MODULE THREE FABRICATION --------------
VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS S2 2013 HARRIET CRAIG, YINGLI LIU, ABBY ZAPLAN
VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS STUDENT JOURNAL WEEK 8
VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS S2 2013 HARRIET CRAIG, YINGLI LIU, ABBY ZAPLAN
DESIGN IDEA Our design relates to our notion of the personal space of the hand and the panel/ fold and inflatable systems. Our design idea is to create one large inflatable second skin that had panelised triangle objects on it that are also inflatable. The outcome would be a design that gives the wearer a level of comfort and also personal space.
The spikes decrease in size the higher up the arm you go. This symbolises the hand’s sensitivity the further down the arm and closer to the hand. Our design responds directly to our brief of personal space, whilst also encompasing various things we have learnt in both modules one and two.
VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS S2 2013 HARRIET CRAIG, YINGLI LIU, ABBY ZAPLAN
RHINO MODEL
VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS S2 2013 HARRIET CRAIG, YINGLI LIU, ABBY ZAPLAN
VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS S2 2013 HARRIET CRAIG, YINGLI LIU, ABBY ZAPLAN
Digital fabrications: architectural and material techniques
Q: Describe one aspect of the recent shift in the use of digital technology from design to fabrication? How does the fabrication process effects your second skin project? In design, computer programs such as CAD have moved real-life drawing to computerised drawing, offering clarity and precision. One form of two dimensional drawing has replaced another, and thus the outcomes look generally much the same. Also, CAD/CAM can create objects such as phones or engine blocks using 3D modelling software, and makes a designer’s job easier and more streamlined.
VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS S2 2013 HARRIET CRAIG, YINGLI LIU, ABBY ZAPLAN
MATERIALITY For our second prototype, we decided to use clear plastic to create the inflatable. We chose to do this for several reasons; firstly, the clear plastic reveals the arm inside, symbolising the vulnerability yet also the protection that the inflatable offers. Also, the clear plastic is a metaphor for a barrier that can’t be seen all of the time, like personal space, yet is ever there. Over the course of creating our second prototype we tried to use different types of clear plastic such as dry cleaning bags and then finally book covering plastic. We encountered some issues when using the thin dry cleaning bags, the seals were messy and there were a lot of holes in them when using the soldering iron. The book covering plastic was more sturdy and easier to use. Although the dry cleaning bags were a lighter plastic and could create a inflatable that had a lot of movement, we believe that the sturdier book covering plastic also does this whilst also being a better material to create our triangular shapes and panels.
VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS S2 2013 HARRIET CRAIG, YINGLI LIU, ABBY ZAPLAN
PROCESS
Here, we are cutting out the panels individually, using a paper template. We were sure to leave an edge around the line of the panel so we could solder the plastic together accurately.
This is an attempt at using the soldering iron to create holes in the plastic for the air to travel through. Also, this would hopefully join the spikes with the panels.
VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS S2 2013 HARRIET CRAIG, YINGLI LIU, ABBY ZAPLAN
This is how we joined the panels together using a soldering iron.
This is a photo of joining the edges of the spikes together using the soldering iron.
Using a larger soldering iron, we were unable to create neat enough seams to attach the spikes to the panels and therefore used tape also to supplement the remaining panels.
PROTOTYPE ATTEMPT TWO
This time around, we used what we learnt when we made our last prototype and decided to use a soldering iron as our preferred tool. Our tutor told us that this tool would enable us to get the most accurate and clean seals in the inflatable and thus we decided to no longer use a heat clamping tool to make our seals. Some issues we encountered: Using the soldering iron at times was difficult as the one we used to try and attach the triangles was too hot and temperamental. Therefore, the next time we create our prototype we will use a smaller soldering iron to ensure we can attach all of the triangles properly and not have to rely on tape to attach the last few triangles.
VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS S2 2013 HARRIET CRAIG, YINGLI LIU, ABBY ZAPLAN
VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS S2 2013 HARRIET CRAIG, YINGLI LIU, ABBY ZAPLAN