Digital Design M2 journal

Digital Design - Module 02 Semester 1, 2019 Yan He

(Student number: 980426) Sean Guy + Studio 16

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.

The three techniques are subtractive fabrication, additive fabrication and fprmative fabrication. Subtractive facbruication remove volume of solid using machanical, electrical and chemical reductive process. However, Addictive fabrication is adding materials layer by layer. Formative fabrication uses mechanical forces, steam and heat to form materials into desire shape.

Computer Numeric Cpntrolleled fabrication which is called CNC is curical for parametric modeling. It is much easier to analysis data and more accurate and easy to make complex model for people. This digital fabrication technologies bring much more endless possibilities.

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SURFACE AND WAFFLE STRUCTURE

Surface Creation

Firstly, I create a boundary defining by a 150x150x150 cube. Then I adjust the point to change the position of the edges. The points are on the edges of the cube which can be shown on the script on the left. After manipulating the lines, the lines could be lofted to form the surface.

Creating several attractor points is aim to change the height of the points on offset grid. In my final design, I have added two different points to achieve variation. and change the values on the unmber slides. To achieve the combination of 2d and 3d pattern surface, I use the ‘dispatch’ to mix two different patterns on one surface. And then the panel shows the order which are ‘true, true, false, false’ to create the ordr of two patterns. And then use ‘weave’ to combine them together. The other surface I have used the same method but with differnet attractor points and patterns. That is how I change my panels.

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SURFACE AND WAFFLE STRUCTURE

Surface Creation

I have changed several times the positions of the points along different edges, which have created different shapes which can be shown on the three of my iterations. And also I have increase my number slider to 20 to create much more interesting variation of my surface. I have choosed the third one because I think it has created a sence of interation. The corresponding points are chasing each other, but also create transformation at the same time. One surface is more bending and the other one is flatter comparing with it. I found grasshopper make the surface much easier to control.

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Isometric View

I have used four different patterns. They are all in the form of triangle, which create a sense of coherence. However, they all in differnet shape. Two of them are 2d flat panel and two of them are 3d panels. The opening on the panels could let light into the space. The pyramids create hiding spaces of shadows contrasting light going through. One surface has a pattern which are made up by two pyramids, there is a dense convergence at a point.

The whole waffle structure are made by 13 vertical layers and 7 horizontal layer. The function of the waffle structure is to connect inner and outter space. Two curved surfaces has create a special space which are from narrow to wide to make people feel open to the outside when they enter a interior space.

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SURFACE AND WAFFLE STRUCTURE

Laser Cutting

That is my laser cutting file. I have several mistakes in this process.

When I unroll my surface, there are many parts overlapping to each other, which made me confused. The things I have learned is that to seperate them properly when they are complex and each parts are close to each other.

And also I have print my panels with their tabs on the wrong scale, which means the tab are too small to stick them.

Therefore, I need to laser cut for another one with

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Lofts

1.1

1.2

1.3

{150,15,150}

Key

1.4

{0,0,0}

{150,0,135}

{0,60,150}

{0,60,150}

{0,15,150}

{90,0,150}

Attractor / Control Points (X,Y,Z) Attractor / Control Curves Grid Points

{150,150,135}

{0,135,0}

{105,150,0} {0,0,30}

{135,150,0}

{150,0,0}

{0,45,0} {150,45,0}

{0,0,0}

{0,75,0} {Index Selection}

Paneling Grid & Attractor Point

2.1

{Index Selection}

{Index Selection}

{Index Selection}

2.2

2.3

2.4 {490.475,-1694.39,403.795}

{394,-187,319} {-425,-36,0}

{-425,-36,0}

{394,-341,0}

{394,-341,0}

{51,327,0}

{-425,-363,265}

{-118.815,-312.279,1187.92}

{51,327,0}

Paneling

{Attractor Point Location}

{Attractor Point Location}

{Attractor Point Location}

{Index Selection}

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

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Paneling

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

SURFACE AND WAFFLE STRUCTURE

Matrix and Possibilities

Paneling Grid

4.1

4.2

4.3

{394,-187,319}

{7435,1714,-1104}

Key

4.4 {490.475,-1694.39,403.795}

{421,327,0}

{0,0,0}

{5861,1868,-1931}

Attractor / Control Points (X,Y,Z) Attractor / Control Curves Grid Points

{421,1163,0}

{-118.815,-312.279,1187.92}

{1142,-169,403}

{-870,-653,648} {108,-312,1187}

{-425,-363,265}

Paneling

{Attractor Point Location}

{Attractor Point Location}

{Attractor Point Location}

{Index Selection}

5.1

5.2

5.3

5.4

I tried to use different points on the edges, attractor points and different panels to achieve variations, the process can be seen in the matrix. The attractor points control the height and angle of the 3d patterns. One thing to make surface interesting is to change the shape of patterns. Then I selected the final shape of the surface and patterns. One pattern is a pyramid with an opening on it. I found really intersting is that the direction of opening is chaning along with the attractor points. In other words, I have used one pattern to create differentiation by using attractor points.

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Both 2d and 3d patterns on this side has opening on it, however, the direction of opening are different due to the attractor points.

The surface of this side are half made by solid pyramid which have no opening on it. This pattern create enclosed private space

The surfaces are along with the waffle structure, forming the interior space together.

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The opening on the panels bring light into the interior The space.

The waffel structure at back light could come in through thecreate shadows of hiding space.

Theyinare intergrity hollow waffel strcture one side. but they are in contrast at the same And in another side,time. the structure also create showdows. The whole structure is the base of streamlined surfaces.

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SURFACE AND WAFFLE STRUCTURE

Photography of Model

This is my laser cut model. I found that the overall shape of the model is streamline which create a sense of beauty and mobility. Meanwhile, the surface is corresponding to the waffle structure.

As for the pattern, as we can see, there is several pyramids are extend from the 2d surface, they are controlled by the attractor points. There are also 2d panels with openings incorporate in the whole surface.

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SURFACE AND WAFFLE STRUCTURE

Photography of Model

The narrow ‘entrance’ create shadows. By contrast, the photo on the left shows the wide space. The whole threshold shows the transition of the space from narrow to wide. The light could be come into the middle by the opening on the panels and panels without the openings could keep the light and form a kind of private spaces.

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Visual Scripting of Parametric Model

I firstly experience the whole process in rhino and grasshopper in the worshop with the geometric form, sphere, which I have remained it in my grasshopper script above. And then I add ‘point attraction’ to each point and change the value on the number slider to change the space in the 150x150x150 cube. And then I further develop the boolean shape, instead of using simple form of sphere. I have create the planes on xy-axis and then generate the geometry insteand of generating their position by controlling the points. I have change different shapes of boolean geometry to make the space of cut-off cube much more interesting.

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SOLID AND VOID

Surface Creation

The third model is boolean from several stramlined pyramids. This model could be deal with different functions when it be placed in differnet directions. The base could be regarded as terrain with high land and small lakes. The overhanging could be suspending building with support at one side.

It also could be seemed as coffee maker being in a smaller scale. When lay it on one side on the ground, it could be regarded as two buildings, which are in a bigger scale. There are a clearly threshold in between, which provided a space and entrance for people to walk in.

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I have cut the cube with the shape of star-base rhombus which bring more possibilities than the pyramid. This model looks like mountain ranges. The circulation would be wondering around. It create two different sides of space for people to experience.

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SOLID AND VOID

Isometric view

As for this model, after testing with the first model, I changed a little bit from sphere to ellips. Both of them create a space with smooth groovevs and sharp edges. This geometry is much more interesting because it is not only boolean with the intersection with same shape of circle. There is a overhanging part of it which create different experience feelings within in this space.

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SOLID AND VOID

Matrix and Possibilities

Key Lofts & Attractor points

1.1

1.2

1.3 {-86,45,0}

{0,0,0}

1.4 {-200,0,-23}

{-148,107,86}

{237,-23,239}

{92,-84,0}

{74,-98,-133} {-25,-707,-537}

{174,217,379}

{Attractor Point Location}

{Attractor Point Location}

{Attractor Point Location}

{Attractor Point Location}

Size Variation

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

Space exploration

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

I am exploring how I could change the shape of boolean geometry. Firstly, I change the dimension of the attrator points to change the boundary lines in the cube.

Then I use same shape and put them into the chaning cube to see the differences. I also try to use different spatial patterns as my boolean geometry to see how to would cut the cube and create the inner space. That is the whole process I explored within this cube.

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Attractor / Control Points (X,Y,Z) Attractor / Control Curves

{206,0,-155}

The first model has got several different views. The base is not flat. It has patterns on it. It is from low to high which welcome people to come into this place and experience it. It also got a small hollow at right side. The outline of this hollow is corresponding with the shape of overhanging part. This model is not only create the variation at the same level, it is actually in the same level. The curve on the second floor for me is quite nice with the 3d printing materials. The smooth shape of curve goes all the way to the ground. They could be seemed as two different parts but they connect to each other.

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One thing really interests me is the overhanging structure of this model. The shape is like a interesting column for me.

It is a triangular shape which the original boolean geometry is totally not relates to sharpe triangle. There are supporting materials need to be cleaned when I collected this model from Next Lab. The overall shape is symmetrical, however, there are differents of the depth and size of the depressions because the attractor points make the boolean geometry change. When place it up side down, it could be used as a desk for two peole being as a furniture.

SOLID AND VOID

Photography of Model

This model also has something to explore. It give s different feeling when it oriented different directions. When it sit on the ground, it is in the shape of mountains. It also can be seen as mountain-shape buildings aligned together. It has a clearly differentiation between inner private space and outter public space. The inner space could only be in from the entrance. People without access to this model could only wondering around it in a zigzag shape. In this case the circulation could be also interesting when people figure out the overall model. Being in the same scale, it could be a high-rise building with several layers building up. Those layers of floor are the pyramids.

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Appendix Process

I found it was not really secure for the laser cut waffle structure, so that I used masking tape to fix it.

I follow the laser cutting tips and cur the etch lines to remove the panels from the ivory card. I also use nicking knife to gental cut through the inner etch line to make my panels folds easily.

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Appendix Process

This is what I first laser cut card. The tabs is only 1mm, which is the width of tabs that automatically generated from rhino, however, the scale of this pattern is small. So I have to redo the tab and send it to laser cut again. This is the test to ensure my final model is in good condition.

After figure out all the problems, the last step is to fold all the panels and stick them together. Becuase the model is small, so it is not really easy to make and it took some time.

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Appendix Process

There are four screenshots from rhino to the process that I develop my surface. I changed the arrangement of panels for several times try to find a configuratiton. Then I decided to use the fourth one because it could be correspond with the attractor points better. Even though it is combined with 2d and 3d patterns, it has both open and closed figure.

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Appendix Process

That is what I have put in the makerbot ad send it to 3d print. The overall time took it to print out is 3 hours and 28 minutes. It did not took too long because there are not much supporting materials. I arrange the direction of each model and make the print process efficiently.

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