Design Guo Yu Student No: 634209
Semester 1/2013
Group 9
? Response to Module 1 & Composition strategy In responding to Module 1, and tutor’s feedback immediately after the first presentation, I find a essential drawback of my initial idea; which is the lack of relevancy to my original chosen pattern. This is mainly because I accidentally chose a second pattern from the research of some precedents. After the seminar, I immediately take account of the issue and starting to think a solution of it. The central idea is to keep the overall form from flame, but switch and search the origin from my analytical drawings. My chosen pattern, the microscopic view of Martini, has a great range of scaling quality. Further develop and adapt of this quality into my lantern will be crucial. This process shall be demonstrated in the next few pages by using Rhino on the modelling of my overall form.
On the other hand, the lecture about composition strategy has been a significant in the past two weeks of digitization and modelling processes. As stated by Paul, the strategy of our pattern composition is about taking action as well as making judgement at the same time. In the TED talk by Thomas Heatherwick, those ideas has been revealed in many of his design processes. In particularly the seed cathedral where the overall form of the building actually is influenced by the decision of showcasing seeds. It is not inspired from a general natural pattern or processes, but rather from the basics of the design. It was developed from the design itself. Those amazing structures are there only to exaggerate the vast amount of seeds, and give rise to a strong visual impact. I think all those techniques will also be
very helpful especially in the next stage of my lantern design, where it becomes more open formed and by using Rhino; much more possibilities and opportunities can be discovered through and from the design process. The second reading on various approaches about abstraction is also phenomenal. I starting to understand that forms and origins of abstraction does not necessary to be defined. I think in order to achieve the best out of my lantern, a certain amount of free development must be undertaken just to consider the forms of abstractions.
Contouring a clay model As demonstrated in the orthographic photos, I have carried on from the flame form to make a clay model of it. After it was finished, I was fully concerned on how I can digitize it. As show on the top image, my initial approach was to use two of the strategies provided in the appendix. Because the base is split after a few levels. (Shown in the bottom right image) The middle parts are probably suitable to trace the profile curves. So I slice them off from the body. Because the two pinnacles are extended for a fair distance, I thought it would be easier to just cut them off and make it in Rhino. For the base unit, I decided to digitize it by cutting and tracing sectional slices of it. This process also has helped me to start to move towards my original pattern. The bottom image has clearly show a range of scaling. This actually relates to the scaling quality show in my analytical drawings. This aspect I thought will have to be carried on to any further development.
First Digitization
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I initially put the base units of the model into Rhino and started to trace the curves and loft it. However, I started to get a sense that it has not achieved my desired effect. The traced curves are simply too curvy on its edges that is departed from my pattern and analytical drawings. It doesn’t look good either. I had a conclusion that digitizing a clay model would just be in appropriate for my pattern and design so I should look for other options. So instead of trace the profile curves for the rest of the middle part, I started to do an experiment on the ‘Loft’ command in Rhino. In my thoughts, command Loft would be perfect for my further digitization of the overall form. The concept is simple to understand and the basics are very mathematical as well. It is also able to fit my original pattern, because by doing the scale command on a bunch of polygons and then loft them seems like to be the appropriate next approach.
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Second Digitization My second approach is completely free digitization on Rhino without any support from the clay model. In fact, I founding that it is much easier to manipulate without those supports, especially in the content of my chosen pattern. It is basically some scaling on ten-sides polygons and then move them vertically so it can then be lofted. The top part has been done under similar process, but rather in other kinds of polygons. I am quite pleased with the appearance of this particular
model. It has been strongly related back to my chosen pattern where many scaling has been done. Also because I have rotated the curves so it forms a spiral symmetry. And this kind of symmetry has also been demonstrated in my previous analytical drawings.
By measuring my own hand stretch width and length, the relatively appropriate dimension has been considered and stated above. Also in terms of interactions with hands. I thought it as an add-on of my right hand. The pointing down the bottom represent a sense of continuous dynamic from the natural curvature of hands and arms; In terms of the dimension of the lantern, I thought which then has been extended and split to numabout it quite thoroughly, where it should neither bers of branches to show the continuing flow of be too big or too small for one have to hold. movements.
Panelling I have created a few various kinds of 3D and 2D panels which some of them will be shown in the following parts. However, during initial panelling, I find that my lantern is extremely difficult to panel. Partially it is because of the complex geometry where many components have some of their surfaces being quite close to the others, which means I can only put 2D panels on those surfaces. Nevertheless, another major issues has been risen also due to the complexity of the geometry. I find it is essentially impossible to panel the whole structure at once and it is actually only possible to put one panel at a time on one grid section. It takes endless amount of time and effort which I think should be able to get away. This would be the central aspect I need to consider for further developments.
Origins of Panel Alternatives The origins of some of the ideas of my panel alternatives comes from the forms of transformations for my pattern in module 1. I find it is already pretty much shown a good range of alternative and only small changes and alterations needs to be done. Another important aspect to consider for the panel alternatives is the shadow and shade effects. I was thinking about using filtered, direct and extruded light effects for my lantern.
Also there origins have strongly related to my chosen pattern in terms of blending which has been demonstrated in the analytical drawing by those dotted lines connecting edges of polygons to the centre of it.
Panel Alternatives The three panel alternatives show below are very closely related to the forms of transformations. Alternative (1) could not been clearly seen from this image below, it actually has an opening on the top, which creates a very thin strip of gap allows only limited amount of lights when through. This idea of lighting effect comes from filtering. Alternative (2) has one surface of it been offset and blended. Gaps gradually become thinner and thinner and I believe this will create a unique shadow effect. In both of the two cases, the panel has not only been extruded from the base square surface, but also each of the four sides of the extrusion has been extruded again by a tiny margin. The hollowed parts which I believe will became relatively darker than the surrounding surfaces. And that will create a possibility of contrast for my lantern. Alternative (3) is taking idea of a extruded lighting effect, where the little irregular polygons in the centre will allow light to go through. All three alternatives are square based so they should perfectly join with each other after panelization.
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Tabs & Prototypes I haven’t got a effective light source so no actual light effect has been caught. However, the paper I’ve used tends to become too flexible after gluing, which is hard for assemble. The strip gap in prototype (1) does not seem to be successful, mainly due to the paper quality and similarly for prototype (2) as well. Since the blended strips are just too thin and too flexible. Prototype (3) has been relatively successful in terms of structural stability.