portfolio
Ian J. Kienbaum Master of Architecture Fall 2018 Applicant
The French social theorist Michel de Certeau discusses in his seminal work The Practice of Everyday Life about the individualism of the walker versus planned - by governments or nature - design. He writes, “The act of walking is to the urban system what the speech act is to language or to the statements uttered. At the most elementary level... it is a process of appropriation of the topographical system on the part of the pedestrian; it is a spatial acting-out of the place; and it implies relations among differentiated positions, that is, among pragmatic ‘contracts’ in the form of movements.” The pedestrian, in Certeau’s case, adopts the area as their own, creates the place of the area, and relates to the area with their movements. Foucault may build the panopticon, but Certeau’s says the individual makes it. Although Certeau writes about the intersection of the social group and the individual self when applying to urban environments, his theory, in my opinion, should be considered from an architectural perspective as well. Designers should not be searching for an end goal or a final product, but instead should continuously be improving how they think of space and how users, or pedestrians, inhabit, create, and relate within an area. The process of architecture should be holistic, continually evolving and responsive to users’ needs. Although aesthetics, technological innovation, and programmatic tendencies cannot be ignored in an architectural project, if the user does not fully interact with the structure, then the other three characteristics become ineffective. I believe my primary contribution to a project is the tools I have to facilitate my unique understanding of the user’s condition. In pursuit of furthering both my theoretical knowledge and my practical skills, I ask myself: what statements can I articulate through design for a user that they cannot, how could this approach create opportunities for user self-expression, and how to make the user’s unpredictable tendencies clearer. In this portfolio, I selected three main projects that represent my pursuit of a user-focused creative process. In the River Reverie project, I use sustainable design to empower the river conservation efforts. A project in Detroit, Nagel Park Extension, I use community interviews to aid in designing a landmark to give a voice to the community. Finally, a project I’m most excited about the Root + Roam project I use Microarchitecture to aid astronauts while exploring space.
Contents Dérive: Process creating further understanding of human behavior
Detroit River Reverie
04
North Corktown Community
12
Nagel Park Extension
18
Root + Roam
26
Built to Build
30
makeLab Trip
34
North Corktown Community Instructor: Michael Styzcynski Site: Detroit, MI Date: Spring 2016 After declaring municipal bankruptcy in 2013, Detroit has changed from a place of stagnation to a place of hope and change. For a long time, the outlook for the city was bleak. Over half population left from 1950 (1.5 million) to 2012 (670 thousand). Over half of Detroit children live in poverty. The high school graduation rate in the city is twenty percent lower than the state of Michigan. In the past few years, some positive changes have come to Detroit. The city’s rate of population decline has decelerated slightly, and the downtown area is undergoing a massive redevelopment with a new entertainment complex, a river walk, and refurbished hotels. The city is prioritizing public transportation with projects like the Qline. The investment in Detroit has not reached everyone. Inequality and poverty are still on the rise in the outer neighborhoods. Nonprofits in these areas ask how city planners are going to include and empower long-term residents and their children in the city’s redevelopment plans. In the following project, I liaised and interviewed with the nonprofit organization Heritage Works, conducted historical and land record research, and proposed a community park project for the North Corktown neighborhood.
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Belle Isle 1.5 M il
es
Downtown North Corktown\Briggs Neighborhood
Near the start of the nineteenth century, a group of Irish immigrant primarily from Cork, Ireland settled in an area west of Detroit which they named Corktown. In the 1950s, a highway was built splitting the neighborhood into two - Corktown to the south and Briggs neighborhood (after Brigg’s Baseball Stadium, later renamed Tiger’s Stadium) to the north. After the demolition of Tiger’s Stadium, Brigg’s neighborhood became one of the most economically and socially isolated areas of Detroit. In recent years, Corktown has become a hip locale, with new and nationally-reviewed restaurants, bars, and retail outlets. Hoping to lure businesses, artists, and tourists, Briggs neighborhood has renamed itself North Corktown. While nonprofits and community leaders wish to emulate Corktown’s success, while still incorporating long-term residents and their children in the redevelopment of the city of Detroit.
Corktown 05
Access
1
1 MLK Boulevard 2 Rosa Parks Boulevard 3 I-75
2
3
Key Locations
Second Sun: Capitalistic Eyesore
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1
6
In 1999, the Mandalay Resort Group built the MotorCity Casino in North Corktown. The 100,000 square-foot gaming space was constructed to bring economic revitalization to the area, and the building’s undulating roof references Detroit’s automotive history. Although built with seemingly good intentions, the neon facade is considered an eyesore and the addictive pastime is detrimental to the community.
1 Burton Elementary School 2 Motor City Casino 3 Heritage Works Offices 4 Michigan Central Station 5 Heritage Works Plaza
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6 Heritage Works Houses
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3
Green Space Abundance of Vacant Land Urban Farms Parks Urban Mountain: Dilapidated Icon
The Michigan Central Station opened in 1913. Similarly to the MotorCity Casino, planners chose the Corktown location in hopes of stimulating investment into the neighborhood and expanding Detroit’s downtown area. Since closing in 1988, the train station has become a symbol for blight. Barbed-wire fencing surrounds the Beaux Arts-style building, and until a significant replacement effort this past year, the windows were all broken.
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The nonprofit I liaised with was Heritage Works, an African drum and dance after school program. Through activities focusing on African culture, the adolescents participating gain confidence, learn skills and develop creativity, which can lead the students to better high school graduation rates. Ms. Greene, the director, outlined the main challenges for the group. They included a lack of transportation due to busy parents and unreliable bus service, unsafe walking routes due to vacant lots and blighted structures, and no central storage and meeting location.
Students performing at local events.
School
School Work
Home
After School Park
Student
Work
Home
Parent
After School
Daily Commute
North Corktown Neighborhood Proposal 07
Programmatic Distribution
Proposed Programmatic Distribution
Community Makerspace
Rhonda’s House
Office Building
Meeting Space
Visiting Artist Residency
Admin. Offices
Black Box Theater
Storage Space
White Box Theater
Creation Space
Home
Park
Afterschool
Visiting Artist Residency
Storefront
Meeting Space
Storage Space
Black Box Theater
White Box Theater
Creation Space
Storage Space
Admin. Offices
Storefront
20%
The current space Heritage Works operates out of is split between a community makerspace, Rhonda’s house, and an office building. In my proposed project, North Corktown would be the single location for Land Heritage Bank Vacant Lot Works. Vacant Lot
Home 30%
Building
10%
25% Park
50% 25%
50%
50%
After School 40%
Home
Park
Afterschool
Visiting Artist Residency
Storefront
Meeting Space
Storage Space
Black Box Theater
White Box Theater
Creation Space
Buildings
Storage Space
Admin. Offices
Vacant Lots Land Bank Lots
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Key Locations
Low Density Residential
Central Location
Existing HW Lot
Gateway to North Corktown
Highlighted are potential sites for the Heritage Works North Corktown location. The lots currently fit three criteria, presently vacant, proximity to Burton International school where many students attend, and adjacent to existing farms and parks.
Potential Sites
Parks
Urban Farms
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Nagel Park Extension Instructor: Michael Styczynski Site: Detroit, MI Date: Spring 2016 Studio: 4th Year Studio
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My proposal plan would increase community engagement by creating a locally coordinated food network integrating farmers, distributors, and consumers in one area, designing a multi-use art, sports, and community center, and an icon to express anticipation for an event, indicate a commencing activity, and most importantly give a visual representation of the people of North Corktown.
I worked closely with Ms. Greene while developing objectives, and I found the experience enriching and galvanizing. When I presented my proposal to Ms. Greene, she stated that I was able to express her feelings through the project the need for fresh, healthy food, safe walkways, and community landmarks. The voice enunciated through the place-making of the Nagel Park Extension would empower and unite the community for years to come.
Key Community Partners
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+
The Nagel Park Extension would integrate local nonprofits and allow for cross-pollination. Heritage Works would make use of the performance space and practice studios, ACRE, an urban farm nonprofit, is already operating on the proposed site and would expand under the proposal. On the eastern side of Detroit is the large food market aptly named Eastern Market. In Corktown in the 1900s, there was a corresponding Western Market. The Nagel Park Extension project would allow for Eastern Market Corporation to open an offsite market, further integrating the North Corktown into other neighborhood of Detroit.
Eastern
Western
ACRE
Community Urban Farming
“ACRE is a sustainable urban farm helping Detroiters eat healthy, local food by providing the highest-quality rare and heirloom produce possible. As a business we strive to earn a profit while improving the environment and investing in the community around us.”
Heritage Works
Eastern Market
“Heritage Works promotes youth, family, and comprehensive community development through cultural arts, traditions, and education. Our programs encourage personal and artistic excellence by promoting cultural understanding, skill and character development, physical fitness, and cultural fluency.
“Experience one of the oldest and largest year-round markets in the United States. Our goal is to build on Eastern Market’s rich history to make a healthier, wealthier and happier Detroit. “
African Drum and Dance Group
All Year Farmer’s Market
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Home
Car Park
School Bus Stop
Nagel Park Square
Community Activity Park
Urban Farms
Afterschool
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The coordinated circulation flows inform the intial design for the Nagel Park Square.
Offseting the circulation flows subtracts from the available area. Extruding the areas adjacent to the paths creates volumes to house the programmatic requirements.
Shearing the volumes allows for three things to happen. First the community can engage with the tops of the buildings. The angle of the roof allows for controlled water sheding. Lastly, the roof can use earth sheltering to increase the building’s efficiency.
In order to create a public square attached to the main circulation path, the two large masses are compressed.
The stage and accompanying landmark carve into the largest mass. Seating for viewing the stage is embedded in a grass form. The main circulation path is accentuated with a tree lined median.
The Nagel Park Square features an unfolding landmark that announces to the city that a community event is occuring.
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Section A-A
COMMUNITY CENTER
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MAKER SPACE
Section B-B
URBAN FARM MARKET
Section C-C
School
2.
ANCE INDICATO PERFORM R URBAN FARM MARKET
PERFORMANCE INDICATOR
1.
Bus Stop
C
MICHIGAN CENTRAL STATION MOTORCITY CASINO
A
A
Home
B
B
Market
35’ 12’
C
Park
Urban Farm N
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*click click click* GOOOOAL!!!
Apparently, he enjoys farming.
I don’t think there is a show today.
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Let’s hurry!
Mr. Nagel worked as a blacksmith in Corktown.
*boom boom boom boom*
I’ll carry the groceries for you. 17
Detroit River Reverie Instructors: Tom Nashlen, Dan Faoro Site: Detroit, MI Date: Fall 2016 Studio: Comprehensive Design Friends of the Detroit River’s mission is to improve the quality of life for participants of the Detroit River. Their goals for this future project are to have a place that can act as a place for education and celebration of the Detroit River. This studio was taught by a practicing architect with the assistance of a structures professor. There was heavy emphasis on LEED and following the building code.
South View
Event Hall 04
high Views, Open, Airy, Fresh, Warm, Social
mid Contrast, Low Investment, Options, Community, Intruige,Leading
Event Hall
Prefunction
AV Control Room
Public Toilets
Janitor Closet
Trash + Recycle
Server Staging
Kitchen
Storage Room
Elevator Machine Circulation
Entry
Bar
Lecture Hall
Elevator
Reception
Exhibit
Storage Room
Transformer
Coat Room
Controller’s Office
Bicycle Storage
Domestic Water
Showers
Public Toilets
Mechanical Fire Stairs
low Interactive, Earth, Dark, Deep, Serviceable, Private
File Storage
Open Office Suite
Work Room
Patio Space
Sustainable Systems
IT Server Room
Resource Library
Director’s Office
Wyandotte, Michigan
Electrical Closet
Program Diagram Wyandotte Boat Club
Imagery ©2016 Google, Map data ©2016 Google
2 mi Water Treatment Plant
European Monument
Gazeebo
Wyandotte
Michigan
hotos
Cloudy · 33°F 4:04 AM Golf House
Pedestrian Circulation
Circulation + Site Boundaries
Native American Monument
Site Adjacencies
Prevailing Winds
Site Boundary
Important Views
Vehicular Circulation
Sun Paths
Quick facts
Site Conditions
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The building as a leader.
06
The building as a frame
Boat Launch 78kW Capacity Solar Panels (5568 ft2) Geothermal Loops + Retention Pond
N 07
Exhibit Space
Storage
Library
Recep. Mechanical
Mechanical Office
Lecture Hall Offices
Office
Garden
First Floor
08
Second Floor
Prefunction
Level 3
Warming Kitchen Mechanical
Event Hall
Level 2
N
Third Floor
Level 1
09
Roof 51' - 4 1/2" Level 4 45' - 0" Kitchen 392 SF
Event Hall
Mechanical
3341 SF
298 SF
Level 3 30' - 0" Offices
Offices
Mechanical
1048 SF
265 SF
298 SF
50% SQ. FT.
50% SQ FT
03% SQ .FT.
17% SQ. FT.
Level 2 18' - 0"
Exhibit Space
Coat Room
Mechanical
2562 SF
49 SF
298 SF
Level 1 3' - 0" Foundation -1' - 6"
Summer Diagram
Glazing Calculation
Roof 51' - 4 1/2" Level 4 45' - 0" Kitchen
Sun Shading
392 SF
Event Hall
Mechanical
3341 SF
298 SF
Level 3 30' - 0" Offices
Offices
Mechanical
1048 SF
265 SF
298 SF
ASHRAE 55-2004 Using PMV Detroit Metro Airport Lat. 42.22o North Long. 83.35o West
Level 2 18' - 0"
Exhibit Space
Coat Room
Mechanical
2562 SF
49 SF
298 SF
Level 1 3' - 0" Foundation -1' - 6"
Winter Diagram
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Radiant Heating
Thermal Mass
Comfort Zone
Radiant Cooling
Comfort Calculation
Parking Lot Approach
Exhibit Space
River Walk Approach
2nd Floor Balcony
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Root + Roam Research Mentor: Jack Craig Researcher: Ian Kienbaum Site: Southfield, MI Date: Fall 2016 Project Type: Personal Project/Research
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Through the use of a NASA theory of In Situ Resource Utilization, this project investigates how 3D printing can build lightweight and low-impact extra-terrestrial structures by employing the use of local materials and the principles of Microarchitecture. The Earth’s moon is a staging ground to test these theories, then hopefully, missions further into our galaxy. The design would incorporate key Microarchitecture features including; separate work and sleep areas, a lightweight and portable structure with emphasis on visual connections to the outside, and decorative horizontal lines to give the illusion of a larger space.
Environment Control and Life Support System The ECLSS maintains the water purification system, air quality control, and the comfort zone for the habitat.
In Situ Resource Utilization Machine + Regolith 3D Printer The ISRU Machine is used to collect, process, store and use materials encountered during human or robotic space exploration. The regolith 3D printer would harness the materials that the ISRU machine collects.
Airlock The airlock serves as a storage space in transit to research sites. Upon arriving at the site, the airlock deploys the light frame structure with the ECLSS.
Space Exploration Vehicle II These vehicles travel in packs of two in case of malfuntion. Each vehicle has the capabilities to hold two astronauts.
Space Exploration Vehicle I A single astronaut operates the vehicle. Stored solar panels power the vehicle. The SEV travel range is 150 miles on a reasonable terrain.
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1. Print layer reaches half the height of the airlock 2. The print pauses while positioning airlock 3. Astronauts begin removing the stored items in the airlock
I. 1. Choose site 2. Astronauts diagnose site conditions for building generation 3. The regolith printer begins setting up based on the applied site parameters 4. Airlock placed off to the side during the initial phase of printing
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II.
1. The print nears completion 2. Astronauts assist the expansion of the pressurized interior inflatable
III. 1. Resume print 2. Astronauts prep the ECLSS cabinet for inflation
IV.
V. 1. ISRU Robot harvests materials, and place the solar panels at optimum angles 2. Astronauts complete their research at the site 3. Return inflatable to the ECLSS 4. The Airlock is packed and reattached to the SEV 5. Leave printed shell at the site for future use
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Hypothesis
Test
Hand Prints
Built to Build Research Mentor: Jack Craig Researchers: Ian Kienbaum, Brendon Veldboom Site: Southfield, MI Date: Fall 2016 Project Type: Personal Project/Research Key Contributions: Designing and building the machine was done with a coworker. Everything else represeted I worked on with the guidance of my research mentor.
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In the makeLab, my partner and I experimented with plastic 3D printers at the Lawrence Technological University but found the scale that it could affordably operate at was undesirable. A clay 3D printer was a completely different printing style and understanding than that of a plastic 3D printer. While I researched different concrete and clay printers, I also learned about In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). In Situ Resource Utilization is developed by NASA to create a process in which materials of another planet could be harvested and then extruded to produce a shelter for habitation. I began imagining the possibilities of pairing Microarchitecture with on-site ISRU (earth sheltering). The mobile, lightweight and prefabricated nature of Microarchitecture could serve as an activation device for these printed structures.
To begin the process of understanding how this different type of extrusion would work, I used a handheld 3D printer to emulate the unpredictability of printing with maximum material layer heights. The handheld 3D printer also allowed for a quick exchange between sketch pad and printed object. It essentially isolated the computer from the equation at the start. These models were exercises in printing on top of preexisting site conditions for an added advantage. This practice would, in theory, utilize as a 3D scanner in conjunction with the 3D printer. At the time I thought this would be an appropriate approach, but realized there would be too many unknowns to rationalize this method even with a scanner.
Product
Hand Print Notes
While these hand 3D printed models were produced I worked alongside my coworker designing the clay 3D printer. We looked at different types of machines but settled on the delta style 3D printer for the height potential of the outputs. The device went through iterations experimenting with how to extrude the material. In the first iteration, compressed air hit the clay directly. Unfortunately, the clay dried out before the tube completed. Next, we replaced the cap that pushed the material and maintained proper moisture, but the content still expelled inconsistently. Finally, we hypothesized that a piston-style movement would allow for adequate moisture and consistent discharging and shared our findings with the successive students.
Analysis
Space Exploration Notes
After testing the new machine, I gained a more in-depth understanding of the creation of earth shelter structures. I revisited my sketches and 3D hand-printing with new knowledge and was about to design models that the machine could realistically achieve.
Through the connections at the makeLab, we were able to borrow Detroit artist Jason Ferguson’s delta printer to observe the how the machine functions. This experience optimized our design when we built our printer.
My partner and I designed and built a larger delta printer. We used extruded aluminum for the vertical members, 3D printed joint pieces at the ends and aluminum rods as the effectors connected to the extruder’s head. We used smoothstepper motors connected to an Arduino board, Repetier to run the machine, and Slic3r converted our objects we would create in Rhino to printable G-Code.
Armed with a deeper understanding of the importance of the volume, we designed a new distribution system for our 3D printer. The machine racked when the extruder moved so we CNCed and assembled a more permanent base. Through our testing, we decided that a porcelain print surface would serve us best when printing. We also discussed modifying the material container so that it would be powered mechanically rather than the compressed air is the force. Hopefully, this would create a consistent extrusion quality.
Borrowed Machine
First Machine Iteration
Second Machine Iteration
Clay Prep Area Material Distribution Extruder Head Print Surface
Print Setup
The first print was essential to understand a couple of things. First, the controlling of the pressure of the compressed air, then the moisture of the clay is inconsistent so actively raising or lowering the air pressure based on the flow of the clay. This issue would also compound the problem if the print speed were too fast at certain parts of the print. While these created challenges, it added to the uniqueness of each print. This understanding paired with being able to process the output manually made sure the prints were determined by the user’s experience and knowledge. The outputs were not something that could be just plugged in and printed.
The material testing took into account layer heights, geometry testing, and print speeds. While testing these mechanical aspects, I learned the importance of consistency in the clay. Through hours of prepping for the test prints, I discovered the feeling the clay should have for the specific print type, the sounds the clay made before releasing an air bubble and ruining the print, and how the speed of the print could determine how much weight the lower layers of clay could hold.
First Print
Machine + Material Testing
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Final Tests
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Final Outputs
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makeLab Trip Instructor: Jim Stevens Researchers: Brendon Veldboom, Ian Kienbaum, Breanna Hielkama, Andreea Vasile Students: Sarah Britain, Paige Holcomb, Sara Alsawafy, Mateo Diaz, Alec Seaman, Cristina Mira, Ilinca MĂŽntules, Leonte Costin, James Elliott Site: Southfield, MI - Tirana, Albania - Bucharest, Romania Date: Summer 2015 Project Type: Research/Work Every year Lawrence Technological University offers a trip to Albania to learn about digital fabrication tools. In 2015, the makeLab, a nonprofit research group, developed and fabricated a portable CNC that fits into an average carry on bag for the use of Polis University in Tirana. The machine allowed the Albanian students to experiment with emerging digital fabrication tools. After visiting Polis, the makeLab team traveled to Bucharest to conduct a class at a local makerspace. The students had an opportunity to show off their grasshopper skills while creating a script for the project. My discussions with the students regarding the architecture and political climate of Romania were enlightening. Those interactions are what make these trips so great.
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Key Contributions: Assembling the machine, calibrating of the machine, and operating the machine on site. Teaching the students of the class how to create and manage cut files. Explaining the limits of the machine, tooling bits, and material.
Bucharest
Mamaia
Tirana
Dhermi Corfu
Athens
The parts and tools unpacked after the flight.
3x5 CNC Machine assembled at the Universiti Polis.
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Albania Workshop Instructor: Jim Stevens Group Members: Ian Kienbaum, James Elliott Site: Tirana, Albania Date: Summer 2015 Duration: Five Days
This design was meant to investigate complex molds for digitally fabricated bricks while also creating opportunities for light. The rules for the molds were ease of removing, lining up multiple walls to form the light wells, and matching up the milling surface textures. The volume carved from the blocks needed to consider the mold removal process and the strength required to hold up the blocks above it. These limits dictated the form and size of the worm.
3D Model
Key Contributions: I made the model and graphics. I also helped with the setup and cut of the RhinoCAM file.
CNC Fabrication Process
Concept Blocks
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Final Mockup
Romanian Workshop Instructor: Jim Stevens Group Members: Brendon Veldboom, Ian Kienbaum, Breanna Hielkama, Sarah Britain, Paige Holcomb, Sara Alsawafy, Mateo Diaz, Alec Seaman, Cristina Mira, Ilinca MĂŽntules, Leonte Costin Site: Bucharest, Romania Date: Summer 2015 Duration: Five Days
The goal of the workshop was to alter traditional Romanian wood shingles with the use of parametric and digital fabrication tools. Romanian shingles were typically designed with the surface dictating the form. Alternatively, we allowed for the shingle to prescribe the form. This intent resulted in developing three different shingle styles that depended on each other rather than the structure of the roof. With the given limits, the overall size and shape of the shingled structure are dependent on the size of each shingle, the time it takes to mill each shingle, and the amount of available material. With the use of parametric tools and a CNC mill, the final shingle design was fabricated.
Vernacular Architecture
15
6
9
30 shingles
105
48
81
234 minutes
Tolerance + Assembly Diagrams
Key Contributions: This project I worked on the design proposal, making the graphics and setting up the boards. I also helped with running the CNC and assembly of the wall.
Grasshopper Script
Process + Final
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