Digital Design - Module 02 Semester 1, 2019 Hayley Cottrell
995093 Kammy Leung & CL Fok + Studio 24
Critical Reading: Kolerevic B. 2003. Architecture in the Digital Age
Kolerevic described three fundamental types of fabrication techniques in the reading. Outline the three techniques and discuss the potential of Computer Numeric Controlled fabrication with parametric modelling.
Digital design fabrication is broken down into three catagories by Kolerevic, these being addidive, subtractive and formative. Subtractive fabrication, involves a solid material which, as the name suggests, is subtracted or taken away from that solid the process of which is done through of multi-axis milling. It allows for a range of complex forms but the number of axis can reduce the complexity of the outcome due to its inability to be rotated in every direction. Additive fabrication is the opposite of the previous method, with material between added in sequential layers so build up a solid mass. The application of this technique is limited by the scale of the product it produces, but is being explored on a larger scale with prefabrication of concrete structures in construction. Formative fabrication, involves the shaping of a material to its desired form through exposing the material to heat or steam, allowing it to become malleable. Computer Numerically Controlled fabrication, or CNC, is two dimensional fabrication technique that utilities precise measurements to create complex forms. Parametric modeling and digital design in general enables designer to create forms that previously were able to be constructed with traditional methods, but with the aid of technology such as CNC, these detailed design can be brought into reality rather than remaining on a computer screen.
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SURFACE AND WAFFLE STRUCTURE Surface Creation
Cull pattern with true/false values was used to determine the outcome of combining the two geometries across the surfaces.
Curve Attraction component was inserted into the script to make the panelisation follow the form of the surfaces.
The process of itteration occured at various places in the script, allowing for the surfaces to be varied as well as their panelisation. From the inital box that was deconstructed, points were extracted along the edges of edges of the deconstructed surface. These points could be selected and changed to create different lofted forms that would become the panelised surfaces. Another place were itterative design was posible was in the creation of the grids used to develope the panelised surfaces. Grids were placed upon the two generated surfaces, with the amount of points being able to be changed but for the purpose of this exercise left at 5x5. These were then offset to allow for the surface to be panelised, using an attractor curve with the maginute changed to increase or decrease the attatction. The location of the input geometries were also able to be itterated using a true-false patten to cull at ceratain locations across the grid. This process was not as direct as the previous ones utilised in making this task, as thery were more suited to influencing the outcome due to their obvious impact of the design.
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Design 1
Design 2
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SURFACE AND WAFFLE STRUCTURE Surface Creation
How to introduce 2D paneling in amongst the 3D geometries was the key question explored when the visual script was being created. The panel demonstrated here have not been combined yet as they are in the final design, but the beginnings of the process of combining the two types of geometries is present. Some geometries are 3D, with 2D surfaces incorporated in them in order to blend the grid of the surfaces. Full 2D geometries have also been exploded, which are incorporated with this hybrid 3D shapes when the pattern is applied in the script. Exploration of perforation on different types of surfaces was an additional experiment, looking at how something delicate could be brought into the harsh, jagged surfaces created. The holes are also there to examine the capabilities of CNC fabrication, whether the precise technique is possible to be used to create this delicate outcome.
Design 3
Design 4
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Isometric View
The requirement of using 2D and 3D geometries to panellise the surfaces was taken into great consideration, with the aim to introduce the 2D panelling into the 3D surface as smoothly as possible. The 3D geometries have pyramids that have been cut into so that there is the opportunity for 2D shapes to be introduced into the individual forms. On Surface 1, this allows for a blending of the grid between the 3D and 2D, not distinct and separate. Surface 2 uses this design of the geometries to maintain it’s jagged nature whilst still filling the brief.
The surface iteration chosen for the final design of the task came with challenges in creating the waffle as a result of their twisting and irregular form. The script provided in the lecture needed to be adjusted in a way that enabled the horizontal plates and vertical fins to be slotted together to form the structure. The contours of the surfaces needed to be adjusted as well in terms of the direction of fins generated across the surface due to the complex lofted surfaces.
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SURFACE AND WAFFLE STRUCTURE Laser Cutting
A key limitation that must be considered when generating a design for laser cutting as a net is whether or not the geometries can be unrolled. Due to the complexity of the 3D geometry used on Surface 1, they had to be broken down into individual nets at some locations so that the unrolled shapes would not overlap. The geometries on Surface 2 did not have the same issue, with 3 of the being able to unrolled at once in some cases. However, laser cutting was able to produce the desired delicate perforation on some of the geometries’ surfaces. This fabrication technique allows for precise results, and with the circles used to perforate the panels being only a couple of millimetres wides this was a much more effective and efficient method of production compared to manually creating the effect.
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Lofts
1.1
1.2 {30,0,150}
1.3 {90,0,150}
1.4
Key {90,0,150}
{0,0,0}
{0,90,150} {0,0,60}
{150,30,150}
{0,150,150}
{0,150,150}
{150,30,150}
{120,0,0}
{30,150,0}
{150,60,0}
{150,60,0}
{150,120,0}
{150,150,0}
{150,150,0}
{150,150,0}
{150,120,0}
{0,150,0}
{0,120,0}
{0,150,0}
Paneling Grid & Attractor Point Paneling
{Index Selection}
{Index Selection}
{Index Selection}
{Index Selection}
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
{Attractor Curve Location}
{Attractor Curve Location}
{Attractor Curve Location}
{Attractor Curve Location}
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
Task A Matrix
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Attractor Curves Grid Points
{0,150,150}
{120,0,0}
Control Points (X,Y,Z)
SURFACE AND WAFFLE STRUCTURE Matrix and Possibilities
Script was created in grasshopper to project the perforation on the surfaces of the input geometries.
The variables changed in Grasshopper to create the final design were all to generate a more complex form. This was the desired design outcome, done to fully embrace the computer software and testing the limits of this method of fabrication. Design 3.3 and 3.4 were combined for more variation in the panels can utilising the twist of the surfaces to be more dramatic in intent. The adjustment of the surfaces and the attractor curve strength enable the design to achieve the desired form enhancing panelisation that allows for the juxtaposition of the subtle and the bold to occur.
The waffle structure shows the extreme twist one side takes, whilst the other remains slightly more composed.
Similar forms, yet have the occasional light perforation hidden in the sunken surfaces.
Task A Exploded Isometric
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SURFACE AND WAFFLE STRUCTURE Photography of Model
The concept of the paneling design was the juxtaposition of boldness and subtlety, achieved through utilising the complex form of the surfaces to have two different yet similar panelisation. Surface 1 is less twisted nor concave, therefore more open to surroundings, the two geometries chosen to be placed on this side reflecting the simplicity. The other surface is far more dynamic in both it’s paneling and form, however subtle, delicate perforation has been introduced to contrast against this harsh form created. The light that penetrates the interior from both sides creates a complex experience of sunlight and space.
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Visual Scripting of Parametric Model
Scale of the geometries was adjusted based on distance of the centroid from the attractor point.
Cascading used to set up next stage of scriptewhich is not parametric in nature.
Different geometrics could be inserted at this point to change the outcome of the final form.
Point Attraction component used to establish a relationship of the distance between points. Geometries were rotated on an axis in the y-direction to give further complexity in the void spaces of the final design.
Similar to Task A, this part of the module had individual parts of the script that allowed it to be manipulated in terms of it’s parameters in order to achieve a desired effect on the design. After dividing the faces of a box and translating these new points in the y-direction to create four point grids, these could be manipulated to create irregular cells that the geometries that would be subtracted from the aforementioned box be located within. Moving the points in the grids was enabled by using point attraction, a command used again to shift the location of the centroids of the cells. The variables used to adjust the centroids were also used to rotate the subtracting geometries later in the script to create irregularity and uniqueness in the design.
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SOLID AND VOID Surface Creation
Controlling the point grid and centroid attraction enabled the subtracting geometries to overlap each other, so that that space too would be removed in the boolean process to leave a form that could be analysed in terms of circulation and threshold. The introduction of rotation enhances this element, with more unique shapes being cut into the solid and therefore varying the potential openings of a space.
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Central cavity could be an attrium space in a building is this form was used to create a large scale structure.
Location of where the tip of a cone has pierce box that the geometries were subtracted from.
Rotation of the cones can be observes in the different angles of the openings, which could frame different views of both the interior and exterior.
Task B Section Front A section cut was done through the booleaned geometry in order to get a greater sense of the voids left by the subtracted shapes. The spatial quality of these voids is expressed more clearly that the full original.
The spaces created seem to tighten at the openings and increase in space as one would enter, giving a clear threshold of two different voids.
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SOLID AND VOID Isometric view
Cones, although an unconventional choice, created an interesting combination of curved and straight edges and spaces when the geometries were subtracted to create the void. Each iteration explore the qualities of these different types of curves and the different voids that can be created. The cone allows for both tight and wide chasms, with this change often occurring in the one space. The openings are varied, creating interesting thresholds between spaces due to the sharp and curved nature of the cone. The cones pierce spaces with their tips at certain points, creating a unique porosity to the object. These windows into spaces are often different to form of environment they look into, however the shape of the openings remain the same. The cone seems to have an irregular constant in a sense, creating a spatial experience unique to each void. Task B Section Back The other side of the section highlights the large amount of variation in spaces that the subtraction of the cones created. The places where the cones intersected with each other creates the most complex voids in the form.
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Point Grids
1.1
1.21
.3
1.4
Key Attractor Points Point Grids Grid Centroids
{Point Attraction Grid}
Cellulated Grid & Attractor Point
2.12
{Centroid Attraction}
Rotation & Scale
3.13
{Point Attraction Grid}
.2
{Centroid Attraction}
.2
{Point Attraction Grid}
2.32
{Centroid Attraction}
3.33
Task B Matrix
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{Point Attraction Grid}
.4
{Centroid Attraction}
.4
SOLID AND VOID Matrix and Possibilities
Voids in the roof allow light to enter the space below.
Volume of the spaces create a defined area for uses, tapering of the edges of the area whilst still defining it with an angle.
The matrix shows the parameters changed in order to get to the final design, this being Design 3.3. The magnitude of attraction was manipulated to create more intersections of the cones, which as a result would create more varying, interesting voids left after the subtraction. This change in attraction effected the grid cells and the location of the centroid within them. The other factor that varied the outcome was the centroid attraction, which was also used to determine the new scale and rotation of the cones. By creating this chaos of colliding, rotating shapes, the outcome was more complex in creating the contrast of spaces and the qualities they impart on a user.
Variety of openings created from the intersection fo the box and the rotating cones, causing the spaces to be framed in different ways.
Central passage through the space is defined by it’s height, caused by the close proximity of the cones.
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Task B Itteration 1 The interior and exterior of the space created in this segment is demarcated by the window openings and ledges that the booleaned geometry formed. This space is open on one side and closed off yet permeable on the other.
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SOLID AND VOID
Photography of Model
Task B Itteration 2 Cubes rotated based on the distance between two points created irregular, angular spaces, with entrances being more triangular and can open the interior environment in an unexpected way.
Three different geometries were used to subtract from the box, creating forms with very different spatial qualities. The first was the sphere, creating smooth voids that at intersections had the opportunity for thresholds to be observed in the form of openings into the next space or outside the box. However, due to the uniformity of the sphere in dimensions did not allow for it to be subjected to rotation and therefore could not achieve further exploration of the intersection of the subtracting forms. This lead to the cube being fed into the script, with it being rotated to create sharp, angular cavities. An objective that became clear as different geometries were being explored was whether the types of spaces being created by the voids were contrasting in scale, and the spatial experience this invokes. The final geometry used in Iteration 3 is the cone, which combines the effects of iterations 1 and 2 in one, with curving and flat surfaces and highly varied holes in the form.
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Task B Itteration 3 Sharp edges and curved forms create interesting contrast in the scale and form of the spaces. The spaces can be more intimate and small, or spacious and open.
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Appendix
Process
Generation of Ideas Since Task A required both individual design and parametric design, ideas were sketched out in order to figure out how to best achieve the smooth transition between the different geometries, mainly how to resolve the combination of 2D and 3D forms. The transition was to be smooth and subtle, and so the incorporation of the 2D into the 3D geometries was decided upon.
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Appendix Process
The taller the geometry and the more it leaned out of the bounding box, the more it would be affected by the curve.
The effect of the attractor curve was one of the parametres explored in these itterations.
Development of Task A
Direction of the geometries in Rhino mattered when it came to using the attractor curve.
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Various geometries were laid on the grid in order to find the best outcome for creating a panellised surface that incorporated the 2D and 3D requirement and the desired blending of the grid.
Appendix
Process
It was useful to group and label steps within the script so that when issues occured it was easy to find where it might have happened.
Waffle Structure Script
Solid rectangles were not entwined due to different
The script for the waffle structure had to be edited so that the rectangles could cut through the fins and contours. The issue was the twisting of the surfaces resulting in one of the surfaces having to have to contours being created in the y-direction, not the x-direction.
direction of the surfaces fins.
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Appendix Process
Deconstructing the domain to re-
From the domain constructed, the
ceive the multiplication factor used
surface was isotrimmed to find the
to create the array of circles.
area which was to be used for the plane which the circles would lie upon.
Geometry deconstructed into
Graphs used to manipulate the
the individual surfaces, will the
location of the circles for the
List Item component used to
perforation.
select the desired one.
Perforation Script The perforation was created in Grasshopper to experiment with the possibilities of the program. Parameters were set up to array a selected number of holes across the surface of a geometry.
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Surface Spilt component used instead of the Spilt command in Rhino.
Appendix
Process
Construction of Task B The waffle structure was unique in that it had a different number of fins touching the ground on either side. The best method for construction discovered was to apply the fins one side at time, otherwise they would pop out from the other side.
Surface with most fins touching ground completed first for stability.
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Appendix Process
Fabrication of Task B Makerbot was used to prepare the booleaned geometries for 3D printing. Some of the things that needed to be considered for the physical model was the thickness of the form and support for the model. These factors could effect the time of the print and its outcome.
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