Concrete sense by inaqui carnicero

LAYERING CONCRETE Xin Zhang xz394@cornell.edu

CONCEPT

grass plexi a piece of tape chipboard

Because of the character of concrete, it has a great potiential of showing different textures/qualities in multiple layers. That is where this project starts.

mixed concrete

Process

The original idea is bringing texture of grass into concrete, not on the top surface, but inside of concrete which could be somehow revealed. In this sense, concrete can still

1. Making framework by chipboard and plexi.

serve as a regular one but within some subtle texture. The

2. Adding grass to make texture.

first step is makeing the formwork(showing on the right). In

3. Pouring mixed concrete down into the framework.

order to control the grass in same direction, a piece of tape is added into the bottom of formwork. When concrete is finally casted, the texture of grass can be revealed on the top surface, even though the surface is actually perfect glossy(because of the formwork of plexi). After that, the tape was removed. This action gave another unexpected quality to the concrete. Finally, this piece of concrete has both top surface and lower surface with differeren texture. One is glossy with subtle texture and the other is rough with the texture of grass itself.

MIXTURE Taking the idea of layering concrete, this experiment trys to explore the the multiple layers of different mixture ratio of ingredients. In order to make this experiment simple and comparable, this experiment basically played with the main ingredients of concrete: rocks, aggregates, cement, and water. The first layer is the concrete with general ratio of ingredients, the second layer is casted with more rocks and the top layer is casted without rocks. By studying these different ratio of ingredients, the different character of each layer had been examined. This experiment also shows a possibility of making facade/ texture by using different ratio mixture(showing on the right bottom).

TEXTURE With developping the idea of layering concrete, this experiment shows the potential of layering concrete with cloth, which can also provide unique texture to concrete simutaneously. Similar to the first experiment, removing the cloth after casting concrete gave some special texture to concrete, not only by the texture of cloth, but also the shape of cloth itself.(showing both at the bottom and the right)

THE FORMWORK The previous experiments are basically focus on layering on a single volum, which has a lot of limitation. After that, the experiments starts to both focus on the idea of layering and the idea of injection of space and structure. In this experiment, the layer is not made by different texture or mixture, but by introducing space into concrete itself. The most challenge part of this experiment is about the formwork. Because of the depth and the thickness of concrete, it is really hard to remove the formwork after casting. In order to solve this problem, the formwork is made by very thin chipboard(in full scale, it could be some very thin metal sheet) with void in side of it(showing on the right). In this way, after casting the concrete, we can just simply remove the straight bar in the middle first, and flatten and squeeze the formwork, then it can be removed very easily. So basically, this experiment is talking about the injection of space and structure, and how to using a smart formwork to achieve this goal.

STRUCTURE The previous experiments are basically focus on layering on a single volum, which has a lot of limitation. After that, the experiments starts to both focus on the idea of layering and the idea of injection of space and structure. In this experiment, the layer is not made by different texture or mixture, but by introducing space into concrete itself. By making different variation of previous prototype, these series experiments are trying to explore the potential of this space-structure system.

INHABITABLE SPACE The previous experiments are basically focus on layering on a single volum, which has a lot of limitation. After that, the experiments starts to both focus on the idea of layering and the idea of injection of space and structure. In this experiment, the layer is not made by different texture or mixture, but by introducing space into concrete itself. By making different variation of previous prototype, these series experiments are trying to explore the potential of this space-structure system.

THE OBJECTS, THE FURNITURE The previous experiments are basically focus on layering on a single volum, which has a lot of limitation. After that, the experiments starts to both focus on the idea of layering and the idea of injection of space and structure. In this experiment, the layer is not made by different texture or mixture, but by introducing space into concrete itself. By making different variation of previous prototype, these series experiments are trying to explore the potential of this space-structure system.

FLUID

FORM Spring semester/ 2013 Arch 4605/6609: Special Topic in Construction Instructor: IÃ±aqui Carnicero Room: 202 Rand Hall Wednesdays 10:10-12:05pm

DISCOVERED VOID Interior formwork is built as a solid and destroyed, revealing a void. by DAVID BIBLIOWICZ

The â&#x20AC;&#x153; Discovered Voidâ&#x20AC;? experiment explores the process of creating a void out of a solid. I began the experiment by attemting to imagine how a solid piece of wax could be carved to create an interior space. Rather than creating space by determining and constructing its boundaries, I formed the space as an object. I proceeded to pour the concrete around this object, in the shape of a simple box. The only evidence of an interesting interior space is given through the five holes that puncture through the box. One hole is meant to give a point to view the interior from, and the others invite light into the space. I carved the wax with some intentions in mind in terms of light and certain geometries, but I was surprised by the conditions that resulted when viewed the void for the first time. The light sources in particular created certain conditions that I found quite compelling, in particular the interplay between visible sources, and those that are hidden, but still provide light.

PROCESS: 1. Melt wax in formwork 2. Desired wax forn 3. carve wax 4. wax is carved into form of desired interior void 5. Wax is placed in exterior formwork for concrete 6. Pour Cement 7. Concrete piece is set with wax formwork inside 8. Melt wax formwork 9. Final piece with interior void

FLUID TEXTURE

Wax is melted onto concrete and the mixture is agitated as the wax hardens by DAVID BIBLIOWICZ

The Fluid Texture experiment begins with a concrete mixture being poured into a form. Mexted wax is then poured over the top of the wet concrete. The wax remained at the top of the mixture so I began agitating the mixture in order to mix the wax in below the surface. The wax began to dry as I was mixing the two substances together, causing the texture of the concrete to settle in the form that the wax takes as it hardens.

PROCESS: Pour concrete into formwork. Begin melting wax onto wet concrete and manipulate the wax as it hardens, holding the concrete in a particular position until it sets.

FLUID FORMWORK Wax and concrete are simultaneously poured, causing the hardening of the wax to determine the form of the concrete. by DAVID BIBLIOWICZ The wax was melted, and the concrete was mixed so that each could be poured into a form simultaneously. I switched off adding the two substances so that the concrete would be a continuous form, and take the form that the wax gave it as it dried. As the wax dried, the concrete stopped expanding in the mold, so the fluid process of the concrete spreading out is captured by the final form. After the concrete dried I melted the wax in order to reveal the form which took on a layered, globular quality. At closer inspection, the texture of the concrete shows the layered hardening of the wax.

PROCESS: Simultaneously pour concrete and liquid wax into formwork. Use concrete to control the flow of the wax and vice versa in order to acheive a desired form. Melt the wax from the concrete after it hardens in order to reveal the final concrete piece.

FLUID APERTURES

Wax and concrete are simultaneously poured, causing the hardening of the wax to determine the form of the concrete. by DAVID BIBLIOWICZ This iteration of fluid formwork is meant to act as a method for creating panels that have varying apertures. The wax acts as an interior formwork that manipulates, and is manipulated by the liquid concrete as it hardens, creating a sense of fluidity in the final form. The wax can be melted through the apertures that it creates, resulting in unique forms and textures for each hole. The wax can be recycled after each pour, creating any number of panels with a small amount of formwork. The paneling system creates a dynamic wall or ceiling with variation and interesting lighting conditions.

PROCESS: Simultaneously pour the liquid wax and the concrete into the formwork, in layers position the wax strategically so that it creates apertures. Melt the Wax through the apertures.

CONTINUOUS FORM Wax and concrete are simultaneously poured, causing the hardening of the wax to determine the form of the concrete. by DAVID BIBLIOWICZ This experiment tests the possibilities of recyclability with a wax formwork. by creating a base layer that allows the wax to drain into a collection vessel, a structure can be created in layers. As each layer dries, the wax can be melted out into the next form and placed directly on top of the previous layer. Each layer can change. creating different apertures and spacial conditions as well as furniture and nooks throughout the space.

PROCESS: Create a tapered formwork for the base with a drain at the bottom. pour wax into a separate formwork and place on the tapered formwork. pour concrete around wax form. Melt wax away so that it drans through the bottom. Colect the wax and repeat the process for subsequent layers until desired space is acheived.

FLUID INTERIOR

Wax and concrete are simultaneously poured, causing the hardening of the wax to determine the form of the concrete. by DAVID BIBLIOWICZ The spaces and apertures in this experiment are formed by the fluidity of the concrete and the wax as they interact. The wax often repels the concrete, and hardens on contact if the amount of hot wax is small enough. As the wax is layered. however, it stays liquid in certain pockets. Ocassionally, the concrete in a certain place will become too heavy and penetrate the membrane of dried wax. This event causes the moments on the interior of the space that appear as if the concrete is a frozen waterfall. In other parts, however, the wax holds its shape. and the concrete weighs down on top of it, creating the pillowy effect that makes the concrete appear like a soft surface. Each layer of concrete has a different shape and a different connection to the exterior. I was in partial control of the final result, as I was pouring the two substances, but for the most part, the manner in which they flowed was unexpected and sometimes unwanted. I was in constant battle attempting to balance the two substances so that there would always be a continuous space and a continuous shell. The final result was unexpected, but quite satisfying. The interior spaces and textures stand in stark contrast with the exterior box form with the texture of its wood formwork. Throughout the model, the two conditions are joined through the openings that eat away at the shell. At a large scale, this may not work well as a construction technique, but it creates compelling models, and therefore, it can act as a way of generating spaces.

PROCESS: Simultaneously pour wax and concrete into a formwork. The wax is kept on the interior with concrete surrounding it in order to keep a continuous interior space and exterior concrete boundary.

FOLDING

CONCRETE " # #$ " "

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FOLDING CONCRETE

01 Concept: Folding as an operation generates the concrete form by FENG LIN

The project starts with the idea of folding. W hatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interesting in folding is using paper to create a three dimensional form and generates the form that is structural.

A s a start point, the project begins with finding a form that has the structural strength and later can be transformed into concrete. The diagrams on the right show the step of folding the form in paper scheme. The dotted black lines have to fold to the front while the blue and red lines have to fold to the back. The arrows show the direction of folding. The image on the right page shows a z oom in view of the folded paper form. It is a form that has the structural strength at the same time has the elastic quality. The nagetive in the form has the potential to translate into formwork for concrete.

Folding Patterns The above image show the folding pattern to fold the form work for the concrete model.

FOLDING CONCRETE

02 M ixture: A dding red send into concrete mixture as experiment by FENG LIN

The second theme of the project is mixture. The idea is to explore what can be mixed into concrete and whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the eff ect of the resulting product.

In this theme, red pigment is dropped into concrete after mixing the ingredient with water. D rops are added several times at diff erent spots into the concrete mixture therefore create an eff ect of unevenly distributed of colour. A fter the concrete model has been setting for a while, red craft sands are spread through the surface while the formwork (the left four images to the right) is still in the concrete. Therefore, while the formwork is taken out, there will be an contract between the smooth concrete surface and the rough red sand surface.(theright four images to the right)

Red Sand The first model use red craft sand and red pigment as a mixture to add into concrete while mixing.

FOLDING CONCRETE

03 Texture: U sing plastic sheet as formwork to create the concrete shining surface by FENG LIN

Since the surface of finished concrete largely depending on the surface of the formwork. The focus on texture theme becomes finding a material that can folded like paper but can provided the strength to hold concrete, at the same time create certain texture for the surface of the finished model. Therefore plastic is chosen to be the final formwork. W ith plastic, it has the elasticness like paper to allow it to be folded and depending on the thickness, it has diff erent structural strength. Besides the quality for formwork, plastic can create a smooth and shinning surface for the finished model without any polish.

Formwork: Shining eff ect of the concrete surface comes from the smooth surface

of the plastic formwork.

FOLDING CONCRETE 04 Formwork: M etal and W ood by FENG LIN

In order to create the shinning surface of concrete,plastic is chosen as the formwork. A t the beginning, the plastic formwork is used to hold up concrete mixtures till it finally set. The final concrete model becomes the negative form of the plastic formwork. W hile considering how to build the concrete model in real scale, the concrete model is divied into small pieces and jointed together. Then the formwork becomes two seperate part. One is the cap of plastic,and the other one is the cardboard which provides the elastic quality while joinning together. In real scale,the cardboard can be replaced by steel plate or wood pieces.

FOLDING CONCRETE 05 Shifting Scale: Elastic shelter by FENG LIN

The first test model has the quality to become a shelter in real scale, therefore, to think about the project in a building scale, the focus becomes divided it into individual units and how to connect the units together. The strength created through folding operation gives the form work a shell shape. In order to maintain the elastic quality of folding and joining the units together, there will be two layers of form work to create the thin layer of the concrete that stays with the inside layer of form work.

Shelter: Not only the concrete model but also the formwork have the quality of architectural shelters.

FOLDING CONCRETE

06 Structure: U nits connection combined with structure support by FENG LIN

To build in real scale,the shelter needs to be self supported. In this case,the model cannot be a big concrete object due to the limitation of pouring equipment. Therefore,by dividing into units and pouring in smaller scale becomes the solution. To maintain the quality of the original folding idea, the formwork becomes two layers: one is the

concrete

outside cap of plastic, which still provides the shinning surface for finishing; the other one is the inside steel or wood plate that can create the elastic quality of the original paper formwork. Concrete is pour into the outside layer then cap the inside layer. A fter setting,the outside layer will be taken out while the inside formwork stays with the concrete. The joint of diff erent units will be the overlapping of each outside steel plate as it is shown in last page. Then the structural elements can be added to the joint to hold up the concrete model after all the units join together. The right page is showing how structure can be added in the joint for one unit.

steel plate

FOLDING CONCRETE Object: Hat / Concrete as Fasion by FENG LIN

The final theme of the project is to think of an object scale for the model. The negative shape of each unit together with the inside formwork has a hat like quality. Therefore it is designed to be a hat for fashion. The right page show the concrete hat model in human scale.

SUBTRACTIVE CONCRETE MIA MIYOUNG KANG

Spring semester/ 2013 Arch 4605/6609: Special Topic in Construction Instructor: IÃ±aqui Carnicero Room: 202 Rand Hall Wednesdays 10:10-12:05pm

SUBTRACTIVE CONCRETE

removal of mass concept, formwork, inhabitable space, texture, structure, object by Mia Miyoung Kang Subtractive concrete was investigation into creation of void space through removal of found object. In this scheme, paper was used as formwork, where concrete was poured over. Removal of formwork (paper) was also great interest in this investigation. Paper was set on fire in order to be removed.

PROCESS:

Because paper was densely packed in order to maintain its form as

1. Use of dense paper as form work to create void space.

concrete was poured, various methods to remove paper was further

2. Concrete was poured over paper.

investigated. Due to its lack of structural stabilty with moisture,

3. Paper was burnt in order to be removed.

material tend to cave in.

SUBTRACTIVE CONCRETE

removal of mass: paper concept, formwork, inhabitable space, texture, structure, object by Mia Miyoung Kang Image at right: densely packed pager embedded in concrete. Image at facing page: rendering of inhabitable space

SUBTRACTIVE CONCRETE

removal of mass: paper concept, formwork, inhabitable space, texture, structure, object by Mia Miyoung Kang

SUBTRACTIVE CONCRETE

removal of mass: inflatable material concept, formwork, inhabitable space, texture, structure, object by Mia Miyoung Kang Subtractive concrete with inflatable mateiral was investigation into creation of void space through use of found material that could be deflated after concrete has been poured. Inflatable material was investigated in order to observe formwork that could be easily removed. Inner inflatable material was deflated through punture. It was interesing to observe transfer of printed ink onto concrete.

PROCESS: 1. Inflable material was used to create void space. 2. Concrete was poured over material 3. Removal of formwork through punture.

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SUBTRACTIVE CONCRETE

removal of mass: dense brown paper concept, formwork, inhabitable space, texture, structure, object by Mia Miyoung Kang Subtractive concrete with dense brown paper mateiral was investigation into creation of void space through use of found material that was inserted and pulled from concrete after concrete has been poured. Rigidity of formwork was studied through density of packed material through folding and twisting. It was stronger form work than that of earlier iteration with paper. Void/ occupiable space was able to be created. However, due to its density, it was difficult to remove form work. It was also ignited, however, it had difficulty in overall removal.

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SUBTRACTIVE CONCRETE

removal of mass: earth concept, formwork, inhabitable space, texture, structure, object by Mia Miyoung Kang In order to dive further into subtractive concrete through removal of mass, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve decided to look into materials that could be easily removed and readily available. Natural material, such as soil and trees were used as form work. Study of its natural resting state of material was observed first followed by accentuating form/structure to create stablity. Four different formwork was studied through density of packed material through packing and mix of material with clay.

resulted in structually stable inhabitable space and objects.

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SUBTRACTIVE CONCRETE

removal of mass: earth concept, formwork, inhabitable space, texture, structure, object by Mia Miyoung Kang Natural material, soil was used as form work. Study of its natural resting state of material was observed first followed by accentuating form/structure to create stablity. Four different formwork was studied through density of packed material through packing and mix of material with clay. It resulted in structually stable inhabitable space and objects.

SUBTRACTIVE CONCRETE

removal of mass: earth concept, formwork, inhabitable space, texture, structure, object by Mia Miyoung Kang By using soil as formwork, once soil was removed, it naturally gave rise to texture from soil. Depending of orgin of soil, various texture and color will be imprinted.

SUBTRACTIVE CONCRETE removal of mass: earth concept, formwork, texture, structure, object by Mia Miyoung Kang Use of soil as formwork to create object. Natural curviture of soil as it fell as mounds gave rise to vertical support for the table.

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CRACKED

CONCRETE Spring semester/ 2013 Arch 4605/6609: Special Topic in Construction Instructor: IÃ±aqui Carnicero Room: 202 Rand Hall Wednesdays 10:10-12:05pm

CRACKED CONCRETE controlled cracks, fractured fissures by OWEN SMITH INTRODUCTION: Concrete cracks. It shifts and splits unpredictably creating fissures and divisions as the geological forces within work to break and expose. This cracking can be controlled, the fissures can be manipulated and be made to serve a purpose, creating openings, permitting light through the solid mass that is concrete. Concrete is used only once. The material is poured, and settles into place as immovable as rock. To remove concrete, it must be shattered and destroyed. These pieces can find a new use, these remnants of walls and floor slabs can be reassembled and repurposed. MIXTURE Cracks can be controlled, celebrated, and revealed. These reveals, the voids between the slabs, can be filled with resin, plastic, or glass as apertures. Concrete, defined by its mass and solidity can be broken up and punctured by light and air. INHABITED SPACE This controlled cracking can be utilized to define and make space and light. A solid can be carefully opened with cracks to become something more and create a space defined by its dynamic lighting. FORMWORK The cracking can be controlled through carefully prepared forms. Rebar grids, strategically cut and divided, can be incorporated into the forms. These embedded grids can add structural support and limit the cracking to specifically defined areas. TEXTURE Concrete is often carefully controlled to create smooth even surfaces, the cracking reveals a rough textured edge exposing hidden aggregate. STRUCTURE Demolished concrete slabs can be reappropriated and arranged to lean against each other to create primitive structures. These leaning concrete masses can be further anchored by the pouring of a concrete foundation within which they can sit. OBJECTS The controlled cracking and introduction of light can be applied to a myriad range of objects including lamps, tables, and chairs.

MIXTURE

silicone, plastic, resin by OWEN SMITH

SILICONE The first experiment involved the casting of a whole unbroken slab of concrete. To crack this slab, it was dropped from a height of four feet, the resulting impact shattered it into many pieces. This was a simulation of the completely uncontrolled breaking of concrete during building demolition. These pieces were then rearranged and fit back together to create a new slab with large cracked gaps. The addition of silicone as a secondary element was meant to introduce light within these cracks while recreating a complete new slab.

1. A slab of concrete 2. Dropped to crack the concrete 3. Cracked pieces arranged together to reform new slab, silicone fills cracks 4. Solid cracked concrete filled with clear silicone, creates interconnected whole

PLASTIC Silicone proved to be difficult to control, and did not yield the desired durability, so a new mixture was used. Plastic became the secondary element in the next experiment, and a new cracking technique was also employed. Rather than dropping the concrete slab, a hammer was used to more carefully control the cracking. The result was a more complete final slab, within which plastic was poured. The plastic created the desired translucency and durability making it an ideal secondary ingredient for cracked concrete

1. A slab of concrete 2. Carefully hammered to create cracks 3. Cracked pieces arranged together to reform new slab, plastic poured in cracks 4. Solid cracked concrete filled with clear plastic, creates interconnected whole

INHABITABLE SPACE decayed dwelling, cracked space by OWEN SMITH

PAVILION Cracked concrete can be employed in many situations and at many scales. In an inhabitable space, it can offer light apertures, dynamic textures, and engaging forms. Concrete is often used to create pure angular form. This pavilion comes as a result of taking a simple form, the cube, and fracturing and reassembling it to create openings for light and circulation. The cracked cube would require additional structure for its assembly in the form of steel members. Cracks and reveals could be maintained with the support of steel bars drilled through the cracked slabs. Cracking could be controlled and aligned with significant site features, and certain slabs could be removed altogether to create larger apertures and entryways. A pavilion, born from simplicity, could achieve complexity through these cracks.

1. A hollow concrete cube 2. Controlled cracking 3. Cracked pieces are separated to reveal cracks and openings 4. A grid of steel structural members are threaded through these slabs to create a skeletal structure within allowing for the cracked cube to stand.

FORMWORK

cut steel, cracked concrete by OWEN SMITH

FORMS In most structural applications, concrete is reinforced with steel rebar. The steel complements the strengths of concrete, lending support in tension especially. This rebar can be used to create carefully controlled cracks. The reinforcing steel binds the concrete together into a more cohesive whole, and therefore carefully controlled gabs with the steel rebar system can create strategically weak points. Areas which are not reinforced by steel will crack while the rest of the slab stays intact. This technique offers a means to control a typically uncontrollable process. In this way, the utilization of cracking within concrete can be more than just a reaction to a natural process within the material. Indeed, cracking can be designed and altered to achieve specific effects. During this process, two forms are necessary. The first form is used to pour the original whole slab. After the concrete is cracked and separated, the slab is expanded necessitating the use of a new larger form for the pouring of the secondary element, plastic. With some refinement, this system could be utilized for the creation of intricate controlled cracking networks.

1. Original complete rebar grid 2. Rebar grid is cut along desired crack lines 3. Concrete is poured over rebar 4. Whole supported concrete slab 5. Using any cracking method, cracks are induced along weak points in rebar network 6. Cracked pieces are separated creating larger reveals 7. Plastic is poured into cracks 8. Complete new cracked plastic slab

TEXTURE

rough edges, exposed aggregate by OWEN SMITH EDGES Concrete is finished smoothly. In most applications, it is formed, worked, and polished to create a surface which disguises its mixtured make-up. Only by cracking it, and revealing the edges, does one come to understand the complex texture and layered structure of concrete. There are also many ways of exposing concrete and texturing it with forms and treatments. These are all ways by which concrete can be made to adopt other textures. Cracking, however, offers the most truthful concrete texture by exposing the randomly assorted interior. Like breaking open a geode, cracking reveals the hidden stones within.

STRUCTURE leaning planes, sunken structure by OWEN SMITH FOUNDATION Concrete is the root of most buildings, it forms the blocks upon which buildings find footing. Typically these foundations are built first, and the main structure is erected above. There is, potentially, a different model. Maybe cracked concrete remnants of old buildings could be erected first. These pieces would stack against each other and create primitive spaces, open to the elements. To help hold these pieces in place, a bed of concrete could be poured around them. As the new concrete slab cured, it would become a continuous network of concrete holding the upturned slabs in place and making a permanent rock formation. This piece exists currently in the realm of sculpture, but it could potentially make the jump to more practical uses. Old concrete could be reused in a variety of ways to create new types of structures. POST-STRUCTURING For cracked concrete pieces to be reused, there would likely have to be a secondary structural system. Steel bars could be drilled into separate slabs to hold them together. To avoid this secondary system, however, cracked concrete could be pieced together like a stone wall, where some sort of mortar, or new concrete is employed as a structural binding agent.

OBJECTS tables, chairs, lamps by OWEN SMITH TABLE The table would begin as a slab, lifted on a steel frame. This slab would then be cracked, a scar on a perfect block of concrete. These cracked pieces would then be pulled apart, infilled with plastic, and then polished. With this simple addition, the table would become much more dynamic. The plastic would allow for a play of solid and void, of light and dark. A light underneath could underlight the table. CHAIR Similarly, a chair could be transformed with the addition of a cracked concrete panel. The crack would offer interesting light patterns and would add another reading to the chair. LAMP The cracking of concrete has the potential to filter light in potentially new and interesting ways. A solid concrete block could be transformed into a light filled cracked lamp shade.

HARD

SOFTNESS Spring semester/ 2013 Arch 4605/6609: Special Topic in Construction Instructor: IÃ±aqui Carnicero Room: 202 Rand Hall Wednesdays 10:10-12:05pm

Hard Softness The frozen tenderness and warmness by SHUNING FAN Concrete The design of this concrete object is trying to explore the potencial to create the soft and warm visual impression. By creating the tenderness and warmness, the design tries to convey the strong contrast based on the hard and cold nature of concrete. The process is clear. The first step is to do some experiment to test out the different effect of different material, mainly effected by the roughness of them. The next step is to make the form work using the chosen material. The last step is to make the concrete.

Form Work

Texture of Materials: 1. Silk. 2. cloth 3. Rough Cloth 4. Trace Paper

Inhabitable Space Shifting the scale of the object. by SHUNING FAN

Having the concrete sculpture at hand, the important thing is to change the scale of it and think about the how to realize the process to allow the scale shifting. I took two precedents to study, the Teshima Art Museum by SANAA and the La Trufa by Anton Garcia-Abril. In both cases, the architects are dealing with the construction of irregular informal surface, allowing the buildings to have a sense of softness and organic. The formworks in both cases are quite unique, because people want the formwork to be not only easy to sculpt but also easy to get rid of. In the Teshima Art Museum case, the architects used the sand covered by plastic membrane as the formwork while the hays in the other case.

PRECEDENTS: 1. Teshima Art Museum by SANAA. 2. La Trufa by Anton Garcia-Abril

HEAVY LIGHTNESS Exploring the weight of concrete by SHUNING FAN

In our common sense, the concrete is quite heavy. This experiment is trying to explore the potencial to create the real lightness of a concrete object. By creating the ligh concrete objuect, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible for people to make better use of concrete. Throught the exploration of different mixture into the concrete, the weight of concrete could be changed. Several different materials were used to test out the lightness of concrete, the sponge, the rough cloth, the silk and even the paper. By pouring the liquid concrete onto the certain material, we could also test out the rich texture created by different mixtures.

The liquid concrete could penetrate through the mixture, and the materialsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; physical properties could keep unchanged before the concrete dried. By pouring the liquid concrete onto the certain material, we could also have the convinient concrete, which is good for shaping form.

FLOATING CONCRETE

Testing the formwork for light concrete by SHUNING FAN

make the structure even less visible. By doing so, I created the floating concrete box.

Sponge

Fiber Glass

Light Shone Through Slit Exploring the texture of concrete by SHUNING FAN

I kept exploring the lightness of heavy-looked concrete. By covering the concrete on the surfacce of sponge, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible to create light enough concrete box which could be supported by thin and transparent fiber glass. At the same time, by inserting the glass fiber into the box, the light could be introduced into the space by the supporting columns, which make the structure even less visible. Also, I inserted some linear plexi pieces into the concrete, to create a slit allowing light getting in. By using glass fiber and transparent plexi pieces, I created a canopy pattern with strong light effect.

Soft Gravity Object making inspired by soft concrete by SHUNING FAN

I kept exploring the structure possibilities of concrete with soft look. Because of the physical quality of fabric, the gravity will force the fabirc to shape a special form which corresponds perfectly with the force diagram. If we reverse the form, we could get a series of domes. I pinned a piece of fabric onto a framed box at its four conner. Then I pinned another two points to create more division of space. Then I put the fabric into fridge to freeze it after wetting it. The reversed form shapes four domes with different heights could be the formwork to cast concete.

Soft Envelope Object making inspired by soft concrete by SHUNING FAN

The Chinese traditional Inkstone is a stone mortar for the grinding and containment of ink. People appreciate the inkstone with soft and tender looking but extremely hardness. The inkstone will benefit from the rich undulating surface created by the texture of fabirc. Firstly, I pour the concrete liquid into a plastic bag. Then I put the bag on the ground, to create a plain surface. After that, I inserted something made by fabric into the liquid volumn to create the cavity. By using this method, I create an inkstone with new organic form which is different from the traditional prototype.

PERFORATED

CONCRETE

PERFORATED CONCRETE concept and bubble wrapper experiment by YING XU

The use of bubble wrapper as the formwork enables the concrete surface to be regularly punctured, creating a special texture, at the same time making it possible to become a perforated surface. The air in the bubble wrapper creates negative spaces in the concrete surface, implying more potentials for different variations. Being versatile as a formwork, the bubble wrapper can be either laid flat or rolled as a curved surface, which allows for possibilities to create curved concrete objects. The density of the mixture might bring different levels of fluidity of the mixture, which will affect the distribution of the mixture on the surface in the process, creating various textures. This may also control the porosity to light or water of the concrete. As bubble wrapper has regular, evenly distributed bubbles, it is possible to find or make another formwork which has irregular bubbles and create different perforation conditions along the surface. The use of multiple formworks may create even more variations in the texture. PROCESS: 1. get a sheet of bubble wrapper.

2. mix the concrete mixture with water. 3.

pour the mixture over the bubble wrapper as a thin layer. 4. ensure the mixture is evenly distributed on the bubble wrapper surafce. 5. wait till the mixture is dry and take it off the bubble wrapper.

RICE CONCRETE mixture: food analogy by YING XU

Pervious concrete is largely used in paves, allowing water to go through the ground surface. It is interesting to think about the analogy between a rice crispy and pervious concrete, in which both are consist of relatively large aggregates. The aggregates have enough surfaces to attach to each other, while the spaces in between the aggregates allow for the water to go through the thick concrete. This experiment uses rice as additional aggregates, which has the following properties. First, rice is much lighter than the other components of the concrete mix, which might affect the surface feature of the cast concrete. Secondly, rice is translucent, which may contribute to the porosity of the overall mixture, implying the possibility of getting light partially go through the concrete. Thirdly, the smell of rice may add to another special feature of concrete. The experiment isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t successful in its attempt to create a translucent effect - the rice get darkened very easily while mixing with the concrete, and it probably need much more rice to make that layered condition possible. But the process does create a special texture of the concrete surface. PROCESS: 1. make foam core boxes of different heights. 2. put dry rice in the water for a few minutes. 3. mix concrete with the rice and water. 4. keep stirring and pour the mixture into the boxes. 5. wait till the mixture dry.

NET CONCRETE PAVILION shift of scale: inhabitable space with natural light by YING XU

Being versatile as a formwork, the bubble wrapper can be either laid flat or rolled as a curved surface, which allows for possibilities to create curved concrete objects. The curved concrete net is created by the natural form of bubble wrapper. The form allows for inhabitable space below and above the surface. The bubble wrapper can be substituted with other techniques at a larger scale. It shows the potential to shift the scale of the form into a pavilion that accommodates activities. The punctures in the concrete surface allows natural light into the pavilion, also serve as entrances and occupiable spaces or furniture for users. The net concrete pavilion can support itself because of the structural capability of the natural curved form. Also, the variations of the puncture conditions along the surface , as well as the local forms of the surface, can define different spatial conditions in the pavilion.

PROCESS: 1. make a foam core box with divisions of two different heights. 2. cover the box woth bubble wrapper, allowing it hang naturally 3. pour a thin layer of concrete over the bubble wrapper surface. 4. wait till the mixture dry.

POROSITY: CONCRETE & LIGHT formwork study: double-sided system by YING XU

Using bubble wrappers as formworks creates punctures in concrete surfaces, bringing porosity into this heavy solid material. By applying the formwork to both sides of the concrete, and shifting the bubbles to a certain distance, the concrete can be punctured from both sides, while the holes won’t go through the whole thickness of the concrete. It would be possible to get the light go indirectly through the concrete and create a half-perforated effect. The light could bounce between the small surfaces of the concrete and bring a special effect. In this experiment the pouring process wasn’t completely in control and the concrete got too thick, the porosity wasn’t thorough and it only got a two-side texture. However, the establishment of the two-side formwork system may imply more potential in creating different effects of porous concrete.

PROCESS: 1. attach bubble wrapper to two foam cores

2. put the two surfaces against

each other, allowing for the shift between patterns 3. fix the two foam cores together as a thin box 4. pour the concrete mixture into the gap between the two surfaces. 5. wait till the mixture dry.

REFLECTIVE CONCRETE

plain add linear chipboard taped foam core

concrete texture and light-reflectivity by YING XU

The texture of the concrete surface may very much affects light reflectivity of the surfaces, bringing different effects to the space. The initial experiment involves a box that has several surfaces of different textures. Foam core is used as the main formwork. However, the process of taping and adding linear elements to the formwork (or exposing the sections of the foam core) brings out different textures of the poured concrete. The taped surface ends up with a very smooth finish of concrete, and the section of the foam core brings very coarse texture of concrete, which is similar in the other model where several holes are punctured with foams, creating a contrast between a rough and a smooth surface. It is interesting to think about the positive-negative relations in the casting of concrete, and how process could affect the texture of concrete surfaces. As in real constructions, the process of bush hammering and polishing are often used to create different texture of the concrete surface. In this experiment, rather simple steps were taken to create different textures. A systemmatic method would need to be developed in order to make it at a larger scale.

PROCESS: 1. make a foam core cube with three different surfaces: plain, striped, and taped. 2. make another foam core box which is larger than the cube 3. put the cube inside the box and fix it 4. pour the concrete mixture into the gaps between the boc and the cube. 12

CONCRETE FUNNEL/SCREEN structure potential of perforated concrete by YING XU

The structure properties of concrete make it possible to build various building forms with concrete. One example is the scheme by Ingenhoven Architects for Stuttgart Main Station, in which the umbrella form of concrete shapes the spaces of the station, at the same time bringing natural light into the ground level. Another example is Reiser + Umemoto’s O-14 Tower in Dubai. The construction process of this building is inspiring in its systemmatic method, which brings the overall structure and the building form to life at the same time. As concrete works very well in compression, but rather weak in tension, and the pouring process of concrete is very much an opposite process of its behavior in the building, the hanging formwork may take advantage of the gravity and create a perfect form for the use of concrete’s compression. In this experiment I use found objects (plastic packages) as formworks, using the shape of the package as negative form of the concrete. In real scale, it is possible to adopt a system similar to that of the Reiser + Umemoto tower, which includes a mesh system and solid objects to create the uniform form around the punctures. 1. Stuttgart Main Station 2. The formwork of O-14 Tower by Resier+Umemoto 3. The formwork of “concrete funnel” model 4. The formwork of the perforated concrete screen model 5. The piece from the concrete funnel model

CONCRETE WINDOW object design by YING XU

In traditional Chinese gardens, the notion of borrowed landscape is very important, which is often realized through the perforated window frames. The window frames can be made either in wood or masonry. In this experiment, foam is used to shape the concrete window frame, letting the scenes behind the frame come into the foreground. Foam can be shaped in different patterns and can be removed easily afterwards with the use of water. The oject can be made in a large number, with many variations in form. Other formworks like inflated materials can be adopted in order to shape and make easily.

PROCESS: 1. make foam core box as the window frame.

2. insert foams as divisions of

the frame. 3. pour concrete mixture into the box. 4. wait till the mixture dry. 5. remove the inserted foam with water.

CONCRETE

SENSE Zhongtian Lin Spring semeter / 2013 Arch 4605/6609: Special Topic in Construction Instructor: Inaqui Carnicero

(sin-con)

CRETE:1

recreate the concrete with resin by ZHONGTIAN LIN

The series experiments explores the possible combination of concrete and resin. They both shares the similar making process of curing from liquid state to solid state that allows one to create infinite kind of shapes through different formworks. However, their physical properties and applications are very different. Concrete is hard but brittle and resin is pliable but strong; Concrete is opaque but porous and resin is transparent but impermeable; Concrete is widely accessible and cheap but resin is hard to get and expansive; Concrete is used in construction in large scale and resin is limited in smaller scale application such as crafts , art, and at most boats. What if those two materials are used together? Can they create a new type of combination that enjoy both their advantages and overcome their disadvantages? The first experiment tested the bondage between those two materials. Without any adhesive, two separated bodies of concrete and resin can bond together very strongly. The key is to let those two materials bond while they are in the process of curing. First a block of resin was poured and then when the resin hardened to almost solid state, concrete was poured on top of it. The end result is very successful. Two distinct bodies of concrete and resin were formed yet they were stuck together as if they were created as a whole. The translucency and lightness of the resin was in strong contrast with the opacity and heaviness of the concrete. In a bigger scale, one can almost imagine a space that is light and transparent below, and a heavy mass was supported by this space.

(sin-con)

CRETE:2

recreate the concrete with resin by ZHONGTIAN LIN

This experiment tries to capture the ephemeral moment of liquid form concrete using resin. This state of concrete is almost impossible to capture and barely seen. However, using the resin, one can present concrete in such a state that it feels like it is frozen in time. This key is to pour resin first then let it settle into a semi-solide state. In this condition, resin is sticky and it is still soft enough to change its shape. Concrete mix is directly poured into the resin and it is stirred by a stick to create the

resin

curvy shapes and forms. By doing this, not only the ephemeral moment of liquid concrete is captured, bubles and pockets of resin are created within concrete that are transparent.

2 hour or until resin hardened into semi-solid state

concrete

(sin-con)

CRETE:3

recreate the concrete with resin by ZHONGTIAN LIN

This experiment tries to create the layer effect by pouring concrete and resin alternatively. The idea is to increase the strength of the combinded materials and at the same time create good visual appearence. Using

resin

the trasparent nature of resin, small stones are place at the surface intenionally to expose the aggregate used in the concrete. The end result is to create a strong yet beautiful object that can potentially become a

concrete

building block of larger application. resin

concrete

resin

recreate the concrete with resin

by ZHONGTIAN LIN

This experiments mixed the liquid form of concrete and resin at the

This experiment is meant to test the strength of the bondage between

same time and explode the outcome of such combination. Those two

concrete and resin. The two materials are connected at the minimal

meaterials are mixed together thoughouly that one can no longer tell

surface aera and yet they are still hold together as one piece. The by-

the differences between the two materials except for the subttle color

product of this experiment is very interesting and visually appearing as

change. Because concrete is heavier than resin, it sinks to the bottom

well. The liquid concrete draped over the resin, create a coating for resin

of the mixture and resin floats on the top. This new object is very strong

and a beautiful semi-transparent effect under the light.

(sin-con)

CRETE:4

and unlike anything else.

concrete

resin

(sin-con)

CRETE:5

recreate the concrete with resin

(sin-con)

CRETE:6

recreate the concrete with resin by ZHONGTIAN LIN

This experiment explores the structure strenghth of combining resin with concrete. The intent is to replace the use of steel rebar in concrete with resin, to create a beautiful beam that is reinforced by the thin coating of fiberglass and resin at the bottom. Fiberglass is coated with resin to create the formwork for concrete that also at the end becomes the tension resistant structural element at the bottom of a beam. This transform a regular concrete beam into a beautiful object with translucant and curvy bottom. The diagram below shows the possible application of this technique in a real life senarior.

concrete

fiberglass coated with resin

possible location for column

(sin-con)

CRETE:7

recreate the concrete with resin by ZHONGTIAN LIN

This experiment pushes the structural strenghth of the combination of concrete and resin to the limit. By using the thinest possible of resin coating at the bottom of a long span of concrete without any reinforcement, the structural strenghth of this combination is tested to be rather stronge. The full strenghth of this combination, however, require few weeks to reach. In this experiment, the combination is taken out of the formwork too soon that it cracked in the middle. However, after one week, the combination become much stronger that it is very difficult to break.

FORMWORK

Initial interest was sparked by Frei Otto and his capture of dynamic motion

suspended,

tensile

structures. Where Frei Otto achieved ﬂuidity with plastic polycarbonate and rigid elements, FABRIC FORMWORK employs various forms of literally fabric formwork to capture form. When ﬂuid fabric meets amorphous concrete, what gives and what takes? Can the words that describe qualitative behaviors unique to fabrics such as,

BALLOONBILLOW BULGECLINGDRAPE D R O O P F L A P FLOPSAGSWELL be captured, modulated and give effect

to concrete?

Spring Sp n semeste te er/ 2013 Arch Ar ch h 460 605/6609: Speccia i l To opi pic in Construction pic n Inst stru uct ctor o : Iñaqui or uii Car arni arni nice ice cero cero Ro oo om m: 202 2 Ra Rand nd Hal al Wednesda We da ays s 10 10:1 :10:1 0-12 012 12:0 2:05p :05p 5p m

YOUNGJIN.YI M.ARCH.ONE SPRING.2013 2

I.COTTONBLEND

Initial investigation of forms created from tensile formwork began with a simple concrete half dome. Employing a styrofoam ball as the stiff form against a cotton blend cloth of moderate stretchiness and using gravity to provide adequate compression, the concrete was poured

in between the ball and the cloth.

The concrete mixture itself was ďŹ ltered of the coarse aggregate and remixed with a ďŹ ne mahogany sawdust and black sand.

I.COTTONBLEND architecturalapplications

I I . P O LY E S T E R

To allow gravity to have more effect on the form, the rigid element of the styrofoam ball was replaced with an airďŹ lled ballon and the the fabric type selected is a polyester athletic that wicks moisture and is extremely pliant. The formwork consisted of the stretched polyster shirt across a circular frame, with the suggestions of spatial subdivisions provided by twine tensioned across the same ring. The concrete mixture was sifted of its large aggregate and remixed with a ďŹ ne red sand to capture the reddish hue of the previous pour without adding the mahogany sawdust.

I I . P O LY E S T E R architecturalapplications

III.100%COTTON

Due to extreme sagging of the last pour caused by the density of the concrete, the subsequent material selection was purposely selected for its stiffness. The fabric was stretched tightly across two wooden posts in order to begin a more intentional division of tensile spaces. Rather than using gravity to compress the concrete, a trowelling method was employed to control the overall thickness of the concrete shell. The concrete mixture was sifted of its large aggregate and a ďŹ ne white sand was added to retain the specularity of the last two pours.

133

III.100%COTTON architecturalapplications

I V. P N E U M AT I C . S H E L L 4.deflate

1.air-filled b a l l o o n

5.remove Having previously used latex balloons as supportive formwork, the use of pneumatic formwork for this iteration stemmed from a tangential interest in Frei Otto’s inspiration from drawings of pneumatic structures and surface tension. Employing a single latex balloon hung from a circular frame by twine, and experimenting with viscosity of the cementitious mixture, this iteration explored the necessary viscosity and layering required for achieving structural integrity. Varying coarse aggregate sizes and using a dipping technique to cast the shape, the ﬁnal hardened form was quick released simply by

2 . f i n e aggregate m i x t u r e

deﬂating the balloon. Apertures and openings in the form occured partially from sudden deﬂation of the balloon and also from material sag caused by gravity over the drying and curing process. Penumatic, each

fabric

instance

formwork construction

has and

the

potential

suggesting

to a

reusable, sustainable

reinﬂated way

upon pouring

3.coarse aggregate m i x t u r e

I V. P N E U M AT I C . S H E L L

a r c h i t e c t u r a l a p p l i c a t i o n s

V.OCCUPYING.THE.CREASE

Working off of the deep folds and their capture in concrete in

Iteration II, OCCYPING THE CREASE tries to augment

these folds into spatial, inhabitable places. Employing water and airﬁlled balloons to provide the structural rigidity in the formwork and to control the frequency and scale of folds, ﬂoorslab The

and

formwork

water)

and

movement

canopy was

ceiling

were

then

either

deconstructed, the

resulting

concrete

poured

sequentially.

deﬂated without ceiling

(air

requiring and

ﬂoor.

The polyester shirt here was employed as a textural medium, providing surface articulation of the suggestive spaces.

The

unpredictability of the settling concrete and air pockets created moments of ﬁssure, acting as apertures for light and air.

V.OCCUPYING.THE.CREASE a r c h i t e c t u r a l a p p l i c a t i o n s

VI.CURTAINWALL

Revisiting the cotton shirt, CURTAINWALL employs a more fine-tuned trowelling method that plays with the cement-to-aggregate ratios in order to capture the draping folds of the material. The shirt is hung off of a mahogany frame, and then deformed through ruching, bunching and knotting to produce strategic draping. By employing two different aggregates (coarse gravel and fine playsand) and varying levels of moisture (slip-like to cake-dry), the layering process to capture the folds of the cotton shirt was achieved by careful troweling of each layer, utilizing the different mixtures to dictate structural sagging and visual opacity. This use of fabric formwork, specifically vertically hung shirts was inspired by the facades of informal settlements in South America and India that are dominated by the scenes of laundry hung out to dry. How

could

those

fabric

facades

employed

for

structure?

VI.CURTAINWALL

architecturalapplications f r a m e

“Where “Whe re Secondhand Clothing goes to Hang” . Architizer Editors. h p w ww.architizer.com/en_us/blog/dyn/42430/where-secondhandhttp://w _ g y c clothes-go-to-hang/#.UZBCLLWsh8E g g . 05.14.2012. Web. Cited. 05.12.2013

recycled f a b r i c s h e e t

Secondhand clothing not just as discarded body ornament, but as a recycled construction material? Featured by Architizer the UK department store Marks&Spencer began a movement to reduce the amount of wasted, usable clothing by creating a program to recycle clothing, donating to those in need. The article inspired the consideration of fabric formwork and purposeful employment of

tension cables

trowelled concrete

the coincidental use of old clothing as formwork throughout the semester to consider the method at an architectural scale, developing not just secondhand clothing recycled to be worn again, but also as a productive formwork component capable of architectural aesthetic articulation. 26

WOVEN

CONCRETE Spring semester/ 2013 Arch 4605/6609: Special Topic in Construction Instructor: IÃ±aqui Carnicero Room: 202 Rand Hall Wednesdays 10:10-12:05pm

WOVEN CONCRETE CONCEPT - Investigating concrete formwork. by Matthew Finn

In this experiment I wanted to investigate the potential of using elastic strips as formwork. This would therefore only show the deformations created by three variables: the elastic, the concrete and gravity. To test this I wove the elastic into a plaid grid pattern. The grid was then folded over to form a pocket which could capture the volume of concrete. The elastic pocket was then esuspended in space and the concrete poured directly into the pocket cavity. To create more variation and deformation, some of the elastic strands were left loose and others pulled togeather tightly. This process began to demonstrate the ability for the elastic and the concrete pushing and pulling each other simultaneously. An unexpected discovery in this experiment was where some of the elastic strands were left loose. In these areas concrete was able to fully absorb some of the strands of elastic. Once the concrete set and the rest of the framework removed these areas were still fixed into the concrete, weaving togeather both elements. In removing these elastic strips, the space occupied by the elastic remained, giving the concrete a much more spatial and woven appearance. PROCESS: 1. Weave the plaided pattern of elastic 2. Fold woven elastic in half 3. Fasten edge seams, creating a space for casting the concrete 4. Construct a rig to suspend elastic pocket in space 5.Cast *All elastic from process can be re-use 4

WOVEN CONCRETE Experimenting with mixture by Matthew Finn

In this experiment I was investigate the potential of modifying the components in the concrete mixture. The mixture that worked most successfully for this experiment consisted of a high water content with little to no aggregate. The objective was to apply a very thing layer of concrete to the elastic, where the finished cast could maintain the thin qualities of the original elastic bands. In using a mixture with a high water content of concrete the texture of the elastic bands can remain more apparent. However, in order to strengthen the elastic cast to the point where it is rigid enough to be self-supportive, several pours may need to be applied. The difficult challenge in this experiment was that because the layers of concrete are so thin on the exterior of the elastic and the elastic itself is a flexible material, that once set the final result is not very strong and is often prone to cracking.

PROCESS: 1. only use cement, make sure there is no aggregate in the mixture. 2. Suspend elastic over a span, fixing it at both end points 3. Pour and let concrete harden. 4.Pour repeatedly as necessary

WOVEN CONCRETE Inhabitable Concrete by Matthew Finn

As many of the experiments have been very surface driven results, I wanted to see if I could spatialize this idea of weaving into the concrete using the elastic. To test this, first I thickened the pieces of elastic that I was weaving by addding additional layers. Then, I wove each strand togeather into a three-dimensional pattern making sure that I allowed for significant space for the concrete to filter into. This experiment produced several pleasant discoveries. Althrough during the pouring process I was not expecting for the concrete to make it all the way through to the bottom due to not leaving large enough gaps for the concrete to filter through. This senario both did and didnt happen. In the areas where it was able to fill the spaces the concrete has a very textured and spatialized pattern. In the areas where concrete was not able to fully filter into, a thin layer was able to adhere to the elastic . When the elastic was removed, these thin layers remained allowing for the concrete to have both a woven appearance and a porous/transparent qualirty to it. This creates views which can penetrate entirely through the center area of the cast. PROCESS:

Further experients with this process would involve thickening the

1. Build up several layers of elastic into a single strand 2. Fix these

elastic again and allow more voided space for the concrete.

thickened stands to different sides of the formwork 3. Weave them togeather but allow for a significant amount of space in all three direction 4. Fasten side walls to create formwork enclosure. 5. Cast *All elastic from process can be re-used 8

WOVEN CONCRETE Investigating concrete formwork. by Matthew Finn

In this experiment I wanted to find a way to cast the concrete so that there was a deflection on two sides of the concrete surface. This would give the concrete a more elastic appearance, making it an adeque representation of the condition of gravity and the weight of the concrete as a material. To do this I create a frame structure where a series of elastic strips could be layered on top of one another. Then I laid the first layer of elastic, followed by pouring the first layer of concrete. This process was repeated until the desired number of sections are casts. Once the cast set, it was very easy to separate the concrete layers from the elastic because they served as spacers between the layers of concrete. This experiment produced a series of ribbed vault sections which could serve as individual components for either the construction of a roof structure or a wall surface. The multiplication of the unit creates an interesting undulating effect.

PROCESS: 1. Fasten single strip of elastic to two edges 2. make sure that the elastic is suspended in space 3. enclose first layer with formwork that exceed height of current elastic significantly 4. pour layer of concrete. 5. add another level of elastic and spaces. 6. Repeat process to desired height. *All elastic from process can be re-used 10

WOVEN CONCRETE Texture

by Matthew Finn

The basis of this experiment was to begin to test the deformative properties of elastic as a material as well as how the concrete begins to take this deformation as a texture. To accomplish this the concrete was poured to work with gravity in pressing down on the elastic forcing it to expand. In its expansion there were two interesting discoveries. One the pores of the elastic began to open up, allowing for the concrete to recieve this highly textured look. In addition due to the expanding nature of the elastic, holes between the woven pattern began to open up. This allowed the liquid concrete space to pass through, creating a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nippleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; like nub at the intersections of each of the woven pieces. It is here that I began to wonder if there is potential in the gap created by the expansion of the elastic. Is it possible to allow for more deformation which would allow for more concrete to pass through these holes?

PROCESS: 1. Weave the plaided pattern of elastic 2. Construct a box to allow for gravity the weight of concrete to deform the elastic 3. Cast *All elastic from process can be re-used

WOVEN CONCRETE OBJECT - Concrete Bow tie/ Elastic Apparel by Matthew Finn

For the making of the furniture/usable object I decided stay within the theme of elastic as a material by creating a concrete bow tie. The bow portion of the time is shaped using two pieces of elastic. one shorter which serves as the knot and a longer section. The knot was fastened by using glue. Once the glue dries, create a mixture of concrete with a high water content a little to no aggregate. The elastic bow tie is then dipped in the concrete once it is consistently mixed. Re-dip bow tie as necessary The final product basically serves as a clip on substitute, no longer will anyone need to spend agonizing hours in front of the mirror fumbling around wondering how to tie a bow tie. Use the concrete bow tie today.

PROCESS: 1. only use cement, make sure there is no aggregate in the mixture. 2. Cut one short and one long strand of elastic 3. Use the short strand to wrap and knot the bow strand. 4. Dip the shaped bow tie in concrete mixture 5. Repeat dipping as necessary 6. Fasten elastic kneck band to backside of the set bow tie. 14

WOVEN CONCRETE Investigating concrete formwork and structure by Matthew Finn

Building off of the previous texture experiment, I wanted to see if there was more potential in the gap created by the deformation of the elastic caused by the weight of the concrete and gravity. Therefore, in this experiment I wove the elastic strips, allowing the pattern to be fairly loose. This did allow for more concrete to pass through the holes in the woven pattern and created more spatial deflection on the surface. I was hoping that perhaps these â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nipplesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; could grow to such an extent that they may even be able to serve as columns supporting the upper cast as a roof structure. This aspect was not succesful . The nipples were not large or strong enough to carry the weight of the concrete above.

PROCESS: 1. Weave the plaided pattern of elastic with large gaps between strands

2. Construct a box to allow for gravity the weight of

concrete to deform the elastic 3. Cast *All elastic from process can be re-used 16