based on the geometry of 2 circles joined by two mathematically calculated tangential curves, which allows us to control the parameters of both the distance and the radius of the spheres and curves in order to generate various systems and to can integrate with each other. A fairly clear exploration showing the benefits and capabilities of designing with computer systems and technology for programming and find efficient and controlled results.
67
ACADIA 2018 / “BODIES IN FORMATION” WORKSHOP
Description: Workshop by ACADIA 2018 Tutors: Andrew Kudless Location: Mexico City, Mexico Institution: ACADIA and UNAM Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico Date: 2018 Collaboration: ACADIA Workshop
This 3-day workshop will focus on the use of flexible fabric formwork in the casting of plaster and concrete. Building on the work of many architects such as Miguel Fisac as well as the research at Matsys, this workshop will explore both analog and digital techniques for the design and simulation of casting using flexible formwork. The workshop will cover instruction in Grasshopper and Kangaroo to simulate and explore variations in the constraints on the flexible formwork. In addition, students will work in groups to develop a collective series of cast wall panels. Kudless’s projects, both speculative and built, harness the opportunities that exist within the digital field, to interrogate issues of design, craft, and fabrication. Individually and collectively, the works present an examination of the tension that exists between the analog and the digital.
IN BETWEEN
DIGITAL AND PYSHICAL FABRICATION Step 01: We assemble the wooden mold with its respective parts. Once armed, we drew a grid where we set the rules to direct the curves of our casting. Once the grid was established, we made it with wooden or steel molds, depending on the technique that will be used.
Step 02: Already established our grid and the mold, we had an elastic fabric made of lycra so that it could give the elasticity and resistance necessary to create our pre-cast. Once the fabric was stretched, we prepared a mixture of gypsum and fiberglass to plasticize the result.
Step 03: Now ready the mold with the tensioned fabric, we place the mixture of plaster and fiberglass very carefully over the whole mold until it is filled up. We wait a period of 20 minutes for the mixture to dry and with gravity to settle the fabric to project the result.
Step 04: The mixture is already dry, we check it manually and we take it to get out of the mold. Then, we disassemble the mold and detach the cloth until we obtain the complete piece and let it dry upside down until we obtain plaster curves. With this result, we verify the resistance, elasticity and the characteristics of the material with the gravity that give us as result, that marks the relationship between the digital and analogous manufacturing. 72
Exploring analog and digital techniques for the design and simulation of casting using flexible formwork.
Bodies in Formation highlights the emergent relationships between architecture, engineering, biology and computation. These cross-disciplinary relationships are radically changing the conditions for production in the field of architecture. Transcending various scales and typologies and taking inspiration from a myriad of sources, Kudless’ work challenges our preconceptions of zrchitecture and the boundaries of traditional practice.
73