DIGITAL DESIGN FABRICATION SM1, 2017 HEART PROTECTOR
HUI YUAN KOH
799168 Matthew Greenwood
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1.0 Ideation 1.1 Object 1.2 Object + System Analysis 1.3 Volume 1.4 Sketch design proposal 1.5 Reflection
3.0 Fabrication 3.1 Fabrication intro 3.2 Design Development 3.3 Final Prototype development 3.4 Prototype optimisation 3.5 Final Design model 3.6 Fabrication Sequence 3.7 Assembly drawing 3.8 Completed 2nd Skin 3.9 Reflection 4.0 Reflection 5.0 Appendix 5.1 Credit 5.2 Bibliography
CONTENT
2.0 Design 2.1 Personal Space Analysis 2.2 Design Development Intro 2.3 Second Skin Design Proposal V1 2.4 Precedent Research 2.5 Design Development V1 2.6 Design Development V2 2.7 Prototype V1 + Testing Effects 2.8 Reflection
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In the second skin project, we need to design and fabricate a threedimensional wearable structure. It uses the body as site and response to the boundary of personal space. The fundamental material system we chose to explore for this project was Panel and Fold. This system is first studied through an expanding document file, the material logic is then applied throughout the project. Digital technology and fabrication are closely associated with our design process to create the optimum second skin model.
0.0 INTRODUCTION
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1.0 IDEATION
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Images obtained from photocopying the file.
Material system: Panel and Fold Studied object: Expanding Document File
1.1 Object
Most of the actual measurements can be obtained directly by ruler after photocopying the object from different sides and angles. A ruler is placed on the photocopier during the photocopying process to get an accurate scale while drawing. As the file is too big to be photocopied in plan view, some simple calculation is needed to get the length of the file. My drawings for all three plan, elevation and section are then drawn in scale 1:2. When the drawings are transferred into this journal, it is scaled down to 1:4 to fit them in nicely.
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EXPANDING DOCUMENT FILE PLAN 1:4 0
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100
200mm
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MEASURED DRAWINGS
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A
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EXPANDING DOCUMENT FILE ELEVATION 1:4
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MEASURED DRAWINGS
EXPANDING DOCUMENT FILE SECTION A 1:4
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13 Upper left: Plan view Upper right: Left elevation Bottom left: Front elevation
DIGITAL RHINO MODEL
Bottom right: Isometric view
14 The file is mainly made up of 4 components:
Tab is folded and glued at the bottom part so that small label can be insert.
1.2 Object + System ANALYSIS
Separations sheets - 12 plastic separation. Provide compartments to separate and organise documents. - A tab for labeling the compartment is located on top of each separation in orderly manner. - The sides of each separation (shaded in blue) are connected to folded plastic sheet by thermal joint. Single separation sheet
Folded Plastic Sheets - 2 plastic sheets folded in zig-zag form. - The sides of each sheet (shaded in red) are connected to the cover by glue. - An important component to keep the file intact and hold the separation sheets. Cover - A piece of rectangular plastic layer, folded at different position to form outer layer of the file. - Made of material which is durable and waterproof to protect the documents in the file. - Multiple narrow straight line folds (shaded in green) formed a curve when the file is being opened or closed. -4 holes on the layers are used to insert and hold the elastic string. Elastic string - An elastic string which is inserted on the cover to form an elastic loop for file closure. - Has metal clip at both end to secure the string onto the file.
cover
folded plastic sheets
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45 ° (widest angle to open the file)
60 °
80 °
Illustration of the movement of the file during closing process.
When the file is opened, they will be expanded more on the top part and compressed a little at the bottom part of the sheets like a fan. This form allow the file to be expand and compress easily without damaging the documents in the file. Illustration on how the elastic loop work
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“Unfold the Line�
1.3 VOLUME
Upper: Front perspective view Bottom left: Plan view Bottom right: Close up view showing the fan feature taken from the folded plastic sheets of expanding document file.
17 “Unfold the Line� My reconfigured system object is created by cartridge paper and strips of screenboard. A few screenboard strips is glue together, cut and folded in certain angle to create the spine of the model. The fans in the model have the same height but various length. They are glued one side to the spine at different position to act as supports. The model is elevated in the middle section to create a volume. Main objective of this model is to showcase the fan and folding curve elements I have taken from the expanding document file. This have shown that a rigid structure can be created using only thin flimsy material through the fold and panel system.
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1.4 SKETCH DESIGN PROPOSALS
Outer layer can be expanded depends on the situation and people the user is interacting with. It can be detached when user located at crowdy place.
Inner layer can be easily manipulate and shape to fit the size of user. It helps the user in avoiding contacts with strangers at crowded area. (Arzuaga 2011)
Folding and panel elements taken from the previous sketch model.
Sketch Design #1 Double-layered / Transclucent / Expandable / Barrier / Detachable/ This design contains 2 layers which respond and change to different size of personal space at various situation. In a crowded places (eg. public transport) , personal space is forced to minimized to inner layer only to allow easy movement. Whereas at spacious places, user’s personal space can be expanded using this fan-like outer layer. Transclucent material represent the personal space that can’t be seen but it’s always there.
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(Unknown n.d.) Source : Pinterest
Sketch Design #2 Spiky / Triangular geometry / Armour/ This chest armour and mouth guard is for users who hate being too near to someone. It can keep people in distance just by its appearance and if anyone invaded the user’s personal space, they will get pricked as a warning. In a way, it represent the distrust of others in current society -- forcing away people who is too friendly to us, thinking they have bad intention.
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Made of soft, foldable and opaque material. It allows user to wear it like a scarf or a hood.
Can be manipulated to form different size and shape which suit the users.
Both side of shoulders are used as support/ pivot.
Inspired by pictures of lady who like to cover their face behind the fan. (Antonio, c1700)
Sketch Design #3 Elegant / Boundary / Flexible / Expandable/ This piece of garment has a very flexible design. It allows user to decide how much they want to cover their face and upper body parts to the people around them by folding or unfolding it. Under the personal space cover, user can do anything without concerning others’ thoughts.
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“Like the porcupines in Schopenhauer’s fable, people like to be close enough to obtain warmth and comradeship but far enough away to avoid prickling one another.� --- Sommer, Personal Space. (1969)
From Module 1, I learned different kind of material system which can be implemented in our architectural design project in the future. I did not completely understood the fundamental mechanism of panel and fold system in the system analysis and reconfigured model exercsie. When I look back at my reconfigured model, it resemble more of a Skin and Bone system instead of Panel and Fold. Therefore, I think I should do more research on the material system logic and look at more precedents of panel and fold system before starting a sketch design. I focused too much on the folding part and did not realise the lack of variation in paneling of the system. This mistake hugely affect the later work.
1.5 ReFLECTION
This quote described the personal space of a person well and it especially applied on an introvert person. It helps me in developing second skin later during the design phase.
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2.0 DESIGN
Module 2 - Design phase of the project is carried out together with my group mate, Zhiyin Wang.
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2.1 PERSONAL SPACE ANALYSIS
extreme personal
extreme personal
very personal
extreme personal
very personal
personal
extreme personal
very personal
personal
safe distance
very personal
personal
safe distance
INFORMATION OF THE USER personal
Physical: Female, young girl, 165cm safe distance
Personality: Shy, introvert, antisocial Background: Victim of domestic violence / school bully Personal space: By creating a barrier around head and upper body parts, user will be able to block off any interactions with other people because socializing drain her energy. Besides, the user will be able to gain a sense of security.
safe distance
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not realistic
OPTIMIZATION
too long
From Sommer’s Personal Space, he stated that personal space is a boundaries around a person’s body which intruders may not come in. From this reading, we also understand that personal space varies from person to person and have different stages. Therefore, we have made a design which aims to protect female users who are uncomfortable around people because of their unfortunate past. The design we came out with at the beginning is the combination of 2 chosen designs from M1
journal. The key characteristics from each design are integrated together based on the personal space analysis. It consists of an expandable hood structure that covers area around the head and a fan structure that ties to the arm. The hood can be expanded when the user feels insecure around strangers or crowd to block out any contacts with them. As the user raises her arm, the upper body and the sides of the body which is more sensitive will be covered by the fan structure.
easy to move
2.2 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT INTRO
can be made
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In the process of design developing, we have taken the fan element from the document file and researched about various kind of folds. Fan structure is interesting in a sense where they can unfold at different degree and we have implemented this mechanism in our following designs. By folding at different angle and pattern, the fan structure will expand and bend into different shapes which occupy different amount of volume. Making sketch paper models also made us realise that an exact curve on the hood is not feasible so several angle folds are made to produce the similar curve around the neck. Furthermore, instead of covering the whole arm with the fan structure we focus down to just the forearm as that will be more correspond to the personal space analysis we did.
This design is inspired by ruff, a fashion item in Europe during Renaissance period. It was a symbol of status and wealth, as it is a highly luxurious item. Therefore, this design of the second skin does not only act as a firm barrier between people, it also encourage the user to be more proud of themselves and confident to face the society. Furthermore, the curve in the structure preserve the elegancy of the female user. The angle of the fold is made in such a way that the structure fits the body shape of the user.
PLAN VIEW
FRONT ELEVATION VIEW
ISOMETRIC VIEW
PROCESS OF RHINO MODEL MAKING
2.3 SECOND SKIN DESIGN PROPOSAL V1
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The diagrams above show the stage of personal space and how the second skin varies in each stage. Instead of attaching an external system to fix the expandable hood at each stage, we tried to use the panel and fold system. That is applied by pushing out the edge of the panels which folds inward as shown in stage 2 to 4. The tension of the panels pushed against each other, hence support the whole structure.
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Isolation/ Collapsibility/ Intimacy/ Communicative/ Wearable/ This project is about isolation, intimacy and ornamentation. It has the folding system much like the one we are working on. The ability of fold make them transform and collapse. The aim of Veasyble is emphases on the change of mood in people, the search of both separation and companionship at different situation. This is because the project remind us to always look for the beauty within ourselves and share connection with others in the surrounding. We have notice Veasyble has this 3 forms we called them: ‘the bag’, ‘the hood’ and the mask. All of them can expand to different extend. The big volume of ‘the bag’ can even fits 2 person.
(Veasyble, 2010)
2.4 PRECEDENT RESEARCH
Veasyble by GAIA
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After evaluating our present designs, I found out that even though the second skin execute different stages depending on the situation, we did not explore the volume that project out of the body to show the different distance of each personal space stages away of the body. By implementing some key ideas such as complete isolation and wearable characteristics from the precedent, we develop our design into an enlarged hood structure that sits across our body with its end hook to a support system. The expanding hood indicates the personal space user needed at different situation such as day and night. The support system holds the hood structure so that the second skin is wore stably on the user’s body. The length of the rod on the support system also define the personal space distance away from the user body. This changes then solves our problem of personal space not thoroughly explored and shown.
The keywords we have taken from the the precedents into this design is isolation and wearable. They have evolved our design into 2 big hood structure hanging of the center of the user’s chest from the support system. As the user become insecure and nervous in the crowd, she will expand the hoods and it will narrow her vision down until complete isolation when the both hood is closed. In the previous design, we did not consider how the second skin is fixed to the user’s body. Therefore, the design is improved by adding a support system into it. The support system model is made by a few commands we learned in the rhinoceros intensive workshop such as MeshtoNurb and BooleanDifference.
PLAN VIEW
FRONT ELEVATION VIEW ISOMETRIC VIEW
2.5 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT V1
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As we develop the last design while referring back to our personal space analysis, we discovered that by varying the size of the hood, the boundary of each stages can be shown more clearly. The pictures of the Veasyable project showing the models at different environment had give us the idea of camouflage. Since our user is an introvert person who dislike socializing, she would like to blend in the crowd and camouflage when she is in an unfamiliar places. Therefore the colour of the hood is black and white in colour. The white and smaller one is to be used during the day time; the black and the smaller one is to be used during the night time when most of the dangerous situations happen.
PLAN VIEW
ISOMETRIC VIEW
FRONT ELEVATION VIEW
2.6 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT V2
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We have tried different types of paper such as tracing paper, cartridge paper and watercolour paper during the sketch model making and decided that thicker paper is more suitable in making the hood structure of the second skin as it will be more rigid. We have selected the 240gsm heavyweight coloured card which has both white and black colour. As we made our full sized prototype, we encountered the problem of paper size. Single A1 sheet is not enough to made the whole structure so we have to fold a few hood elements and connect them together using double sided tape and cellophane tape. Folder rings is then insert into the holes which are punched at the end of the hood structures to connect them to the support system. Our attempt to make the support system is not very successful because the material we have chosen to use. We used aluminium wire as it is malleable and easy to shape but without sufficient material to support itself, the wire frame support system collapsed under the weight of the paper hood structure. This brings us to the conclusion of using increase amount of wire in the wireframe support system or use another material for the support system.
2.7 PROTOTYPE V.1 + TESTING EFFECTS
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As we develop the last design while referring back to our personal space analysis, we discovered that by varying the size of the hood, the boundary of each stages can be shown more clearly. The pictures of the Veasyable project showing the models at different environment had give us the idea of camouflage. Since our user is an introvert person who dislike socializing, she would like to blend in the crowd and camouflage when she is in an unfamiliar places. Therefore the colour of the hood is black and white in colour. The white and smaller one is to be used during the day time; the black and the smaller one is to be used during the night time when most of the dangerous situations happen.
37 In Week 3, we learned about the concept of developable surface from Surface that can be built from Paper in ‘Architectural Geometry’ by Pottmann (2007). They are special ruled surface that can be flatten without having distortion which. Developable surface are able to form undulating form that are made of a family of straight lines which then simplifies their fabrication stage. This feature is very important for us in further develop our design idea and also fabrication process. From Week 4 reading about abstract mathematical concepts in digital designing using CAD. The ones we are focusing on is abstraction and reduction. From what I understand, abstraction is about how the model is made and reduction which is the opposite, goes straight to the essential points of the model.
Upon reflection, I regret not applying these concept and Rhino’s modeling tool that I had learned during week 3 and week 4. I think we should use paneling tool to increase the variation of fold as our design at the end of the module is lack of complexity. When we make the support system for the hood, we should consider the weight of the hood and the material of the support system. Instead of using malleable wire frame, a better solution is to design a support system using MDF board but that means our second skin is not using the self-supporting characteristic of panel and fold system. The using of support system also contradict our concept at the beginning on the design development when we decided not to rely on external system to lock the hood at different stage. In response to the feedback for Module 2, we decided to redesign our second skin to tackle the problems on supporting, transparency and variation of panel.
2.8 ReFLECTION
The lecture about developable surface on Week 3 are quite insightful to me and I understand better compare to the given reading which contain too much mathematical terms. Something to be keeps in mind about developable surface is, it is ‘A surface made from moving a straight line through space’ (Rosie, 2007).
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3.0 Fabrication
Module 3 - Fabrication phase of the project is carried out together with my group mate, Zhiyin Wang.
40 This project is about creating a second skin that explore our personal space. Our ultimate aim for the second skin is to create a space for introvert female users who had unfortunate past to feel comfortable around people at different kind of situation. Our M2 final design concept is to create a personal space which can be transformed based on the situation the user is in. The other idea is using different colour of material to achieve the camouflaging effect during day and night time.
3.1 FABRICATION INTRO
This image illustrate each stage of expandable hoods for our M2 final design at different kind of scenario. The black one is used at night to blend into the dark and it’s bigger because people usually feel more insecure at night, especially female. The white one is smaller and able to used in crowded place such as during the ride on public transports. When the user is in a relax mode, for example when she is in a park alone during day time, the hoods will not be expanded at all.
41 FEEDBACK + REVIEW In response to our feedback for M2 final design, we have a few problems to solved. 1) Our design lack the variation of the panel and fold system as it only has one consistent fold. 2) The design needs to sit structurally on the user’s body without additional elements outside our selected material system. 3) The design is lack of transparency causing the user unable to move around easily when the hoods are fully enclosed. Therefore, we decided to go back to our first design and develop from it from square one.
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3.2 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Starting from the beginning, we want to carry on the concept of expandable hood.
Sketches are made to explore the possible designs. Variation of panel in response to the personal spaceis included in the design.
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Making of Rhino digital model and using Paneling tools to stimulate the variaiton of pyramid shapes. The earlier models are made of undevelopable surfaces which are not able to flatten in fabrication stages.
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Isometric view
Front elevation view
Plan view
Right elevation view
Left elevation view
Reading Response Week 6 ARCHITECTURE IN THE DIGITAL AGE - DESIGN + MANUFACTURING /BRANKO KOLAREVIC, SPON PRESS, LONDON c2003
The construction of continuous, highly curvilinear surfaces which feature in many contemporary architecture in the recent decades is the reason why digital fabrication was introduced in architecture. There is various kind of digital fabrication processes available today. Firstly, Twodimensional fabrication such as plasma-arc, laser-beam and water-jet cutting, involve two-axis motion of the sheet material relative to the cutting head, and are implemented as a moving cutting head, a moving bed or a combination of the two. The differences between these cutting technologies is the maximum thicknesses and types of materials that could be cut. Next, the subtractive fabrication involves the removal of a specified volume of material from solids using electro-, chemically- or mechanically-reductive (multi-axis milling processes. The milling can be axially, surface or volume constrained. The drill bits that are inserted into the cutting heads are different in sizes depending of the stage of the process. Moreover, milling can also be done in different rotational speeds based on the hardness or other properties of the material that is milled. Recent years in the building industry, CNC milling has been implemented in producing formwork for off-site and on-site casting of concrete elements with double curved geometry. The few examples are Frank Gehry’s office buildings in Dusseldorf, Germany and Bernard Franken’s “Bubble” BMW pavilion. Lastly, additive fabrication involves incremental forming by adding material in a layerby-layer fashion, it’s a process which is the converse of milling. The principle behind this type of fabrication is that the digital model is sliced into two-dimensional layers and the information of each layer is then transferred to the processing head of the manufacturing machine to produce the physical product. In our second skin design, digital fabrication is implemented when we were producing our 3-dimensional pyramid elements that are join together to form a self-supporting form. The design we made in Rhinoceros is unrolled into 2-dimensional form, which then cut and scored using laser-beam cutting. This fabrication method can produce accurate 3-dimensional measure for each of the pyramid element that we design in Rhinoceros.
3.3 fINAL PROTOTYPE DEVELOPMENT
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46 Reading applied to design
Digitally manipulated building skins brought new aesthetic qualities, tectonic and geometric complexities in architecture. Using a geometrically complex envelope, the structure of the building is then incorporated into the skin as it absorbs all or most of the stresses. Hence, the concept of combining two elements in one create a self-supporting form that open up more possibilities in the material and design aspect of architecture. This reading made us realise that by manipulating the surface of the second skin design, we actually able to make the skin self-support itself without using any external support system such as wireframe. Using NURBS isoparms the curvilinear surfaces on the structural skin are produced by triangulation or by the conversion of doubledcurve into ruled surface. During our redesign process, we faced the problem of fabricating doubly-curved surfaces. We tried using this method but the triangulation of a single pyramid element, especially those with hollowed surfaces are too complex when we unroll them in Rhinoceros.
VERSION 1
Pyramid element with hollow surface and doubly curved
Triangulation
The previous non self-supporting and overly complex design leads us to slight change of design and also the sequence of adding hollow surfaces in our pyramid elements. Another fabrication process that affect our second skin project is the length of the tabs attached to each panel. We found out that the longer the tabs, the more rigid the structure will be.
Unrolled surface. 2D shape becomes very complex and it is difficult to add tabs for folding.
47 Reading Response Week 7 DIGITAL FABRICATION: ARCHITECTURAL + MATERIAL TECHNIQUES /LISA IWAMOTO, NEW YORK: PRINCETON ARCHITECTURAL PRESS c2009 “Digital fabrication opens onto a sea of possibilities.” From this week’s reading, we understand that digital production is a generative medium that comes with its own host of restraints and possibilities. Digital practices have the potential to narrow the gap between representation and building, affording a hypothetically seamless connection between design and making. Digital fabrication which falls under computer aided and manufacturing category has long been use in the engineering and manufacture industries. They enable the industries to produce accurate physical models and prototypes quickly from computerised data. This technology which has been incoorporated into architecture in the recent years had brought many advantages in this field because using computerised process, architects are able work more efficiently and directly between design and construction. Folding is materially economical, visual appealing, and effective at multiple scales. Using digital fabrication, folding turns flat surface into a three dimensional one because material gain stiffness and rigidity after creating a complex geometrical structure. The skin can span distance, and came often be self supporting. Folding has a long history in craft-based practices and product design, for instance the Japanese origami that started in the early seventh century. It is in this context that digital tools are bridging a traditionally object-oriented practice and architecturally scaled work.
Process of making Digital Origami by Chris Bosse, 2007
48 Reading applied to design
In this week’s lecture, we were particularly inspired by the video about the Catenary Catalyst project done by the students at the University of Minnesota College of Design. Even with last week’s reading, we are still sceptical about self-supporting skin. Seeing how the students in the video made the project had convinced me that the structure will be flimsy during the making process but becomes rigid once everything is put together. During the lecture we were also prompt to think why does our pyramid elements varies at different location. What makes our design unique from others? In terms digital fabrication, the lecture showed instead of going through 2D drawing representations to make the products, architects can now directly create a product using the the digital information transformed from the 3D models. For us, the straightforward method is learned in this subject by implementing 3D modeling program like Rhinoceros and Paneling Tool plug-in. We were able to produce accurate models in short amount of time. By labeling the unrolled surfaces and locating the parts in Rhinoceros, we were able assemble the print out parts relatively easy compare to traditional hand drawn method.
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While making our second prototype, we faced the problem of not able to connect the hood with the second skin around the body. We thought of many solution but they did not work because they seems to be forced together instead of being one integrated structure. Therefore, we change our design once again, this time, thinking how to connect them together with gradual change of shape and size. HOOD-BODY SKIN CONNECTION In this development, the structure at back part of the body skin is made of rectangular panel with side connected to the triangular edge of the pyramid so that the size of the modular elements have similar height. The hood is then join together at the top part of the rectangular panel near the neck. The hood which is also made of rectangular panel then could be blend with the body skin structure.
Connection of the hood and body skin structure near the
Pyramid edge connect to the rectangular panel to form a prism
Digital and physical model of the hood and body structure connection.
50 REFINEMENT OF TAB LENGTH
REFINEMENT OF TAB’S RECESS MAGNITUDE PYRAMID ELEMENT CONNECTION In our previous prototype, we used 3mm tabs but it did not give us a firm structure, we changed them to 5mm ~ 10mm, varying at different areas. As we increase the length of the tab, we also have to think about the perforation of that pyramid element. If it is too long, it will be seen from outside through the holes. Another aspect about the tab we refined is the recess magnitude. With a bigger recess, we will be able to fold and join the part easily without any crooked edge.
Pyramid element with developable surface.
Unrolled surface
Smaller recess
Crooked edge
The sides of the pyramid element are thenjoin together with a mixture of adhesive and staples from the inside to form a strong rigid structure.
3mm tabs
bigger recess
10mm tabs
Good looking
Perforation is added later on the surface by offseting the panel’s edge one by one.
PROTOTYPE OPTIMISATION: EFFECT
Version 1
Version 2
PYRAMID ELEMENTS SIZE VARIATION
PERFORATION VARIATION
Comparing the digital model version 1 and verison 2, in version 2 we made size variotion of pyramid at different area. The size of the pyramid can be compare clearly at the shoulder area, where the right shoulder has taller pyramids compare to the left shoulder ones.
Our personal map analysis had improve over the period of designing. We think that personal space can be varies in 2 different ways, distance and sight. This is because some body parts, for example the shoulder are less sensitive when other people look at it but very sensitive when people touch it. A bigger shoulder can also helps the introvert and mentally weak user to be more confident and stronger.
Personal Space (Distance)
Personal Space (Sight)
Red area indicate the personal space of the female user. Right shoulder has bigger personal space because right hand is the
Orange area indicate the least personal space of the female user. The female user do not like others to look at their breast as they are sensitive.
Personal Space (Distance) decrease
Personal Space (Sight) decrease
3.4 FINAL PROTOTYPE OPTIMISATION
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52 MATERIAL CHOICE We have used different type of material to make our pyramid element. We were thinking of using clear prolypropylene to provide more transparency for the second skin but it was hard to connect the pyramid elements. Furthermore, with the see through characteristic, we will be able to see all our connection between the pyramids from the outside. With the variation of perforation, we will have enough transparency for the design. We also tried 2mm box board, The thicker and rougher material make the design looks less sophisticated. It is also very hard to fold the tabs because of the thickness. Therefore, we used 290gsm white ivory card because it is cheaper, easy to join and more refined finish. Left to right: Ivory card, Polypropylene, box board
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PROTOTYPE OPTIMISATION: FABRICATION + MATERIAL USAGE The laser cutting files are the comparison of 2D shapes obtained after unrolling prototype 2 and final prototype. In prototype 2 because of the double curve we cannot use UnrollSrf command in Rhino so instead of that we used ptUnrollFaces. This command can only explode faces but it insert label automatically on each tab. Whereas, we were able to use UnrollSrf command because we solved the doubly curve problem using Mesh. UnrollSrf does not automatically insert labels so we have to use Text command to write down the label number one by one on the tab. This is time consuming compare to using ptUnrollFaces. On the other hand, we were able to save up lots of material, cutting time and printing money by unrolling surface into geometrical form as seen in the later version of laser cutting template. This is because the machine was able to cut lesser compare to cutting each of the exploded triangular shapes. During assembling the elements, the later version also save up significant of time
Version 1 fabrication process
Version 2 fabrication process
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3.5 Final diGITAL MODEL
PLAN VIEW
RIGHT ELEVATION VIEW ISOMETRIC VIEW
FRONT VIEW
LEFT ELEVATION VIEW
BACK VIEW
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HEART PROTECTOR This second skin is design for introvert female users who was used to be bully victim. Its spiky design protect the user from her personal space’s intruders. The design also help her to be more confident and stronger to face the society once again. This design consist of two part, the expandable hood which block the eye contact and communication of the user from the surrounding people. The second part is the body skin structure which has varying perforated pyramid. The variation shows the changing of personal space at different part of the upper body. We hope that this can provide a sense of security to her, to her heart.
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3.6 FABRICATION SEQUENCE
3.7 ASSEMBLY DRAWING
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3.8 COMPLETED 2ND SKIN
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3.9 REFLECTION
65 Through this two weeks’ readings and lectures, we deepen our knowledge regarding to digital fabrication, from how it started in the architecture field to the different types of digital fabrication method. I think the gap between designing and construction is getting closer as digital fabrication are more widely used in architecture, a seamless connection as stated by Iwamoto (2009). We might even say architects now have some characteristics of a master builder during the renaissance period. As laser cutting and 3D printing is getting more commercialise, maybe in the 10 years’ time, the technology will be so advanced that all houses are built using digital fabrication because it can save time and client is able to customize the appearance of the house. For this module’s work, I am glad we redesigned the second skin as it has more complexity now and also relates more to the personal space. During the design process, we have chosen pyramid as our structure’s element. Even though it is a very common structure used by student who is doing Panel and Fold, at this point of the design project our aim is to produce a final piece and fully understand the material system’s logic through the design process. During the making of Prototype 2, we realised the structure can’t be self-supported on the user’s body and thinking of using wire inside the structure to support it but this will turned the material system in Skin and Bone which is not what we want. The connection of the hood and the body structure is also one of our main problem during the design and fabrication stage but Rosie’s advice gave us a good insight and helped us to overcome the problem.
There is a problem we faced during the fabrication process which still puzzled me, how do we know that we had unrolled our model parts in the right direction for laser cutting? When we did our final design, we found out that half of the elements are folded in the wrong direction which leads to more time taken to remake the model and aesthetic quality of the model is reduced. This could be a major problem that will affect my model in the future design studios. When we thought our final model will be selfsupporting and looks like the digital model when it is fully assembled, reality and gravity hit us hard. Due to gravity on the model and tension between the elements, the final model doesn’t show much of the volume which we had design in the digital model. Furthermore, the model is slightly bigger than both of us because we modelled it on a female model which has broader shoulder than us. Scheurer and Stehling (2011) have stated, ‘A model, by definition, is always an abstraction of reality.’ I have understand this sentence now.
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4.0 Reflection
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68 In Week 10’s reading, we learned that with the advance of digital technology and fabrication, craft is redefined as a process of bridging not only between tool and products but also between design as a process of imagination and production as a process of technique (Marble, 2008). While many manufacturing and production processes are industrialized and digitized to avoid risk, craft are always there, mediating between humans and technology because it is needed to deal with risks relating to alternative outcomes. From the design process of this second skin project, there is many uncertainty which is related to the feasibility of the abstract ideas we came up with in the first stage of designing. Crafting are then used to test the ideas and improve it so it will be able to apply on the model. During the design module, we tends to avoid risk and unknown because we are not confident in creating a model using a new method, this ends up with a design with low complexity. After prototype v1, I think we have included some degree of design risk because we want to design something more creative and evocative but at the same time able to construct at least a final model that can sits on the user’s shoulder soundly before Module 3 presentation due to the limitation of time. This journey started off by choosing the expanding document file not knowing it will become our material system that dictated the rest of the subject, then slowly understand the material logic and characteristics of Panel and Fold system throughout the first three phases of project. I think we will not take this long to understand the material system completely if we constantly go to lecture and research more about it. At some point, our idea is weak and leads to redesigning of second skin from square one; we came to so many problems during the designing and fabrication stage but we overcame them; and finally, even though it is not the best, we were able to produce a second skin model to present on Module 3 presentation
day. If we have developed and analysed our idea into a more creative one, we will be able use the time to produce more prototypes and a refined final second skin. Through this problematic and chaotic design process, I learned and gained lots of experience. First, understand our basic concept before further developed the design. Second, we should constantly evaluate our ideas and designs based on the basic concept, design brief and the learning objective of the subject. Third, preparing for fabrication process is very time-consuming, I hope Rhinoceros will have an auto labelling system for chosen edge in the future and also a nesting system to nest our unrolled surfaces efficiently. Fourth, digital model and physical model acts differently, that is why we do lots of prototyping. As we are not satisfied with our final model, my groupmate and I actually remake another model for the photograph session, which are very firm and shows the volume of the personal space. By adding a cuboid element below each pyramid elements, the structure become very stable. The only problem is the method to join them together completely without a gap. We should test on different kind of adhesive before making the final model. It is a regret that this is not the model we presented in Module 3. Overall, even though I questioned myself on picking such a difficult and tiring subject, I am happy that I have completed Digital Design Fabrication. Big cheers to my group mate, Zhiyin Wang who went through this with me. I would also like to give my gratitude to my tutor, Matt who guide us through the journey, not to forget the tech tutor, senior tutor, subject coordinator and critics that came to the class and helped us.
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5.0 APPENDIX
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5.1 Credits
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Drawings
Computation
Model Fabrication
Model Assembly
Photography
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73 Antonio, Pietro, c1700. Painting, viewed 8 June 2017, https://www.pinterest.com/ pin/564216659540650396/ Arzuaga, Amaya, 2011. Spring 2011 RTW, photograph, viewed 8 June 2017 http://orlandaspleasure.tumblr. com/post/38751305902/amaya-arzuaga-spring2011-rtw
GAIA, 2010, Veasyble, photograph, viewed 8 June 2017, https://www.yatzer.com/Veasyble-by-GAIA Kolarevic, B 2003, Architecture in the Digital Age Design and Manufacturing /Branko Kolarevic. Spon Press, London Marble, S, 2008. Building the Future: Recasting Labor in Architecture/ Philip Bernstein, Peggy Deamer. Princeton Architectural Press. pp 38-42 Sommer, R. 1969. Personal space: the behavioral basis of design / Robert Sommer. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, c1969.A Scheurer, F. and Stehling, H. _2011_: Lost in Parameter Space? IAD: Architectural Design, Wiley, 81 _4_, July, pp. 70-79
5.1 Bibliography
Asperl et al, 2007,Surfaces that can be built from paper / In H.Pottmann, A.Asperl,M.Hofer, A.Kilian (eds) Architectural Geometry, p534-561, Bentley Institute Press